This month's challenge was to write a poem to a photograph. Simple enough, right? Usually, we share images and select from a common offering, but not this time. This means selecting an image was more difficult than writing a poem. I went through the camera roll on my phone and chose a photo I took of a painting by Jacob Lawrence. It is from the War Series and is titled War Series: Casualty - The Secretary of War Regrets.
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I had a hard time selecting an image for this challenge. The world around us is falling apart, and it's hard to make sense of it all. The war in Iran has me deeply concerned. I'm grateful to our troops serving there, but am heartbroken for the families who have lost loved ones. When I saw this image, I knew it would be my choice.
You know that I love the triolet. There's something about the repeated lines that makes such an impact. I chose this form and used the artwork's title as part of a repeating line in my poem. I love the poem, but it's dark and depressing, so I decided to have another go and wrote a sonnet. That's the poem I'm sharing today.
Casualties of War
Behind the patterned wall of vines and dark,
a figure folds, uncentered, almost gone;
the room burns red, a quiet, inward mark,
while something held has shifted, come undone.
A table keeps its small, unguarded frame,
a portrait set where hands once paused in care;
no voice intrudes to speak the absent name,
only the weight of what is missing there.
Outside, the world arranges lines and claims,
maps drawn in distance, certain in their tone;
yet here, no borders hold, no order tames
the bend of grief that will not stand alone.
So softly written, what is sent, what stays—
a nation speaks, and turns its eyes away.
Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2026. All rights reserved.
For National Poetry Month this year, I am writing poems generated in some playful manner. I am using metaphor dice, haikubes, Paint Chip Poetry, Mad Libs, words cut from newspapers and magazines, magnetic poetry, an online poem generator, roll-a-poem, and more.
Today's poem can be found at NPM 2026 - Day 24.
You can read the other poems I've written this month at the links below.
April 1 - Paint Chip Poetry - A Villanelle for Adam and EveApril 15 - Haikubes - A dream about our world
I hope you'll take some time to check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected today by Irene Latham at Live Your Poem. Happy poetry Friday!
I do love triolets, but I'm glad you went with the sonnet here! Something about that "softly written" gets me. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI was near Arlington Cemetery yesterday and heard another 21 gun salute. You know it's personal for me, but I also hold in my heart all the other grieving families. Thank you for this exquisite tribute. I especially like: Outside, the world arranges lines and claims,
ReplyDeletemaps drawn in distance, certain in their tone;
yet here, no borders hold, no order tames
the bend of grief that will not stand alone
Thanks for sharing all of your creative work. Your photo choice called for a serious poem - well done. I share your concerns about the war and the state of our nation today. I can only hope for a better future.
ReplyDeleteOh, "certain in their tone." SO certain, those maps and lines and things, so sure that their right is THE right. You made this work for you, and I'm intrigued by the imagery as well. I know you didn't want to share this one today, but I'm glad you did.
ReplyDeletethe turning our eyes away... oh, I really feel this, friend....
ReplyDeleteTricia, "something held has shifted, come undone." Your lovely poem also made me start humming "One Lonely Room," by Justin Hayward. So haunting. Your ending couplet is stunning. <3
ReplyDelete"the room burns red, a quiet, inward mark," — this haunts me, Tricia.
ReplyDelete"no order tames/the bend of grief" -- wowza. well done.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful...that ending is crushing as it is in life today. That unguarded frame. My goodness. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThis poem is a heartbreaking window into the grief of loss during a senseless (SENSELESS) war. That final couplet is a gut punch.
ReplyDeleteI'm so impressed with your project this month. You've been over here pounding out amazing poems, honing your craft as a poet, and I've been counting 1,2,3 1,2,3... I'm inspired to up my daily writing game in May!
Thanks for your poignant and sensitive poem Tricia, yes what a horrible mess the world is in, your poem and Lawrence’s art bring it home in a humbling way.
ReplyDeleteYour sonnet is beautiful yet heartbreaking. It was not an easy art work to write about, Tricia. I love your daily poem ideas. I bought The Poetry Kit--such a nice resource. I am going to use some of your links for my poems in May. Thank you for a great NPM plan.
ReplyDelete