Call this number to hear a poem every day in April

(APRIL 24, 2025) For National Poetry Month, people all across the country are calling a special telephone number to hear a new poem each day. This free poetry hotline was created by Anis Mojgani, Oregon’s poet laureate.

Mojgani came up with the idea during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. He wanted to share poetry with people at a time when live events weren’t possible. In 2022, he started the Tele-Poem Telephone Line—and it became a big success. Now, the hotline returns every April.

Just call 503-928-7008, and you will hear a recorded voice say:  “Hello. Thank you for calling Oregon’s telephone poetry hotline. Please stay on the line to hear today’s poem.”

Each day, a new poem is featured. The poems are read by Mojgani and other poets from Oregon, such as Charles Valle, Susan Leslie Moore, Paulann Petersen, and Kim Stafford. The poems are short, thoughtful, and sometimes funny or emotional. One recent poem was written for a poet’s two-year-old child. Another described the quiet beauty of nighttime or the warmth of a lemon tree.

Portland resident Becky Tucker says she looks forward to the poems every day. She often listens during lunch and sometimes calls again at dinner to share the poem with her children. She has even encouraged her friends to call. “It just kind of made my group of people feel closer,” she said.

Over 2,000 people have already called the line this month. Some callers say the poems make them feel calm and connected. Mojgani says that’s exactly the goal—to offer “a little quiet room” where people can reflect and feel something good.

The hotline is available until the end of April, 2025. Anyone can call, and if you miss a day, you can even hear past poems. So if you need a small moment of peace, reflection, or joy—just dial 503-928-7008.