Poetry / Writing

Poetry Friday: Laws of Motion

Catherine Flynn16 Comments

The first Friday of the month means it’s time for another Inkling challenge. This month Mary Lee prompted us to “Choose an image from the Visual Frameworks site. Write a poem inspired by the image.” This is a really cool site and full of images representing a myriad of ideas. I was inspired by this image:

Laws of Motion

I rush to the apple tree,
fling my backpack to the ground.
I hurl myself onto my swing
and the world blurs
as I launch into the sky.

The whir of crickets and cicadas 
buzz around me, drowning
out the jeers and jibes
of the kids on the bus.

I squeeze my eyes shut
forcing tears and taunts
away, today’s dose
of teasing swept away
by waves of wind.

I pump my legs,
back and forth, 
harder,
go higher,
and escape

for now.

Draft, © Catherine Flynn, 2023

Please be sure to visit my fellow Inklings to see what images they were inspired by.

Linda @A Word Edgewise
Heidi (is currently on blog hiatus)
Molly @Nix the Comfort Zone
Mary Lee @ A(nother) Year of Reading
Margaret @Reflections on the Teche

Then head over to Radio, Rhythm, and Rhyme, where Matt has the Poetry Friday Roundup. And, in case you missed it on Mary Lee’s blog, I’ll be hosting next week!

16 thoughts on “Poetry Friday: Laws of Motion”

  1. There must be many who would cling to your poem, Catherine, and see themselves in it, possibly wishing they had that apple tree and swing to respite. The emotion of the action words you chose feel real, like “fling”, “whirl”, and “drown”, then quite interesting as it comes from the simple sketch.

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  3. I think the alliteration and your use of pairs (jeers and jibes, tears and taunts, etc.) add so much to this poem, Catherine. I see the apple tree in that visual and feel the intensity of the swinging. Nicely done!

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  5. Whether it is swinging in a swing or just taking a long walk, the “laws of motion” definitely include reducing stress and providing an escape.

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  11. Catherine, what a lovely escape for the child’s sadness of the day. It seems familiar and reminds me of a child’s response to sadness and problems. Lovely.

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  12. I know that desire to escape by swing-set. I used to love getting to the swings first on the playground. I’ve seen that swinging is good for kids in lots of ways–I’m glad it showed up in this poem. There is healing by pumping one’s way up into the sky. Beautifully done, Catherine.

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  14. Catherine, this has been a full weekend with family so I have a 1/2 hour now to read posts. The challenge Mary Lee created is interesting. Your poem is a great example of the Laws of Motion. Here are some lines that brings insight to the child’s thoughts: dose/of teasing swept away/by waves of wind.

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  15. You really captured the emotion in this poem and your word choice throughout is spot on, making it a delight to read aloud. I also echo Michelle’s comment that there’s a wonderful sense of movement throughout. Well done!

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  16. Phooey! I wrote a response and it vanished. If it shows up again…you get double the compliments. Thank you for hosting this week. I hope your brain cells are settling into a good school routine. I always appreciate the thought you put into crafting poems…the phrase, “across the millennia” has a mystical feel for me. You allow us to time travel. Well done.

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