It’s February!
No better time to jump in and begin participating in #PoetryFriday (as opposed to simply stalking)!
My poetry friends, “The Nevermores,” are writing from the word prompt: perch.
PERCH
birds perch
predators lurch
we kneel in church
in search of dirt?
or just deserts
to heal the hurts?
nurture,
purchase,
perhaps besmirch?
we listen, wait
we perch
©2022 Patricia J. Franz
If you’ve landed here on your own, please go peek at the amazing poets who are contributing a poem for #PoetryFriday. Â This week’s “round up” (featuring all their blog links) can be found here on Elisabeth Norton’s blogspot: Â Unexpected Intersections
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. 
Hi Patricia! Lovely to have you join us. “The Nevermores”! I am intrigued…
I like that your poem circled around to having us perch, like the birds. I hadn’t thought of myself as “perching” but I like it. 🙂
Thank you, Tabatha. Yes, “nevermore” is filled with meaning, isn’t it! And I am delighted to be participating! This group of poets is incredibly kind and encouraging.
Glad to be here to see your opening post at Poetry Friday. Yes, indeed, a talented and welcoming groups of poets and like me, a poet/poetry advocate who guest blogs occasionally but really loves commenting here. I have read your poem over several time and note a little regularity and wonder if it is a form you are following or your own creation? I like the idea of writing to a word. I used to do that at David Harrison’s blog regularly. Have you seen that? Word of the Month is the title of that section of his blog. A good perch can be a very helpful thing, especially when you are young and have a great spot to sit and read perched on a glider swing hanging from the giant arm of the old oak at your grandparents’ vacation home. Your poem makes me think of all the ways we behave. Less besmirching, more healing hurts please.
Thank you, Janet. My poem is just free verse; but I feel like verse often comes out of me with some kind of rhythm. I’ve only recently begun to look at different forms and #poetryfriday has inspired me to stretch and try some of them for future posts. Truly, a joy!
Glad to meet you, Patricia. I have never heard of the Nevermores so thank you for sharing your contribution. I have always loved the word perch. We listen, wait/we perch.
We are newly formed…poetry-loving, writing friends through InkedVoices. They are a delight (for me), as is #poetryfriday.
I am not sure if my comment went through, Patricia, so I will add another. It is good to meet you. I welcome you to Poetry Friday. Since I never heard of the group of poets you write with, I am intrigued. The last two lines of your poem connect human with animal-an interesting thought. I suppose it would be fun to perch up hight watching life go by.
yes, it did, Carol — I need to figure out how to turn off the lag for comments so they can post immediately (alas! I’m slow to the tech demands of blogs)
Ooh, lots to unpack and ponder in this lovely, brief poem, Patricia. A pull between the beauty of nature and the vicious side of nature and man. That’s the mood I get out of it, even though it might not be at all what was in your head. Many delicious words here!
Thank you, Laura. Yes, getting those words out of the head, on to the page, and then pondering the invisible threads that weave them together… yikes! I guess it’s why I think of this as a poetry sandbox: just playing!
So glad you’re joining the PF community, Patricia. Love the fun progression and word play in your poem. 🙂
Thank you, Jama!
Welcome to Poetry Friday! This is a grand place to perch, stretch your wings, and sing together!
Ahh…well done! Thank you, Mary Lee.
Welcome, Patricia! I love that you were able to incorporate the word “besmirch” in a poem – well done!
And I love your doggy website avatar/picture – paws-itively adorable.
Oh Bridget, thank you for your kind words. My heart is in pieces; my pup lost a very fast battle with cancer in Nov (she was only 4); I can’t bring myself to change the pic.
Welcome, Patricia. I love your response to “Perch”, have another group I’m writing with & their recent challenge is to find a way to “be still”, dismiss the distractions & write! I imagine that “perch” would be a good word to use in those thoughts, too. Your poem brings thoughtful words from nature.
Thanks, Linda. Yes, perch and stillness; nature is a bit better at these than we are!
Welcome Patricia! What a wonderful debut you’ve given us. We visit some birds each day on our lunchtime walks, and the foggy crow and kestrel are often perched on stumps and trees, so I was immediately drawn to the picture in your post, even before reading your lovely poem.
Thanks for joining the party this week!
(also – I love your pciture of a Bernese Mountain dog 😉
Thank you, Elizabeth. I am as attracted by art as I am by nature and the process of blending poems with images settles my heart.
Hi, Patricia, good to meet you. I enjoyed your take on some of the ways we perch. 🙂 Welcome to Poetry Friday!
Thank you, Karen!