Welcome, Poetry Friday friends.
For National Poetry Month this year, I am writing poems generated in some playful manner. I am using metaphor dice, haikubes, Paint Chip Poetry, Mad Libs, words cut from newspapers and magazines, magnetic poetry, an online poem generator, roll-a-poem, and more.
You can read the poems I've written so far at the links below.
April 2 - MadLib a Poem - Stamp Collectors Dream
April 3 - Roll-a-Poem - The Brewing Storm
April 4 - Metaphor Dice - Time is an Impossible Promise
April 5 - Haikubes - A dream about my childhood
April 6 - The Poetry Kit - On Being an Octopus
April 7 - Poetry Machine - After Dad Died
April 5 - Haikubes - A dream about my childhood
April 6 - The Poetry Kit - On Being an Octopus
April 7 - Poetry Machine - After Dad Died
April 8 - Magnetic Poetry Kit - Untitled
April 9 - Poem Dice - The Fairy Dance
April 10 - Blackout Poem Generator - Untitled
April 11 - Paint Chip Poetry - In a Parallel Universe
April 12 - Mad Lib Poem - Mad Lib Slam Poem
April 13 - Roll-a-Poem - Swamp Dirge
April 14 - Metaphor Poem - My Heart is a Glorified Drum
April 15 - Haikubes - A dream about our world
April 13 - Roll-a-Poem - Swamp Dirge
April 14 - Metaphor Poem - My Heart is a Glorified Drum
April 15 - Haikubes - A dream about our world
April 16 - The Poetry Kit - Action Poems
Today's poem was inspired by Creative Communication's Poetry Machine.
The Poetry Machine contains various poetic forms and prompts for users to try. I decided to try out the Five W Poem.
Here are the directions.
- Title: Who ___________________
- Line 1: What ___________________
- Line 2: Where ___________________
- Line 3: When ___________________
- Line 4: Why ___________________
- Line 5: How ___________________
I wrote this poem for Laura and all the other good folks across the US who are speaking up for those who cannot and are standing up for what is right.
A chorus of raised hands and weathered voices, chants echoing through a common breath
along the avenues where sirens bloom and cardboard prayers tilt toward the sky
at the hour when daylight fractures and the city holds its pulse between heartbeats
because silence has teeth, and justice refuses to sleep beneath it
by marching, step by step, until even the pavement listens and remembers
Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2026. All rights reserved.
I hope you come back tomorrow to read the new poem I have to share. To see what others are offering up this month, check out Jama Rattigan's 2026 National Poetry Month Kidlitosphere Events Roundup.
Please take some time to check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected today by Heidi Mordhorst at my juicy little universe. Happy poetry Friday!
As a non-American, I've been so inspired by all the incredible, every day people who keep showing up and fighting the good fight. It's definitely inspired us here in Canada - we keep chipping away at our own right-wing political party (with a leader who enjoys cuddling up with despicable American podcasters, in a hilarious case of not being able to read the room) - there are seeds of hope, even in the darkness!
ReplyDeleteLove the truth in the line "because silence has teeth, and justice refuses to sleep beneath it." Thank you!
ReplyDeleteJustice refuses to sleep, justice refuses to sleep, justice refuses to sleep
ReplyDeleteI'm going to use this poem form with kids. I love you protest poem. We need them in the world.
ReplyDeleteTricia, well said. i am interested in your poetry so when I have some time (?) I shall read more. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed with ALL of your poems, but this one, in particular, is a winner! Play on!
ReplyDeleteDANG, Tricia--every line here has an arresting turn of phrase, a bold metaphor. Surely this is a best possible use of the 5Ws!
ReplyDeleteThese lines:
ReplyDeletecardboard prayers tilt toward the sky
because silence has teeth, and justice refuses to sleep beneath it
even the pavement listens and remembers
... Wow, Tricia. So good!
I love this line: "because silence has teeth, and justice refuses to sleep beneath it". You made this form work for an important subject. May our "cardboard prayers" be heard!
ReplyDeleteTricia, hooray for this prompt, which you have shared a perfect mentor poem to go along with it. Yes, yes, yes, to all the who, what where, when, why and how of this! I was especially touched with the last two lines, yes, until the "pavement listens and remembers."
ReplyDelete