Welcome to my National Poetry Month project for 2026, where I am playing with poetry by generating poems in playful ways. 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 Phone Number Poem.
Here are the directions.
- Write your phone number
- Line 1: Line has the number of syllables as the first number
- Line 2: Line has the number of syllables as the second number
- Line 3: Line has the number of syllables as the third number
- Line 4: Line has the number of syllables as the fourth number
- Line 5: Line has the number of syllables as the fifth number
- Line 6: Line has the number of syllables as the sixth number
- Line 7: Line has the number of syllables as the seventh number
I decided to use the phone number I grew up with, from way back in the day when my friends and I memorized everyone's phone number. I struggled with how to use a line with no syllables, so I'm leaving it to you to decide on your favorite curse word to put in place of the symbols. I did cheat in the second line, but I think it was worth it.
After Dad Died
(293-1408)
At last
the house leans in to hear your name again
dim rooms wait
still
walls hold echoes
$#@!%
home is not a house, but a heart.
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.
You can check out previous poems in 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 5 - Haikubes - A dream about my childhood
April 6 - The Poetry Kit - On Being an Octopus
Okay, this is fascinating.
ReplyDeleteWho would have even thought of using a phone number???
And that last line is perfect.
Oh Tricia. These numbers stay with us. I keep my dad in my phone contacts and remember childhood numbers as well as today's...maybe better. There are homes in those numbers. Did you see someone post a couple months ago about the zip code poem? This reminds me of that...and now you have me wanting to play. Cool month over here! xo, a.
ReplyDeleteMy childhood number has a zero too. I like your choice for the 0 in your number poem. "walls hold echoes" is haunting.
ReplyDeleteThis makes me cry. Oh, those old phone numbers and messages and memories.
ReplyDelete