It’s Poetry Friday!
Our friend Margaret at Reflections on the Teche
hosts the weekend round up. Join us!
Ars poetica: the art of poetry
a poem that meditates on the craft of writing poetry itself
this is poetry
3 ½ year old legs
pacing a path
the Rockies ranging–
me, wondering
what they see
photo & poem ©2026 Patricia J. Franz
I offered the Nevermores a prompt earlier this month:
1. Write a poem about a poem/poetry using metaphor (A poem is… Poetry is…).
2. TRY NOT TO USE THE WORDS “a poem is/poetry is” —in your poem!
3. Write it as a double tetractys.
Here’s mine:
ars poetica
scene
paint brushed–
nouns and verbs,
watercolored
words, invite you in– peek at someone’s dream
then carry you by cloud beyond your now–
heartbeats confirm
what it means
to be
seen
© draft, PJF
My apologies for not responding to everyone’s poems last week. I received sad news that my daughter-in-law suffered a miscarriage — so my heart was elsewhere. I hope to circle back in the coming week. Your poetry is always a comfort. Thank you for understanding.
Patricia Franz writes picture books and poetry. She believes children, dogs, and sourdough have a lot to teach us about life, joy, and wonder. She has raised two boys, four dogs, and holds a master’s degree in Theology with a focus on children’s spirituality. Patricia, her husband, her Bernese Mountain dog, Bonny, and her sourdough starter split their time between the Arizona desert and the Sierra Nevada mountains. 
First, Patricia, let me give you a hug. I’m sorry. Second, what a challenge! Double tetractys are tough and then writing a poem about poetry without saying the word… also tough! I’m really enjoying being carried by cloud beyond my now.
My deepest condolences on your family’s loss…
Thank you for the prompt and your amazing poems! I love both of them, including the wonderful “peek at someone’s dream.” There is so much energy in your line breaks, too! Lovely!!!
I’m sending love your family’s way, Patricia.
And I love “paint brushed” as a verb. You really took us there.
Patricia, I am sorry for your family’s loss.
Patricia, may peace filter through your family’s loss. Life is fragile and uncertain but faith and hope are anchors to move forward. Your poems are lovely. Your image of nouns and verbs as paint brushed images brings me back to your first poem. I see the way you paint-brushed the words through a visualization in your photo.
Holding you and yours in the light.
Wow, I’d love to be “carried by cloud beyond my now.” Where do I sign up? That was simply gorgeous.
Patricia, First I am sorry for your family’s loss. It is, as you know, important to circle the wagons when those times impact our family. Also, your poem and picture of your grandson is captivating and I too wonder what he sees versus what you are watching! The special kind of grandma love seems to ooze through your words.
So sorry for your family’s loss.
That 3.5 year old on the path is truly a work of poetry!
Patricia, All three of my daughters have had one miscarriage and as sad and tragic as it is, they had each other for comfort. I wish for your daughter-in-law comfort knowing she has you to be present with her.
I am enamored of your ars poetica that begins and ends with scene/seen. It’s beautiful on the page as it’s beautiful in words.
Oh, my goodness…I am sorry to see the word miscarriage. I’m sending you hugs from here. I do love this prompt and wondering what that three year old sees. A delight!
Love to you, Patricia. Love that photo of your grandson and his three-and-a-half-year-old legs. Pure poetry.
I always appreciate an ars poetica poem. Patricia and yours is a strong example of the form. The notion of witnessing someone else’s dream is powerful imagery. Well written and true to its intent.
Oh, Patricia, I am so sorry about the loss of your grandchild. Of *course* you were elsewhere, and needed to be! These words from your poem:
what it means
to be
seen
made me think of what your daughter-in-law is experiencing in her grief. After a miscarriage, it’s so important just to be seen, to be listened to. Sending hugs to all of you!
Sorry for your family’s loss. Sending extra hugs your way this week.
Thank you for these lovely poems. Especially like “then carry you by cloud beyond your now.” Painting pictures with words = perfect metaphor.
Patricia, I’m so sorry about the loss of the baby. Hugs and prayers to you and your all your dear ones. There is so much to love in your poems. “heartbeats confirm/ what it means / to be / seen” with the little rhyme in there made me smile and think wistful thoughts. I certainly love those 3.5 year olds “pacing a path” I love ars poetica poems. I’m going to try your Nevermores prompt.
I’m so sorry for your loss, Patricia. God bless you all.
It was a fascinating challenge to write about something without actually saying the words. Which, in a way, invites the reader to bring to the poem a bit of him/ herself. Well done.