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 3:
Students - Happy spring! This morning I woke up, sat in my red chair, and just listened. What I heard was...the spring peepers in our neighbors' pond! I noticed that they are peeping away long before (all night?) the robins and other members of the dawn chorus are singing the sun up. I am usually up quite early, so this poem is for an imagined sleeping-in day.
Are you wondering what to write about? Turn off any devices, turn on all ears, and try writing about what you hear right this minute.
So much love to the warm and welcoming school community of Indian Trail Elementary School in Canal Winchester, Ohio. It was great fun to visit with all twelve first grade classes on Wednesday, and I extend special thank yous to the "Library Ladies" - Janie Kantner and Valerie Yonnotti and to the PTO for sponsoring my visit.
Matt is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at Radio, Rhythm, and Rhyme celebrating a year of RAINBOWS. Each Poetry Friday, all are invited to share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship in this open and welcoming poetry community.
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.
xo,
a.
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I love that today's "Book Peek" also begins with a sound -- "...a clickety keyboard!" And you are prompting me to take a twilight walk to the little neighborhood wetlands to listen to our local urban peepers!
ReplyDeleteWe have peepers out too! Thank you for this invitation to listen. Now, I notice the sounds around me are mostly human-made: traffic, a distant television, a ticking clock, the ringing in my ears!
ReplyDeleteShort and sweet! The peepers are out here, too!
ReplyDeleteGreat project, Amy. Love the clicking kitty and today's peeping. Wonderful way to inspire us not only to listen more carefully, but to use more alliteration, assonance and onomatopoeia in our poetry. Your poems delight the ears. :)
ReplyDeleteI listened to sounds this morning, too! Birdsong at its best. Thank you, Amy.
ReplyDelete"Peepers peep peepily"
ReplyDeleteI love the alliteration!
I heard the birds this morning as well and they made me happy.
ReplyDeleteI love the repetition and simplicity of your peeper poem. The sound of spring peepers is a sound of my childhood; the memory of it brings a smile. And just last week I was sharing Joyce Sidman's poem "Listen for Me" and her paired prose "Spring Peepers" with students (Song of the Water Boatman).
ReplyDeleteOh, I miss the pondful of peepers we had out back in Beaufort every spring! Thanks for the cheery, lilting spring greetings this weekend. xo
ReplyDeletePeepily! Love! xo
ReplyDelete