Welcome, friends, to another Poetry Friday Adventure!

Poetry Peeps! July’s challenge is next week.

Here’s the scoop: we’re circling back to the beginning by revisiting Pádraig Ó Tuama’s Poetry Unbound challenge from way back in January. (Scroll to the very bottom of the post and find) His eight prompts can be used to produce eight lines with which you can create a Midyear Pantoum that gives you a sense for where you are now, and where you’re hopes will take the rest of your year. Are you in? Good! Write quickly and share July 31st in a blog post and/or on social media with the tag #PoetryPals. See you then!

Happy Fourth Friday of July! In case you’d not already started groaning theatrically, in exactly six months and a week, it will be New Year’s Eve. You’re welcome.

While any reports of my dearth have not at all been greatly exaggerated, this Friday snuck up faster than even I had anticipated. June 23 I signed with a new agent. June 25th I had an offer for two new books. July 7th, I signed the contract, aaaand… the first draft is due the first week of September, while copy editing is standing by for November 1st. So, I’m thrilled that this was already on the calendar, giving me an excuse to pop in, wave whilst reading some stunning poetry, and then drop back into the draft-revise-panic-and-repeat rabbit hole.

But while we’re all above ground, let’s add some poetry to this summer-bright moment. Thank you for being part of Poetry Friday today (if you’re early, the room opens at 5PM Pacific, 8PM Eastern)!

I thought I’d write a quick poem today – quick in that I’ve been thinking about it long enough for the words to come swiftly, but don’t mistake this for wholly unplanned. Ever since we dabbled with the Ireland Triptych poems at the beginning of the month, I’ve not quite felt like I did her actual mentor poem justice, so this is my second attempt. Like others of the Poetry Sisters, this time I’m using the words “Freedom is…” and seeing where that takes me.

Progressions

I.
Freedom is a light laid low;
sun aslant. Soft gold bars,
more benison than barrier,
hold warm breaths the day exhales,
letting it all
just go.

II.
One month on,
& midsummer’s psalm
circles final stanzas.
Earnest blue arch
cloisters in clouds –
and dry lawns drown
in drifts of leaves.
Fall’s muffled reminder
hums, siren sweet.

III.
Evolving,
time holds its own:

sweet
moments –
ripen

long ago stars formed
for such a time as this.

-©2026, triptych draft

Thinkies:

• Did you guys see the Doucette Roulette poetry form? The mind BOGGLES. 🤯
• For those of us whose love language is sarcasm, what are we laughing at?
• This left my heart on the floor. It matches my new contract: books 20k words shorter with simpler vocab, aimed at a generation of readers, some for whom information retrieval seems like someone else’s job…

The rabbit hole is calling, and I must go…

So until next time friends, water your plants, wear your sunscreen, and just 🐠 keep 🐡 swimming.🐟

🥰 Remember you are so, so loved.

P.S. – If you find yourself struggling with Inlinkz today, please leave your link in the comments. If you can’t make the comments work for you, use my contact form, which I’ll be watching for today. We’ll get this sorted!