Poetry / Writing

Poetry Friday: A Triptych

Catherine Flynn12 Comments

How is it the first Friday of August already? I have crossed off a number of chores from my to-do list, but it seems like the list keeps growing! Fortunately, I still have the entire month to finish the most important tasks. But now it’s time for poetry.

This month, it was my turn to pose the Inkling’s monthly challenge. My brain was still de-stressing from a challenging spring at the end of June, and I was floundering a bit to come up with a worthwhile prompt. Luckily, Irene Latham, posted a “Summer Triptych” last month. I was intrigued by the form, and Irene made it look so easy (as she does with everything!). So that was the challenge: write a triptych. (Thank you, Irene.)

I toyed around with several ideas, but kept coming back to an owl (owls?) who’ve always been in the woods behind our house. This summer, though, she (they?) have moved into the front yard! My husband has been lucky enough to see her on several occasions.

I

Just before dawn,
an owl’s call
threads its way through the trees
before tapering off into a purr.

II

Bold in the noonday sun, 
an owl sits, poised and serene.
She seems aloof to the comings
and goings around her.
But make no mistake:
She is keenly aware
of every imperceptible
rustle of grass,
every whisper of leaves.

III

A creamy, tan striped feather
lies under the apple tree:
Owl’s calling card.

© Catherine Flynn, 2025

Check out my fellow Inklings triptych’s here:

Heidi @ my juicy little universe
Margaret @ Reflections on the Teche
Linda @ A Word Edgewise
Mary Lee @ Another Year of Reading
Molly @ Nix the Comfort Zone

Then be sure to visit Jane Wittingham at Rain City Librarian for the Poetry Friday Roundup.

12 thoughts on “Poetry Friday: A Triptych”

  1. I love the word purr to describe how the owl’s call sounds. We have owls that live across the bayou and call every evening and morning, sometimes quite loudly. Thanks for this prompt. It’s a nice way to formulate a poem over time.

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  2. Three cheers for staying so close to the form! You got your middle stanza double-wide, and you nailed the elements of past, present, and future. (I’m jealous that you have a yard owl!)

    Thanks to both you and Irene for a great challenge!

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  3. I’m afraid I didn’t sleep well in the tent the other night, but it did give me a chance to experience the call of two barred owls! I like the dawn/day/I imagine dusk of your triptych and the 3rd part especially is such a great image. Fun challenge, Catherine!

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  5. What a great prompt, Catherine – I’ve enjoyed the Inklings magic this week. So much variety! The owl works so well as a subject for your triptych. Last week we were in Orlando with my folks, and I was able to “introduce” my bird-loving stepdad to the (adorable) whinny-call of a little Eastern Screech Owl on their street.

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  7. Thank you for this challenge. I really enjoyed it and I love seeing all the different variations of triptychs around PF this weekend. The thought of an owl purring is intriguing–and yet, I can hear it in my imagination. I love your aloof owl. Now, I want one for my trees. Send her down!

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  8. Lucky you to have an owl neighbor! I noticed that you managed to make that middle stanza larger to fit the form. Nice job! I love how you ended with that feather calling card. Thanks for a great challenge.

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