As I strive to become a better listener and to connect more with my
sense of hearing, National Poetry Month 2026 finds me writing daily,
handwritten, index card poems inspired by sounds and listening.. I have begun a new
notebook to collect the sounds I notice throughout the month, and I will
reflect on them in short poems. My ears - and my heart - are open wide.
I invite you to join me in this project, on any of my projects from the past 16 years,
or on a project of your very own. To do so, simply write a
poem each day of April in any way you wish. Share or don't share, as
you wish. Your poems are your poems. Your projects are your projects.
And if you wish learn a bit more about writing poetry, I welcome you to
the short lessons in the tab above: COAXING POEMS VIDEOS - 2024.
National Poetry Month 2026 Poems
Here is poem 14 -
Students - This little poem is dedicated to Winnie of the clicky high heels. At present, we have three kitties, but Winnie has the biggest personality, and four sounds will bring her in: her name being called (or the song I made up for her), treats being shaken, a spoon scooping yogurt from a plastic container, and a brush going through my hair. These sounds will bring her clicking in from rooms away. Reading this, you might think it a little gross that I will brush Winnie's fur with my own brush. It probably is, but I do it anyway and am reminded smilingly of the lady I once watched share an ice cream cone with her dog in the front seat of her truck. We people are funny ones.
Today's poem has no rhymes but a lot of repetition for its short number of words. I have enjoyed the constraint of the index card this month and am considering continuing this habit for a while. The tight focus on sounds and listening coupled with the small space of a 3x5 card is teaching me about my own voice.
Is there a sound in your life that may be very particular to you? Some sounds we share (cereal falling into a bowl), but some are very specific to our own lives. I am guessing that it is unlikely that many of you brush your pet's hair with your very own brush.
To
learn about many of the wonderful National Poetry Month projects
happening online this April, visit the generous Jama Rattigan at Jama's Alphabet Soup.
What might you share with a family member or friend or stranger or pet today?
xo,
a.
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