listen - day 4

 

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 

April 1 - listening, listening

April 2 - clicking kitty

April 3 - spring morning 

 

Here is poem 4: 

 

 

Students - Sometimes I heat tea water in a mug in the microwave, and sometimes I heat tea water in my metal kettle. Kettle sounds are much more satisfying than microwave sounds, and as I type this, I am deciding to boil water on the stove top whenever I have time to do so. I like the idea as well as the sound of bubbles gathering.

 

Each day so far this month, after writing, I think about where that day's sound-inspiration came from. Today's comes from the kitchen. Perhaps today in my notebook, I will try gathering sounds around their location and time of day and source too: kitchen sounds, morning sounds, night sounds, animal sounds, machine sounds.... What food or drink sounds can you think of? (I have an idea for a future poem right now!)

 

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. 

 

I wish we could share a cup of tea. I am boiling for some English breakfast tea, listening to the bubble gathering as I type... 

 

xo,

a. 

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