A soluble (E)-poly(p-phenylenephosphaalkene) having sterically encumbering ligands has been prepared by a phospha-Wittig reaction. This material exhibits a bathochromic shift with respect to E-PPV and with respect to representative model oligomers. We also report the first fluorescence study of a poly(p-phenylenephosphaalkene) and find that this material exhibits fluorescence, though with modest intensity relative to similarly sized carbon-based analogues.