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 30 -
Students - As I have been writing poems about sounds this month, I have often found myself thinking about quiet. And quiet is quiet - no sound. But then again, quiet IS its own sound, something I realized after a month of focusing on sounds I hear.
Today's poem is a list poem, listing a few very specific quiet things, ending with a reminder of quiet's message, and my own discovery. It has been a delight to pay closer attention to sounds in my life over the past 30 days, and I believe that in some way, this has changed me. Thank you for joining me on this journey of listening..
Today is Poem in Your Pocket Day! I encourage you to place a poem in your pocket and to share it with those you meet today. I wrote a book illustrated by Emma Virján, to celebrate this day. Learn about If This Bird Had Pockets: A Poem in Your Pocket Day Celebration HERE.
I am carrying Rudyard Kipling's "Seal Lullaby" in my pocket today. It is a beautiful poem, and many years ago, one of our daughters memorized it and recited it to us. A treasured memory that I will hold close all day.
To
learn about many of the wonderful National Poetry Month projects that took place online this April, visit the generous Jama Rattigan at Jama's Alphabet Soup.
May you always listen and be listened to....
xo,
a.
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