My First National Poetry Month as Ontario’s Poet Laureate

April 2025 was a month I’ll never forget. As Ontario’s Poet Laureate, I embarked on my very first National Poetry Month tour across the Greater Toronto Area—and it was a beautiful journey. I moved from school gyms to community centres, libraries to auditoriums and I carried my powerful message: everything is created in language, words can change everything.

I often say, “Words are like swords.” They can cut deeply but they can also heal, inspire, and uplift. This is the essence of why I do what I do. Many people overlook poetry as just rhymes and verses, but it’s so much more—it’s a form of resistance, of self-expression, of liberation.

Throughout April, I made stops in Kitchener, Brampton, Milton, Mississauga, Toronto, Woodbridge, Stouffville, Vaughan, Newmarket, Markham, Oshawa, and beyond. Each place made me feel welcomed and appreciated in so many ways. I visited elementary schools and high schools, held career talks, and performed at community showcases. No two audiences were the same but all left a lasting impression on me.

One of the most heartwarming moments of the tour came during a Black Students Association showcase in the Peel Region. Over 30 schools came together to celebrate the depth of Black culture through dance, music, and—of course—poetry. It reminded me how art, especially spoken word, can honour history while empowering the present.

I also ran multiple workshops with groups as small as five people and as large as 200. We talked about mental health, personal identity, life’s ups and downs and how poetry can be a lifeline in this unpredictable world. One exercise I love teaching is about the phrase “I AM.” Two small words, that hold enormous weight. “I am strong.” “I am worthy.” “I am enough.” These aren’t just words, they are affirmations that can change someone’s whole life and perspective.

I always love being amongst young people they always inspire me with their creativity, dreams and goals. Some came into my workshops unsure of their voice or hesitant to share. But by the end, they were on their feet speaking in front of others, spitting bars with their friends, writing stories and verses, but most importantly reclaiming their power. That’s what poetry does—it gives those that feel voiceless a vehicle.

National Poetry Month 2025 showed me the immense potential within our communities. It challenged me, taught me, and filled me with hope. As I continue this journey as Ontario’s Poet Laureate, I carry with me every word shared, every story told, every young person who now believes their voice matters. The smiles and the laughter live on in my memories eternally.

I’m here as a torch bearer to remind people —“you are what you say you are”

With deep gratitude,

Matthew-Ray Jones Ontario’s Poet Laureate