Starlight [15 words or less]

?15WOLs?

?Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!

I hope you saw my online card earlier this week–I consider this 15 Words or Less community one of my very favorite things about my online life! Here are 3 things this photo makes me think of:

1) runway landing lights at the airport
2) a hooked rug
3) fireflies in July

And here’s my first draft!

Heart

seems strong and pounding,
but thin walls are a fragile
container for life

–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved

Now it’s your turn! Have fun? and stick to? 15 WORDS OR LESS!??(Title doesn’t count toward word count:>)?

228 Responses

  1. The glowing light
    Within our souls
    Guiding us through
    Life’s dark tunnel
    For all eternity

    - Anne McKenna

    1. Ooh, very meaningful! I like this a lot. Especially the “life’s dark tunnel” ‑great wording!

    2. Beautiful, Anne. I like your use of concrete images–the glowing light and the dark tunnel. They keep the poem from being solely abstract.

    3. That light needs nurturing to shine brightly some days. I think we forget this sometimes. I love seeing it in the eyes of tiny babies. And my wish for them– that their light always shines brightly. I like your poem, Anne.

  2. The glowing light
    Within our souls
    Guiding us through
    Life’s dark tunnel
    For all eternity

    - Anne McKenna

    1. Ooh, very meaningful! I like this a lot. Especially the “life’s dark tunnel” ‑great wording!

    2. Beautiful, Anne. I like your use of concrete images–the glowing light and the dark tunnel. They keep the poem from being solely abstract.

    3. That light needs nurturing to shine brightly some days. I think we forget this sometimes. I love seeing it in the eyes of tiny babies. And my wish for them– that their light always shines brightly. I like your poem, Anne.

  3. Laura, your poem hit home as my father recently had a heart episode. He’s fine now, but it gave us a scare.
    Anne, I believe in that soul light.
    At our faculty Christmas party, a colleague brought her one year old son. He was pointing at all the lights. Reminded me of my daughter’s first word, “Yights!”

    The Star

    The baby’s finger points
    to the light atop the tree–
    a star with a purpose.

    –Margaret Simon

    1. “Yights!” What a lovely first word:>) And I’m so glad your father is all right. Your poem is lovely, and that last line resonates.

  4. Laura, your poem hit home as my father recently had a heart episode. He’s fine now, but it gave us a scare.
    Anne, I believe in that soul light.
    At our faculty Christmas party, a colleague brought her one year old son. He was pointing at all the lights. Reminded me of my daughter’s first word, “Yights!”

    The Star

    The baby’s finger points
    to the light atop the tree–
    a star with a purpose.

    –Margaret Simon

    1. “Yights!” What a lovely first word:>) And I’m so glad your father is all right. Your poem is lovely, and that last line resonates.

  5. Darkness closes in
    Everything is bleak
    Heart growing weak
    then you, my star,
    shine bright

    Thinking kind of dark this morning 🙂 Love the picture!

    1. Poetry is great for those dark-thought mornings! Love bleak/weak in an essentially non-rhyming poem. And it really emphasizes how the star changes things at the end, because it changes the pace I read the poem at. Nice!

    2. This reminds me of those special people we meet or who are part of our daily lives. The ones whose simple word or smile is a gift. Lovely to find the happiness we all need in our stars!

  6. Darkness closes in
    Everything is bleak
    Heart growing weak
    then you, my star,
    shine bright

    Thinking kind of dark this morning 🙂 Love the picture!

    1. Poetry is great for those dark-thought mornings! Love bleak/weak in an essentially non-rhyming poem. And it really emphasizes how the star changes things at the end, because it changes the pace I read the poem at. Nice!

    2. This reminds me of those special people we meet or who are part of our daily lives. The ones whose simple word or smile is a gift. Lovely to find the happiness we all need in our stars!

  7. Laura, perfection for the season — would love to see that topper on anyone’s tree. Symbolism is variety in motion. My thoughts:

    Crossings

    The 3‑D 4‑way stop
    prompts cause for pause
    as manners dictate
    who goes first.

    1. I like that ’cause for pause’. I was just in a jam a few days ago, many traffic lights were out around a popular mall-manners not always as they should be!

      1. Thank you Linda. Same experience and a local topic of conversation. But the “midnight clear” star will always be a symbol of hope for all that is good.

    2. Intersections in person, online or on roadways bring us together and our momentary touching on that path can make all the difference. I like to model kindness on the roadway(and in person) and try whenever I can when it is safe to do so. Lovely to connect it to the meaning of the Christmas Star.

      1. Thank you Janet. Intersections came to mind immediately because of the X portrayed in the picture. Chose the word crossings instead.

    3. Aw, thanks, Martha. I do love its simplicity, though we’ve had plenty of glitzy, tinsely, sparkly tree stars, too. This one’s my favorite:>)

      Love that you thought of crossings and intersections for this. Such a fresh point of view. I love to see a totally different approach than what anyone else did!

  8. Laura, perfection for the season — would love to see that topper on anyone’s tree. Symbolism is variety in motion. My thoughts:

    Crossings

    The 3‑D 4‑way stop
    prompts cause for pause
    as manners dictate
    who goes first.

    1. I like that ’cause for pause’. I was just in a jam a few days ago, many traffic lights were out around a popular mall-manners not always as they should be!

      1. Thank you Linda. Same experience and a local topic of conversation. But the “midnight clear” star will always be a symbol of hope for all that is good.

    2. Intersections in person, online or on roadways bring us together and our momentary touching on that path can make all the difference. I like to model kindness on the roadway(and in person) and try whenever I can when it is safe to do so. Lovely to connect it to the meaning of the Christmas Star.

      1. Thank you Janet. Intersections came to mind immediately because of the X portrayed in the picture. Chose the word crossings instead.

    3. Aw, thanks, Martha. I do love its simplicity, though we’ve had plenty of glitzy, tinsely, sparkly tree stars, too. This one’s my favorite:>)

      Love that you thought of crossings and intersections for this. Such a fresh point of view. I love to see a totally different approach than what anyone else did!

  9. The Porch Light

    Still glows each night
    for you.
    It almost makes me forget
    you’ll never
    see it.

    Andria W. Rosenbaum/ all rights reserved

    1. I am wondering who this is about, Andria. It is beautiful and loving. Hope your holidays were bright and the latkes yummy.

    2. Andria, this is gorgeous…and sad. Something about the line breaks works so well. The expressiveness of the longer lines, and then the sudden breaks and short lines, like being caught up short by grief, again and again. REally nice.

  10. The Porch Light

    Still glows each night
    for you.
    It almost makes me forget
    you’ll never
    see it.

    Andria W. Rosenbaum/ all rights reserved

    1. I am wondering who this is about, Andria. It is beautiful and loving. Hope your holidays were bright and the latkes yummy.

    2. Andria, this is gorgeous…and sad. Something about the line breaks works so well. The expressiveness of the longer lines, and then the sudden breaks and short lines, like being caught up short by grief, again and again. REally nice.

  11. Laura, loved your poem. Every line of it. So true.

    AFTER…

    Unfolding petals
    aim for the sun.
    Stretching and yearning,
    new growth has begun.

    1. I saw this as a baby on the way. Love the birth of newness be it flowering plants or flowering lives. Your poem is touching.

    2. Thanks, Cindyb. As the world becomes ever smaller, death seems more ever-present–and fully living life more necessary! This is gorgeous. I love your title, that has us wondering, after what? Then the dynamic poem and the playing with different whats: winter, death, pain. Lots of possibilities. Though I like the most literal interpretation best: after winter. But the other possibilities give it depth.

  12. Laura, loved your poem. Every line of it. So true.

    AFTER…

    Unfolding petals
    aim for the sun.
    Stretching and yearning,
    new growth has begun.

    1. I saw this as a baby on the way. Love the birth of newness be it flowering plants or flowering lives. Your poem is touching.

    2. Thanks, Cindyb. As the world becomes ever smaller, death seems more ever-present–and fully living life more necessary! This is gorgeous. I love your title, that has us wondering, after what? Then the dynamic poem and the playing with different whats: winter, death, pain. Lots of possibilities. Though I like the most literal interpretation best: after winter. But the other possibilities give it depth.

  13. Sweet Geometry

    Twinkling starlight,
    a nighttime expectation.
    Perfect snowflakes,
    a moment?s observation.
    Simple pleasures
    my daily education.

  14. Sweet Geometry

    Twinkling starlight,
    a nighttime expectation.
    Perfect snowflakes,
    a moment?s observation.
    Simple pleasures
    my daily education.

      1. Rhyming is not my usual go to form! But I am branching out now and then! Thanks, Liz! Did you see the pics in the ad Heidi mentioned?

      1. Rhyming is not my usual go to form! But I am branching out now and then! Thanks, Liz! Did you see the pics in the ad Heidi mentioned?

  15. A strong sense of melancholy here today–’tis the season…

    Each afternoon as I have left work this week, this is what I’ve seen:

    Parking Lot in December 2013

    Fir trees
    in dusk light
    dark and solid.
    Venus earnestly
    shines as the
    Christmas star.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    I could have used a few more words this week, but maybe I’ll expand this one later.

    1. Isn’t it a treat how the night sky gifts us with such light? And the fir trees wear their mantle of white so proudly. Love your poem. Would like to see your longer version!

    2. Is it Venus that has been shining every night, breaking out from behind the clouds and even competing with the moon for glory? Love this little tribute!

    3. I always think of melancholy as a focus on the darkness, and I love a good melancholy song or poem, myself:>) This is a beautiful scene you paint, and I like the choice of earnestly in line 4. Nice.

  16. A strong sense of melancholy here today–’tis the season…

    Each afternoon as I have left work this week, this is what I’ve seen:

    Parking Lot in December 2013

    Fir trees
    in dusk light
    dark and solid.
    Venus earnestly
    shines as the
    Christmas star.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    I could have used a few more words this week, but maybe I’ll expand this one later.

    1. Isn’t it a treat how the night sky gifts us with such light? And the fir trees wear their mantle of white so proudly. Love your poem. Would like to see your longer version!

    2. Is it Venus that has been shining every night, breaking out from behind the clouds and even competing with the moon for glory? Love this little tribute!

    3. I always think of melancholy as a focus on the darkness, and I love a good melancholy song or poem, myself:>) This is a beautiful scene you paint, and I like the choice of earnestly in line 4. Nice.

  17. Happy Holidays Everyone! Laura, I like the idea of the ‘heart light’ in your poem. Here’s mine, thinking of Christmas.

    That star shining,
    bright and near,
    still sends its message
    on “a midnight clear”.
    Linda Baie ?All Rights Reserved

    1. I read this in the morning and am just getting to my comment. I really love how you put in “a midnight clear”! A poem for a card for sure! I can see it! Happy holidays to you, Linda! May the star’s brightness gladden all your hearts as family from near and far gather!

    2. Your poem reminds me of one of my Christmas poems in Illuminate titled, The Star Still Leads. I love your use of rhyme. Merry Christmas!

    3. Thanks, Linda–and happy holidays! I love the word near here. Don’t know if you chose it just because it rhymed with clear, but the star being near lends a whole other depth to your poem…

  18. Happy Holidays Everyone! Laura, I like the idea of the ‘heart light’ in your poem. Here’s mine, thinking of Christmas.

    That star shining,
    bright and near,
    still sends its message
    on “a midnight clear”.
    Linda Baie ?All Rights Reserved

    1. I read this in the morning and am just getting to my comment. I really love how you put in “a midnight clear”! A poem for a card for sure! I can see it! Happy holidays to you, Linda! May the star’s brightness gladden all your hearts as family from near and far gather!

    2. Your poem reminds me of one of my Christmas poems in Illuminate titled, The Star Still Leads. I love your use of rhyme. Merry Christmas!

    3. Thanks, Linda–and happy holidays! I love the word near here. Don’t know if you chose it just because it rhymed with clear, but the star being near lends a whole other depth to your poem…

    1. Love the way you show the process (both physical and mental) AND the word hatch–wonderful!

    2. I love this! I wish I was good at origami. I had one 5th grader who was incredible at it and found a book at the library where he was able to make a rabbit coming out of a cube. I treasured it but it got lost along the way. He was a brilliant kid. No way I could have done it. I love your line breaks and the flow and rhyme. I will share with my kids. They still love your pumpkin poem.

    3. Clever use of the word hatch. My students have been making origami poppers for the teachers in our school. I’ve been folding for days!

    1. Love the way you show the process (both physical and mental) AND the word hatch–wonderful!

    2. I love this! I wish I was good at origami. I had one 5th grader who was incredible at it and found a book at the library where he was able to make a rabbit coming out of a cube. I treasured it but it got lost along the way. He was a brilliant kid. No way I could have done it. I love your line breaks and the flow and rhyme. I will share with my kids. They still love your pumpkin poem.

    3. Clever use of the word hatch. My students have been making origami poppers for the teachers in our school. I’ve been folding for days!

    1. Kate, love the connection to the Moravians. I’m sure you’re familiar with their traditional cookies, but I just found out that they have branched out with about six new flavors, at least new to me. I grew up about 40 minutes from Winston-Salem.

    2. I love the idea of enough. We rarely think in terms of enough, especially around the holidays, it seems. I also love the appreciation and acceptance in the tone of this poem. It’s enough for them. It’s enough for you. There’s no judgment, just an appreciation for what there is. Beautiful-t-thank you for this, Kate.

    3. I like the simple pleasure of a star and being enough. Enough. I think we can go overboard on things and it is fun, but not when it becomes tiresome. Enough and simplicity are nice ideas if we want to balance.

      1. If you have any speciality stores in your area akin to The Fresh Market, Earth Fare, Whole Foods, possibly Trader Joe’s, you may be able to purchase locally. If not, for sure online.

    1. Kate, love the connection to the Moravians. I’m sure you’re familiar with their traditional cookies, but I just found out that they have branched out with about six new flavors, at least new to me. I grew up about 40 minutes from Winston-Salem.

    2. I love the idea of enough. We rarely think in terms of enough, especially around the holidays, it seems. I also love the appreciation and acceptance in the tone of this poem. It’s enough for them. It’s enough for you. There’s no judgment, just an appreciation for what there is. Beautiful-t-thank you for this, Kate.

    3. I like the simple pleasure of a star and being enough. Enough. I think we can go overboard on things and it is fun, but not when it becomes tiresome. Enough and simplicity are nice ideas if we want to balance.

      1. If you have any speciality stores in your area akin to The Fresh Market, Earth Fare, Whole Foods, possibly Trader Joe’s, you may be able to purchase locally. If not, for sure online.

    1. We connected to the same story, Joy. I love that you used ‘crystal diadem’. It makes it very special, and then your reference to Mary’s baby encompasses all. Lovely!

    2. Joy, this is just lovely. The diadem, the light, the dark corners–all these concrete things I can see. And then the sound of that last line and all the meaning it gives to the first three lines. Sigh.

    1. We connected to the same story, Joy. I love that you used ‘crystal diadem’. It makes it very special, and then your reference to Mary’s baby encompasses all. Lovely!

    2. Joy, this is just lovely. The diadem, the light, the dark corners–all these concrete things I can see. And then the sound of that last line and all the meaning it gives to the first three lines. Sigh.

  19. I like your poem, Laura, and the way you can say so much with very few words.

    In a hurry this morning, but here goes.

    Life

    Darkness, nothing,
    but for a light
    pulling, pulling
    me toward …
    a second life?

    1. Light.…we need it and darkness, too, to see the stars. I like the faith in your poem! May we meet our loved ones in a second life.

    2. Thanks, Pat! In a hurry is the best way to do 15 Words or Less poems, in my opinion:>) I love the repetition of pulling and the ambiguity of whether the light is pulling you back toward a second chance at *this* life or forward to a second life in another realm…

  20. I like your poem, Laura, and the way you can say so much with very few words.

    In a hurry this morning, but here goes.

    Life

    Darkness, nothing,
    but for a light
    pulling, pulling
    me toward …
    a second life?

    1. Light.…we need it and darkness, too, to see the stars. I like the faith in your poem! May we meet our loved ones in a second life.

    2. Thanks, Pat! In a hurry is the best way to do 15 Words or Less poems, in my opinion:>) I love the repetition of pulling and the ambiguity of whether the light is pulling you back toward a second chance at *this* life or forward to a second life in another realm…

    1. The power of home and light. Lovely poem, Diane in 12 words! (Much more succinct than the song!)

    1. The power of home and light. Lovely poem, Diane in 12 words! (Much more succinct than the song!)

    1. Hi ellie,
      I love how you have used the word beacon and included the rhyme of see/Nativity. I can see this on a card!

    1. Hi ellie,
      I love how you have used the word beacon and included the rhyme of see/Nativity. I can see this on a card!

  21. Forcing Narcissus Bulbs

    green spears sprout
    blind to winter’s darkness
    paperwhites bloom

    1. I love how pretty they are and I like your line “blind to winter’s darkness” a lot!
      We get very little sunlight in winter due to our location near the Great Lakes on the eastern edge.…so any kind of brightness is a plus!!

  22. Forcing Narcissus Bulbs

    green spears sprout
    blind to winter’s darkness
    paperwhites bloom

    1. I love how pretty they are and I like your line “blind to winter’s darkness” a lot!
      We get very little sunlight in winter due to our location near the Great Lakes on the eastern edge.…so any kind of brightness is a plus!!

  23. And here’s another version –the scent of the paperwhites I forced this year was more than a little overpowering! (I did not intend for it to rhyme, but now I see it does.)

    paperwhites bloom
    their scent spills from room to room
    purging winter’s gloom

  24. And here’s another version –the scent of the paperwhites I forced this year was more than a little overpowering! (I did not intend for it to rhyme, but now I see it does.)

    paperwhites bloom
    their scent spills from room to room
    purging winter’s gloom

  25. Hi Everyone,
    I haven’t participated in a while! It’s fun to be here today.
    Laura, “container for life” is such a great line!

    Reflections of Redemption: By Prisoner of the Prism

    Confined to the cylinder?
    ebony-ivory stripes
    tumbled,
    mirrored,
    kaleidoscoped.
    “I see the light.”

    1. I love the words tumbled, mirrored, kaleidoscoped! Good to have you back this week, Penny. I gather you have been rather busy. Bravo! (Love FB!)

  26. Hi Everyone,
    I haven’t participated in a while! It’s fun to be here today.
    Laura, “container for life” is such a great line!

    Reflections of Redemption: By Prisoner of the Prism

    Confined to the cylinder?
    ebony-ivory stripes
    tumbled,
    mirrored,
    kaleidoscoped.
    “I see the light.”

    1. I love the words tumbled, mirrored, kaleidoscoped! Good to have you back this week, Penny. I gather you have been rather busy. Bravo! (Love FB!)

  27. Supernova

    Starburst!
    Matter shatters
    and a million more
    stars are born.

    ~~Barbara J. Turner

  28. Supernova

    Starburst!
    Matter shatters
    and a million more
    stars are born.

    ~~Barbara J. Turner

  29. I love thinking about starbirthing by matter shattering. Love that line! And love the stars that twinkle in the sky.

  30. I love thinking about starbirthing by matter shattering. Love that line! And love the stars that twinkle in the sky.

  31. Just read all the responses above and comments. Wow! Such a lot of good poems and interesting interpretations.

    I wrote two, one seasonal and the other celestial:

    MAGI MISSION

    Look?a star
    Ignites night
    Go seek a king
    Hunt by its light
    ?Tis beckoning

    and

    ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

    Heavenly gardener?s lens
    pulls in terrestrial bloom
    to a million miles or so
    ?starflower macro

    - Violet Nesdoly

    1. These are both lovely, Violet, but I’m especially taken with Magi Mission–that commanding voice and mysterious mission…beautiful!

  32. Just read all the responses above and comments. Wow! Such a lot of good poems and interesting interpretations.

    I wrote two, one seasonal and the other celestial:

    MAGI MISSION

    Look?a star
    Ignites night
    Go seek a king
    Hunt by its light
    ?Tis beckoning

    and

    ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

    Heavenly gardener?s lens
    pulls in terrestrial bloom
    to a million miles or so
    ?starflower macro

    - Violet Nesdoly

    1. These are both lovely, Violet, but I’m especially taken with Magi Mission–that commanding voice and mysterious mission…beautiful!

  33. For Laura,
    Your heart poem and its fragile walls hit home. It is stunning that it came to you from the star photo, but not surprising. I love how you share your process and consideration of ideas . I think it is wonderful for teachers and kids, too, to see how a star can lead to a poem about the fragility of life connected to our hearts. Being able to think creatively, connect ideas and wonder are things some kids find difficult when they are so literal. I love this week’s poems and second what Violet said. I, too, love the interactions here and have grown so much in the time I have been participating. Thank you, Laura for having us over every Thursday!

  34. For Laura,
    Your heart poem and its fragile walls hit home. It is stunning that it came to you from the star photo, but not surprising. I love how you share your process and consideration of ideas . I think it is wonderful for teachers and kids, too, to see how a star can lead to a poem about the fragility of life connected to our hearts. Being able to think creatively, connect ideas and wonder are things some kids find difficult when they are so literal. I love this week’s poems and second what Violet said. I, too, love the interactions here and have grown so much in the time I have been participating. Thank you, Laura for having us over every Thursday!

    1. Love that opening line. And…are the 12 Days of Christmas the Wise Men’s journey length? I always thought they were the days from Christmas to Jan. 6. But I love this title and am wondering if that’s the length their journey was said to be? Or if it’s just your wonderful imagination. Something about the specificity of it is terrific, esp when paired with such a mythic, epic, magic-shrouded journey.

    1. Love that opening line. And…are the 12 Days of Christmas the Wise Men’s journey length? I always thought they were the days from Christmas to Jan. 6. But I love this title and am wondering if that’s the length their journey was said to be? Or if it’s just your wonderful imagination. Something about the specificity of it is terrific, esp when paired with such a mythic, epic, magic-shrouded journey.

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