Happy National Poetry Month, everyone! The first Friday of each month is the Inklings challenge, and Linda gave us an appropriate one this month: write an “Ars Poetica.” The challenge of this particular form is that there are so many superb examples of poems that are “a meditation on poetry using the form and techniques of a poem” that it’s hard to come up with an original idea.

My attempt is a reflection of both the Northeast’s seemingly endless winter and the challenges I have faced trying to get back to a regular writing life. (BTW, I wrote this a few weeks ago, and those lilac buds are now green!)

Ars Poetica

Outside, buds on the lilacs are clenched 
tight against the lingering cold,
yet their red tinge holds hope for spring;
a  few brave peepers start to sing
on a warm afternoon, urging
others to join in their chorus.

Meanwhile, words ricochet around 
my brain, trying to coalesce
into something meaningful, 
something worthwhile.

Each day the sun creeps northward,
lengthening the light,
enlivening dormant dreams.

Draft © Catherine Flynn, 2026

Please be sure to visit my fellow Inklings to read their responses to Linda’s challenge:

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

Then stop by Radio, Rhythm, and Rhyme, where Matt has the Poetry Friday Roundup.