For years, researchers have tried to understand the connection between the third Wednesday in July and the spike in workplace happiness. Now, at last, with the release of the double-blind Sweet Sticky Popsicle study initiated in 2012, Tweetspeak scientists have finally confirmed the inexplicable joy radiating from thousands of poet cutouts found in backpacks and briefcases, on desktops and laptops, even in cupcakes, coffee cups and blue jean pockets.
“It was really quite remarkable,” said one worker from the insurance industry who asked to remain anonymous for fear a colleague might steal John Keats from his pocket protector. “All day long I just felt so certain of nothing but the holiness of the heart’s affections, like a thing of beauty could be, well, a joy forever.”
We’ve condensed the data from this year’s study and offer some of the happiest highlights from around the Web:
Some of these poets, the scientists found, like to insinuate themselves into every situation.
For Take Your Poet to Work Day, Mary Oliver wanted to go to #MIN124 #TakeYourPoetToWorkDay pic.twitter.com/LnnWxLMq5d
— Janet Egan (@hammerchick) July 17, 2019
Libraries seem to be the epicenter of poet-on-a-stick activity (including my childhood library in Hennepin County).
A late entry from our Take Your Poet to Work Day: Periodicals specialist Erika S. getting contemplative with a trio of haiku masters! https://t.co/dSPpss0WXu pic.twitter.com/NnWmPnodAD
— CSCC Library (@CSCC_Library) July 18, 2019
Mary Oliver came with us to work today. She heard it was also World Emoji Day and wanted to share this with you:
✨
Keep some room in your 💘 for the unimaginable.
✨#PoetToWork#WorldEmojiDay #TakeYourPoetToWork pic.twitter.com/oZoGgJDuLF— Hennepin County Library (@hclib) July 17, 2019
#TakeYourPoetToWorkDay @KCLibrary!! Haiku for me and you! pic.twitter.com/HGqksEfSkb
— Nicoya (@nicoyasmiles) July 17, 2019
Did you know that today is #TakeYourPoetToWorkDay? Swing on by #PHSCNorthCampus #library to check out this book on writing and reading #poetry — PN1042 .M34 2001 #PHSCLibraries #BoTD #poettowork pic.twitter.com/qZrtxBrtYN
— PHSC Libraries (@PHSCLibraries) July 17, 2019
Wednesday, July 17th is Take Your Poet to Work Day! We hope @cscc_edu staff & students will stop by the 2nd floor of the Library to select a poet to color in and show off. pic.twitter.com/3iu4jDXa0C
— CSCC Library (@CSCC_Library) July 15, 2019
Some poets love to be around art. It seems they like to be made happy too.
#takeyourpoettoworkday @tspoetry pic.twitter.com/rwc7XNG4q4
— Dave Malone (@dzmalone) July 17, 2019
It can become worrisome from time to time when it seems the poet might be after your job. But the researchers have assured us it only lasts for a day.
Mary Oliver set this rule for her day as a nurse: She doesn’t do shots. But she did agree to choose a bandage. And the patient took the picture. #poettowork #takeyourpoettoworkday @tspoetry
More here: https://t.co/wuxIr8Dsco pic.twitter.com/D5vRat03Q2
— SandraHeskaKing (@SandraHeskaKing) July 17, 2019
Will is helping me tend the Monarch caterpillars today for #takeyourpoettowork day–tis fair and pleasant work! #poettowork pic.twitter.com/qKr2UrByx4
— Red Brick Poetry™ (@BrickPoetry) July 18, 2018
Though perhaps the emojis should be concerned, if the poets are coming for their jobs too.
Because emojis are overrated, did you know it's #TakeYourPoetToWorkDay ? Respect for the poets! #writers
This is an old post below, but I would hang out with Elizabeth today. https://t.co/ztCiWyuD6E
— Shel M. (@thatwordychick) July 17, 2019
Who knew a full takeover by poets could be so joy-inducing?
So, according to the good people over @tspoetry today is “Take Your Poet to Work Day.” (I didn’t even know this was a thing.)
In the end, I chose (l-r): Pablo Neruda, Sara Teasdale, and ee cummings.
Look them up!!#takeyourpoettoworkday #poettowork #poettoworkday pic.twitter.com/BEy2bo9V2H
— John Garcia (@spartans1855) July 17, 2019
And some folks just couldn’t choose their favorite.
On #TakeYourPoetToWorkDay, which @FFXNetwork @FFXMTA guest would you choose: @JanetWongauthor; @KwameAlexander; #KalliDakos? Visit our YouTube Channel for archived videos of “Meet the Author” visits at https://t.co/Wf0S2JAyKl. pic.twitter.com/3iRnVbPiKk
— Fairfax Network (@FFXNetwork) July 17, 2019
And, as they say, let them eat cake.
Take Your Poet To Work Day — Cake Wrecks: https://t.co/ftS0tyhQiN
— pops (@pops131) July 17, 2019
(It’s okay. We had you covered.)
Happy Take Your Poet to Work Day! Have you taken your poet to work today? If not, I AM EMBARRASSED BY YOUR LACK OF PREPARATION https://t.co/qglDKUgVpS
— Jack Miller (@x_hj_x) July 17, 2019
Some sightings baffled even our researchers.
Happy Take Your Poet to Work Day! https://t.co/siW8rlcH5j
— Michael Kerr (@HumoratWork) July 17, 2019
Coming to a theater near you. Maybe.
For Take Your Poet to Work Day, see why the life of the poet William Cowper, author of hymns like There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood an God Moves In A Mysterious Way, should be an inspirational movie. #WednesdayWisdom #WednesdayMotivation https://t.co/RSsi1LiHyI
— ThatShouldBeAMovie (@ShouldBeAMoive) July 17, 2019
The much beloved late Mary Oliver made appearances in many workplaces this year.
Mary Oliver has some words to consider on Take Your Poet to Work Day:
“Listen. Are you breathing and calling it a life?”
"There is nothing more pathetic than caution
when headlong might save a life,
even, possibly, your own.”#takeyourpoettoworkday #poetry #poets @tspoetry pic.twitter.com/E2wPf7GEXC— Prasanta Verma (@pathoftreasure) July 17, 2019
As did always creepily popular Poe.
Take Your Poet to Work, part II. "Annabel Lee" by Edgar Allan Poe. I love how this turned out with the extra detail and exaggeration! @tspoetry #PoetToWork #Poetry pic.twitter.com/VbdqiRzIyX
— Bryan J. Pitchford, MFA (@BoldCityPoet) July 21, 2019
Today is the seventh annual Take Your #Poet to Work Day created by @tspoetry! Unfortunately, I'll be getting on a plane, but I'm going to bring Edgar Alan Poe along for the ride. #PoetToWorkhttps://t.co/63Tm77TEUl pic.twitter.com/j3SOUrT60Q
— Bryan J. Pitchford, MFA (@BoldCityPoet) July 17, 2019
Others, more decisive, recall the many ways in which poets and tea belong together.
For @tspoetry #TakeYourPoetToWorkDay I chose W.S. Merwin, 2-time U.S. poet laureate, who wrote "To The Mistakes." Merwin loved tea, so he helped me choose from my Wilbur tea basket this morning. pic.twitter.com/4oueldNkF9
— Megan Willome (@meganwillome) July 17, 2019
Did you miss out on the big event this year? It’s never too late. Dive in to our full collection of cut ‘n color poets, grab a popsicle stick (or even a pencil) and take your poet to work any day of the week. It’s guaranteed to bring you joy. (And who can resist the chance to mess up a researcher’s data?)
Photo by Steve Penton, Creative Commons license via Flickr (poets added). Post by Will Willingham.
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Maureen says
Fun to see these, LW. Thanks for pulling them together.
Sandra Heska King says
It’s a lot of work to pull all these together. But so fun—especially with your added commentary. Thanks for sticking Nurse Mary in here.
Megan Willome says
I just love seeing this thing grow every year.