A Happy Thanksgiving thank you for this little community of writers. Thanks for making time for yourself on Wednesday morning to write along with me and others. I am grateful for you!
This past weekend my daughters and I traveled to Texas wine country. You can read my Slice of Life about it here. Our Airbnb was connected to downtown Fredericksburg by a narrow concrete bridge across Barons Creek. On the chain link fence were locks. Maggie said, “Like Paris!” Oblivious to the reference I took this picture.
I challenge you to write a small poem without using the word locks. If you haven’t tried a tricube form, read Linda Mitchell’s prompt from Ethical ELA. Like haiku, a tricube captures a single moment with few words. Three by three, three syllables in each line, three lines in each stanza, three stanzas. Share your small poems in the comments or on Facebook. Join here.
On my way
across paths
of riversI hold on
to your hand
with fervorOur two hearts
Margaret Simon, draft
are combined
with vigor
Reflections on the Teche 
Made me think of our short visit to Paris. I did use the word “locks”–twice! But tried out the tricube :>)
Lovers’ Locks Outlawed on French Bridge
Pont des Arts—
Paris bridge
now empty
Who knew the
weight of love
could harm it?
Love is wings
to fly, not
locks to clutch
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
I love your poem Laura, so sad they had to take down the locks, but alas there are other bridges in Paris that still have locks on them. I live your metaphor of
“Love is wings
to fly,”
Thanks!
Love that image of love being wings to fly, Laura. Thank you for giving me additional information about the Paris bridge. I learned something new today.
“Wings to fly” – such a beautiful image!
Who knew? Love the last stanza!
A locket
containing
wisps of hair
memories
of a love
yet still there
a closing
a clasping
a keeping
– this is what came to me, a play on “locks.” This is my first tricube! Thank you so much for the inspiration, Margaret – your lines, “our two hearts/are combined” spawned mine.
Lovely imagery Fran, thanks!
The repetition of those last three lines is a beautiful ending to this poem.
Love the sounds in that last stanza.
A keeping…the last stanza is rhythmic and evocative.
Ahhhhhh. Finally, a Wednesday morning I can join in. Your trip to Texas sounds just wonderful. What a great group of women in your family! I have seen “the” or “a” lock bridge in Paris. It’s right outside the Louvre. I took pictures. I’ll have to share sometime.
one heart me
one heart you
one love key
turns toward you
unlock me
true love you
turn to me
unlocked you
I’ll be true
Oh Linda, this is a melt-in-your-heart poem, you’ve filled me up with the love, and wonderful sound-rhythm too, thanks!
Lovely!
Such wonderful repetition and turn of phrase.
I love your post and poem Margaret, it jogged a special memory for me that I wrote about. Thanks for making this space and images available to us each week, and Happy Thanksgiving!
LOVE LOCKS
For Markus with love, xox
love entwined
always finds
heartfulness
promised plans
cancelled but
strengthened bonds
lacking funds
feelings grow
love renewed
Michelle Kogan
Short story behind this image. For my birthday, my husband gave me a small lock that we were going to use on the Love Lock Bridge in Paris, but Covid happened.
P.S. I had to use locks in the title
I love how you took an unwanted situation and turned it into something beautiful and postive. Love renewed!
I hope you get to visit someday!
Heart this, Michelle.
Michelle, What a lovely love poem. So sorry you weren’t able to make it to Paris. Someday…
I will be honest – I had to Google the Paris reference. I had no idea!
Margaret – When I saw the picture and after reading your poem, my thoughts immediately went to strength and the passing of it through those metaphoric locks.
two hands clasp
our fingers
intertwine
facing the
darkness of
fears ahead
the passing
of your strength
steadies me
Yours is such a nice echo to mine. “Facing the fears ahead” and finding strength in each other extends what I was trying to capture.
Such a beautiful bond you’ve created between these two, thanks Leigh Anne.
Lovely, Margaret! I believe there are other bridges around the world where people hang love locks, also. I remember one in New York, but I think they have been taken down. I think it’s a lovely tradition.
come along
be with me
forever
like a chain
hearts entwined
forever
linked in love
we’ll go on
forever
Nice use of a repeated line(word).
My friend’s son, also a friend got engaged recently and I just found out. So I felt inspired. Not a tricube effort and still a draft. (I saw a photo of the ring on her hand, so pretty!) And I want this to last for everyone and hope it will.
Intertwined
The ring shines.
Its stunning roundness, perfection.
Locked in love,
the joining of hearts
ends lifelong searching,
says: finally family.
The keys? Tossed away
into the sunny promise of forever,
remind us that
love protected,
love honored,
love understood,
radiates
like the sun.
It never ends.
Janet Clare F.
Happy Thanksgiving to all, I’ll be back eventually to comment!
Janet
Janet, This is a lovely poem about the promise of forever love. I hope you will give it to them.
Beautiful, Janet. Toss those keys and cling to love forever.
So much goodness in this post – I love the photo, the prompt and, of course, the varied responses. Thank you for the challenge – I have never written a tricube but want to now.
I loved reading how you’ve all responded to the prompt. Like Sally, I’m tempted to try a tricube, now.
When I traveled with my then-high schooler niece to Austria, Germany, Switzerland, she placed a love lock on a bridge for her and her sweetheart. Now those two are married with two small children! Some young love does hold… thank you, Margaret! xo
Beautiful to read all the ‘love’ in each poem, Margaret. I haven’t thought about that tradition of locks for a long time. Your trip with your daughters sounds wonderful & how great to see the “locks” have crossed the ocean.
Beautiful tricubes and more today! I’m sorry I missed this photo. Glad you were able to enjoy such a lovely outing with your daughters, Margaret.
Thanks so much, Margaret, for taking this community-building weekly practice forward! I regret that I don’t seem to be able to get in the habit of participating, so I’m glad you’re featuring on a Poetry Friday. Let me tri a tricube…
If we must
hang here behind
chain-link fence
then let us
hang here together
behind the fence
let us lean
hang here linked
in persistent combination
…and now that I’ve finished I remember the 3-syllable rule. Ah well!
Rules are made to be broken. I’m glad you dropped in. I like the effect of repetition hanging here…linked…to this community of writers.
Your tricube has inspired me for my next poetic endeavor. Drafting one now for Friday. How exquisitely your poem is worded, not only excluding the word lock, but including the imagery conjured by the photo — the fencing as river paths. Lovely.
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