Last month was National Poetry Month. But for poets and proselytizers of poetry, the work never stops. Local poet and human dynamo Deborah Ager is the driving force behind 32 Poems, one of the most respected poetry journals in the country, one that has, in the short time its been around, attracted the attention and the work of such notable poets as Brigit Pegeen Kelly and former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins. Ager and 32 Poems are co-hosting Poetry and Music tonight at The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, combining poetry readings from local poets Sandra Beasley and Bernadette Geyer with songs performed by the group The Caribbean.

DCist interviewed Ager about the origins of 32 Poems and her own poetic background.

Why 32 Poems? What's the significance of that title?

I like numbers. 32 happens to be, mathematically speaking, the best number of poems to read in two sittings, and the perfect number for a small magazine. Almost sacred, in fact.

What prompted your interest in poetry? When did you first start writing poetry? Why?

I've loved poetry since I was able to read. My first favorite poet was Christina Rossetti. A poem of hers appeared in a book of poetry my grandfather gave me. Once, later, a poet visited my school for the Poets in the Schools Program. That was about the best day in the first 12 years of my education.

Who are some of your influences? Some of your favorite poets? Favorite local poets?

I read a lot, not all of it poetry. I read books on positive psychology, history of various monarchs, fiction, short stories, and business books.

My favorite poets include Elizabeth Bishop, Sylvia Plath, Anthony Hecht, Seamus Heaney, Gjertrud Schnackenberg and many others.

Tell me about the 32 Poems. Is your emphasis on local poets, or does your reach extend nationwide?

We have published a number of DC poets (Bernadette Geyer, Kathi Morrison-Taylor, Richard Peabody). But we don’t emphasize DC -- or Lubbock, by the way, where our poetry editor John Poch is based. Some of our poets live in Ireland, Italy and India.

We’ve been proud to publish strong work from some of the finest poets you could name right now: Brigit Pegeen Kelly, Billy Collins, William Logan, Sidney Wade, A.E. Stallings, Geri Doran. We list them at http://32poems.com/issues.html.

Unlike some writers, you've embraced technology as a way of shouting the value of poetry from the treetops. Why? And do you think it's beneficial? How?

I do find blogging beneficial. I wrote about this on my blog recently. Although some poets deride blogs, I've found mine useful for generating ideas, collaborating on projects, getting ideas for the magazine and my own writing. I enjoy promoting the work of poets I admire. It is useful work and good work.

As an example of a collaboration of sorts, I've gotten together with a small group of other poets to write one poem each day for 30 days. I’ll do this all the way through the end of April.

When I started my blog, I was 100% clueless as to what I was doing. But it has evolved over time. I started it as a way to share the ins-and-outs of running a magazine -- because so many people were asking me how to do that -- and whenever I thought I’d said all I had to say on that topic, I began blogging about poetry in general, poems I like, my life, the world. Mostly, though, I like to focus on poetry, poetry events, promoting poetry presses, et cetera.

What do you do during the day?

I work in the web world. I'm an online marketing sort, providing ideas and expertise to increase visitors to websites.

Give me your thoughts on the local Washington DC poetry scene? Favorite local writers? Novelists? Blogs?

I have a two-year-old daughter, so I don't have much time for a poetry scene. I admire Dan Vera and Michael Gushue for having a Wednesday night reading in Brookland, and I've enjoyed listening to poets at the Burlesque Poetry Hour at a hotel downtown. Kim Roberts is a major promoter of all things poetry in the DC area, and it's
hard not to know the hard-working Richard Peabody (whom I actually met all the way out at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts). The universities keep the calendar lively, as does the Library of Congress. There’s plenty to do. It’s a good place to be.

Poetry and Music. Tonight at The Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh Street, Bethesda, MD. 8 p.m. Free admission.