This is the final week of National Poetry Month. I have immersed myself in the work of Camille T. Dungy, first reading SOIL: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden. I then turned to her 2017 poetry collection, TROPHIC CASCADE.
This last week, I am reading SMITH BLUE, an early collection (2011). Dungy’s work is a tapestry of personal stories woven into the spaces and places she has called home.
Each day I have used a line from one of her works as a poetry prompt. You can find my poetry for any given day by clicking on the links below.
My poems from TROPHIC CASCADE:
April 18 through April 23
April 15 through April 17
Poems inspired by SOIL: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden:
Find April 12 through April 14 here.
Find April 8 through April 11 here.
Find April 3 through April 7 here.
Find April 1 and 2 here.
April 25, 2024
“to love like God can love, sometimes”
to love like God can love, sometimes
is to wait
without a sigh
gather in
the good and the bad
know their cries
©draft, Patricia J. Franz
Join us this weekend!
Ruth at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town is hosting the Poetry Friday round up where you’ll find links to more poetry!
April 24, 2024
“After Opening the New York Times I Wonder How To Write A Poem About Love”
an awakening
marrow stirs
aroma wraps like gauze
the tender spirit
a rushing road, escapee
entrapped in snow, freed
stampeding
toward the ancient glacial basin
chorus fills the empty cavity
not a soul
pays attention to me
the pasque flower poses
mistaken for a dream
snow receded, stirred you to being
basking in a sunny day
©draft, Patricia J. Franz
Patricia Franz is a kidlit writer and published poet. 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. 
Oh “to wait without a sigh” the love of God right there. Beautiful! I just ordered a used copy of this book. I hadn’t read it yet. I’ve only read SOIL and TROPHIC CASCADE.
I love this poetry project, Patricia. I am not familiar with this poet, but I have put her work on my must-read list. Thank you.
Patricia–to wait without a sigh. Oh, gosh. I am so guilty of the sighs (whether they’re audible or not). These are both lovely, but that first one really speaks to me.
What a cool project! I really admire Camille Dungy’s work. The anthology she edited, BLACK NATURE, is excellent, too.
I love that you took care to reflect on Dungy’s work with your own poems that feel so full of support, for self and others, Patricia. That line, “aroma wraps like gauze”, is lovely and a new idea!
Oh, Patricia, these are both beautiful. I love “…to wait without a sigh.”
Patricia, your NPM project is very interesting. Thanks for introducing me to this new poet.
Dungy’s work is new to me as well. I love your response poems to just one of her lines – I must check out all of her titles.