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Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I’ve been taking pictures lately for my National Poetry Month Riddle-ku feature, and here’s one of my rejects!?Here are?3 things this photo makes me think of:
1) a tree in winter
2) an x‑ray of?my ribs
3) the batik clothes my sister Patty used to make when I was a kid
And here’s my?first draft.
February?Tree
Undressed by winter
Exposed
Alone
Stretch
Reach
Claw at the sky
Scratch its?laughing face
–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:>)??
78 Responses
Shadow
Half of me
Consumed by darkness
Barely clinging
But the rest
Still reaches
for light
I really liked how half of this (leaf?) had a shadow on it! I LOVE your “scratch at its laughing face” line, Ms. Salas! Nice to know there is some green somewhere 🙂
I love the dichotomy in your poem, Amelia. Shadow vs. light–pretty much the essence of story! It WAS a shock to be surrounded by so much green on my trip to Fla. Even though I lived there 20+ years!
Shadow
Half of me
Consumed by darkness
Barely clinging
But the rest
Still reaches
for light
I really liked how half of this (leaf?) had a shadow on it! I LOVE your “scratch at its laughing face” line, Ms. Salas! Nice to know there is some green somewhere 🙂
I love the dichotomy in your poem, Amelia. Shadow vs. light–pretty much the essence of story! It WAS a shock to be surrounded by so much green on my trip to Fla. Even though I lived there 20+ years!
INSECTVILLE
Traveling on vacation-
traffic jam ahead!
This town is quite peculiar.
All vehicles are red!
Laura, loved your take on February. I think March trees this year have the same attitude!
Aren’t those red dots interesting? I could see a ladybug traffic jam as I read this! Thanks–yeah, ours do, too.
INSECTVILLE
Traveling on vacation-
traffic jam ahead!
This town is quite peculiar.
All vehicles are red!
Laura, loved your take on February. I think March trees this year have the same attitude!
Aren’t those red dots interesting? I could see a ladybug traffic jam as I read this! Thanks–yeah, ours do, too.
I am participating in the Slice of Life March Challenge at Two Writing Teachers. I needed an idea for a quick slice today and this was my answer. This is a first attempt for me, but it was fun. Thanks for the idea.
The highway of life
many paths
reaching out
to new adventures
anchored from home
Welcome, Leigh Anne! We are all about first attempts here. Some work beautifully, some not so much. But we always celebrate the process and the sharing! In your poem, I really love the contrast between the paths reaching out and the word “anchored” in the last line. That’s lovely!
I am participating in the Slice of Life March Challenge at Two Writing Teachers. I needed an idea for a quick slice today and this was my answer. This is a first attempt for me, but it was fun. Thanks for the idea.
The highway of life
many paths
reaching out
to new adventures
anchored from home
Welcome, Leigh Anne! We are all about first attempts here. Some work beautifully, some not so much. But we always celebrate the process and the sharing! In your poem, I really love the contrast between the paths reaching out and the word “anchored” in the last line. That’s lovely!
drops of Mother Nature’s
blood
stain new roads and land
waiting
for even more houses
(Yeah, I’ve lived in the DC area wa-a-ay too long. 🙂 One more week, and we’re outta here…)
Wow, that is a terrific dramatic opening, Cynthia–I especially love “stain.”
drops of Mother Nature’s
blood
stain new roads and land
waiting
for even more houses
(Yeah, I’ve lived in the DC area wa-a-ay too long. 🙂 One more week, and we’re outta here…)
Wow, that is a terrific dramatic opening, Cynthia–I especially love “stain.”
Hunger Pain
I ate and ate
left bones on my plate.
Horrors! My fate
decided by contaminate?
Laura, loved “undressed by winter” and “scratch its laughing face.” This picture could be the beginnings of “A Leaf Can Be Too.”
Oooh, I’m worried about whatever the narrator of this poem ate! And thanks, Martha!
I immediately saw the bones of a fish resting on a green plate, the flesh having been consumed by yours truly. Then I thought of radioactive waste in our waters. Maybe I was just in a funk of some kind. Lots of fun — one never knows what might transpire with 15 WOL addicts.
Hunger Pain
I ate and ate
left bones on my plate.
Horrors! My fate
decided by contaminate?
Laura, loved “undressed by winter” and “scratch its laughing face.” This picture could be the beginnings of “A Leaf Can Be Too.”
Oooh, I’m worried about whatever the narrator of this poem ate! And thanks, Martha!
I immediately saw the bones of a fish resting on a green plate, the flesh having been consumed by yours truly. Then I thought of radioactive waste in our waters. Maybe I was just in a funk of some kind. Lots of fun — one never knows what might transpire with 15 WOL addicts.
October Surprise
At the edge
of the pines
a solitary maple
bursts into song.
Diane Mayr
The fact that it’s at the edge totally gives this tree a wonderful outsider personality!
October Surprise
At the edge
of the pines
a solitary maple
bursts into song.
Diane Mayr
The fact that it’s at the edge totally gives this tree a wonderful outsider personality!
TREE MAP
The line of my spine
leads up
like a ladder,
a straight street
to starlight.
Andria W. Rosenbaum/all rights reserved
Ooooh, that title and then that last line. I actually have goosebumps.
Lovely!
TREE MAP
The line of my spine
leads up
like a ladder,
a straight street
to starlight.
Andria W. Rosenbaum/all rights reserved
Ooooh, that title and then that last line. I actually have goosebumps.
Lovely!
Laura, I had to write this, because it was begging to be written!
Ribs or river,
a winter tree…
so many things
a leaf can be!
😉
Ha! I totally should have a Write Your Own Leaf Poem Day! Thanks!
Laura, I had to write this, because it was begging to be written!
Ribs or river,
a winter tree…
so many things
a leaf can be!
😉
Ha! I totally should have a Write Your Own Leaf Poem Day! Thanks!
A Leaf Can Be Dangerous? Laura, meant to tell you how much I like your gold poem at Miss Rumphius!
Leaf
Tree blood?
flood
of chlorophyll
till I am filled
with green
green spring,
with sunlight.
?Kate Coombs
Thanks, Kate! Must go back and read the others. Oh, this is lovely. The fact that filled with green is both literal and figurative is wonderful!
A Leaf Can Be Dangerous? Laura, meant to tell you how much I like your gold poem at Miss Rumphius!
Leaf
Tree blood?
flood
of chlorophyll
till I am filled
with green
green spring,
with sunlight.
?Kate Coombs
Thanks, Kate! Must go back and read the others. Oh, this is lovely. The fact that filled with green is both literal and figurative is wonderful!
Love your idea of a tree clawing at the sky.
I keep looking at one little spot over on the right, which reminds me of a ladybug.
Gardener’s Friend
This leaf looks sickly.
It needs help quickly.
Send more ladybugs.
One is not enough!
I love this, Pat–the dramatic voice at the end, especially!
Thanks Pat, a reminder that the lady bugs will arrive soon. They are our mascot in this part of the woods.
Love your idea of a tree clawing at the sky.
I keep looking at one little spot over on the right, which reminds me of a ladybug.
Gardener’s Friend
This leaf looks sickly.
It needs help quickly.
Send more ladybugs.
One is not enough!
I love this, Pat–the dramatic voice at the end, especially!
Thanks Pat, a reminder that the lady bugs will arrive soon. They are our mascot in this part of the woods.
Here’s my entry to Write Your Own Leaf Poem Day (aka hyphenated-word cheat day)
A leaf is a
road map
with canals of sap
branching and joining,
spider-webs forming.
road map — love that metaphor! And canals of sap–that’s just wonderful, Buffy. Here’s to a good hyphenated cheat:>)
Here’s my entry to Write Your Own Leaf Poem Day (aka hyphenated-word cheat day)
A leaf is a
road map
with canals of sap
branching and joining,
spider-webs forming.
road map — love that metaphor! And canals of sap–that’s just wonderful, Buffy. Here’s to a good hyphenated cheat:>)
And the Rib …
It became woman
balancing man
yin to his yang
a beautiful symmetry
a sacred geometry.
~~Barbara J. Turner
Well. This is stunning. The words you’ve chosen make this feel much longer and weightier than you’d think 15 words could be! Those last two lines are just…perfect.
And the Rib …
It became woman
balancing man
yin to his yang
a beautiful symmetry
a sacred geometry.
~~Barbara J. Turner
Well. This is stunning. The words you’ve chosen make this feel much longer and weightier than you’d think 15 words could be! Those last two lines are just…perfect.
On little bird feet
We climb
Sky ladders
Too the stars
Lovely! Sky ladders–that is gorgeous.
On little bird feet
We climb
Sky ladders
Too the stars
Lovely! Sky ladders–that is gorgeous.
Terrified!
I squeeze flat
White knuckles grip horns
Focus on the dinosaur’s back
We fly
Love that final line–such a contrast. And its brevity really emphasizes that! Thanks for playing, Lisa!
Terrified!
I squeeze flat
White knuckles grip horns
Focus on the dinosaur’s back
We fly
Love that final line–such a contrast. And its brevity really emphasizes that! Thanks for playing, Lisa!
By this time of year, the trees do just look undressed, waiting for spring clothes that come so slowly. They certainly are lonely! Here’s what I saw!
Dreamy World
In my green sky world
polka dot trees glow -
the only sunshine we know
Linda Baie ? All Rights Reserved
Oh, this makes me picture the real trees with the winter light kind of glowing through those barren branches. Not as pretty as your green sky world, but I do like it anyway:>)
By this time of year, the trees do just look undressed, waiting for spring clothes that come so slowly. They certainly are lonely! Here’s what I saw!
Dreamy World
In my green sky world
polka dot trees glow -
the only sunshine we know
Linda Baie ? All Rights Reserved
Oh, this makes me picture the real trees with the winter light kind of glowing through those barren branches. Not as pretty as your green sky world, but I do like it anyway:>)
To see your true self
Look inside
Right down to
Your very soul
Indelible memories
- Anne McKenna
The combo of your poem and the pic made me think of literally looking beneath skin, beneath bones/ribs, and finding the soul there…
To see your true self
Look inside
Right down to
Your very soul
Indelible memories
- Anne McKenna
The combo of your poem and the pic made me think of literally looking beneath skin, beneath bones/ribs, and finding the soul there…
It,s moor than 15 words but thought I would share it
Human I ask
Could you say a hundred
and tree and still be standing
Like me deep in the red would forest
My green leaf tears
Breath new life
Into donning skies
It,s moor than 15 words but thought I would share it
Human I ask
Could you say a hundred
and tree and still be standing
Like me deep in the red would forest
My green leaf tears
Breath new life
Into donning skies
It,s moor than 15 words but thought I would share it
Human I ask
Could you say a hundred
and tree and still be standing
Like me deep in the red wood forest
My green leaf tears
Breath new life
Into the dawning sky
It,s moor than 15 words but thought I would share it
Human I ask
Could you say a hundred
and tree and still be standing
Like me deep in the red wood forest
My green leaf tears
Breath new life
Into the dawning sky
AFTER MEAL
Gnawed off bones are scattered on plates ?
Remnants of a piggy massacre
For human consumption.
© Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.
Eeeeeeuuuuuuuuuuuuuw. Nothing like a gross poem to make me wish I was a vegetarian! Ha!
AFTER MEAL
Gnawed off bones are scattered on plates ?
Remnants of a piggy massacre
For human consumption.
© Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.
Eeeeeeuuuuuuuuuuuuuw. Nothing like a gross poem to make me wish I was a vegetarian! Ha!