What does it mean to listen like a poet? This April marks the 30th anniversary of National Poetry Month, a celebration of how poetry helps us reflect and connect. In this 18th-century thangka painting of Milarepa, Tibet’s most revered mystical poet sits in a mountain cave with one hand raised to his ear. The gesture points to how his songs were said to arise—spontaneously, shaped through deep listening. Here, poetry begins not on the page, but in the act of listening. ✍️ Write the first line—what might this image be saying? #NationalPoetryMonth #ArtAndPoetry #Milarepa ___________ Milarepa (1052-1135) and Scenes from His Life; Tibet; 18th century; Pigments on cloth; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, Gift of Shelley and Donald Rubin; C2006.66.174