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 22 -
Students - Today's little sound poem reads like a story. It tells exactly, moment by moment, about something that happened today as I was weeding the garden. I did change the actual mail (to my favorite mail of flower catalogs and letters) in today's poem, but I did indeed hear the truck, the stop, the greeting, my greeting, the close of the metal mouth.
I once listened to a Hidden Brain podcast titled "The Power of Tiny Interactions" about how important these kinds of small conversations are for our well-being. Little conversations with people we see out and about are important, just as big conversations with loved ones are important.
Is there a person in your life who is not a family member or good friend but with whom you exchange a few words almost every day? This person, and your ongoing interaction with this person could make for an interesting poem or even the beginning to a story.
And yes, yes. The mailbox IS a bit of personification. Mailboxes do NOT have mouths! But it sure seems that way, doesn't it?
When I took the photograph for today's post yesterday, Winnie (left) and Fiona (right) followed me out to the mailbox. You can see how not-busy our country road is!
Photo by Amy LV
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.
Remember, the small conversations you have with people today - and every day - have the power to make those people's days more meaningful. Our words matter.
xo,
a.
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