[15 words or less poems] Spidey?


Photo: Laura Purdie Salas

Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!

I was downtown (Minneapolis) for a food truck lunch with Randy recently, and these window cleaners were hard at work. Here’s what they made me think of:

1)?Those circular swing rides at amusement parks
2)?Spies/thieves
3) Rescuers going to help trapped people

And here’s my poem first draft:

I’m Changing

Skin prickles
Silk shoots from wrist
Limbs double and twist
Scale sticky’steel web

–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved

What do you think of when you look at this picture? Take any quick idea and jot down a 15 Words or Less poem. It doesn’t have to rhyme or describe this picture. It’s just about whatever you think of when you look at it.

84 Responses

  1. Short Cut

    Avoiding the crowds that jam the door,
    They take the wall to the fourteenth floor.

    Apparently I’m feeling somewhat literal today.

  2. Short Cut

    Avoiding the crowds that jam the door,
    They take the wall to the fourteenth floor.

    Apparently I’m feeling somewhat literal today.

  3. City Life

    Tempered glass
    brushed steel
    marble

    poured concrete
    brick
    brownstone

    cinder block
    lumber
    plywood

    cardboard box.

    © Diane Mayr

    1. Wow. Wow. This list poem is so spare and elegant, and the progression from materially rich down to homeless has real impact.

  4. City Life

    Tempered glass
    brushed steel
    marble

    poured concrete
    brick
    brownstone

    cinder block
    lumber
    plywood

    cardboard box.

    © Diane Mayr

    1. Wow. Wow. This list poem is so spare and elegant, and the progression from materially rich down to homeless has real impact.

    1. This works on its own, too, but I especially love this with the photo, because then I think of at least two different ways I can think about the poem…

    1. This works on its own, too, but I especially love this with the photo, because then I think of at least two different ways I can think about the poem…

      1. Me, too! The estimate is that glass will last at least 1,000 years in a landfill, long after everything else has disintegrated. 🙂

      1. Me, too! The estimate is that glass will last at least 1,000 years in a landfill, long after everything else has disintegrated. 🙂

  5. Job Description

    Scaling giants?
    That we do.
    Perks are paid in thrills
    and views.

    Andria W. Rosenbaum, all rights reserved

  6. Job Description

    Scaling giants?
    That we do.
    Perks are paid in thrills
    and views.

    Andria W. Rosenbaum, all rights reserved

  7. Spidey is such a mystery of all the ‘heroes’. “Skin prickles”. It would be interesting to have some secret power like that.

    Washing windows
    way up high.
    I have an art collection
    in the clouds? artfully-framed
    reflections.
    LInda Baie, All Rights Reserved

    1. Oh, Linda, this is lovely. Not only the poem, but also imagining the window-washer character who would think this way. Love it.

  8. Spidey is such a mystery of all the ‘heroes’. “Skin prickles”. It would be interesting to have some secret power like that.

    Washing windows
    way up high.
    I have an art collection
    in the clouds? artfully-framed
    reflections.
    LInda Baie, All Rights Reserved

    1. Oh, Linda, this is lovely. Not only the poem, but also imagining the window-washer character who would think this way. Love it.

  9. Your Spiderman poem is just great! Love it!

    I will admit up front that I cheated by one word and used the heck out of my hypens! But, hey! I got it done!

    Window Washy

    Rub-a-dub-dub
    guy with a tub
    squeegees a smudgy or two.
    Polish-spit-shine!
    Sparkle divine!
    Rub-a-dub?wonderful view!

  10. Your Spiderman poem is just great! Love it!

    I will admit up front that I cheated by one word and used the heck out of my hypens! But, hey! I got it done!

    Window Washy

    Rub-a-dub-dub
    guy with a tub
    squeegees a smudgy or two.
    Polish-spit-shine!
    Sparkle divine!
    Rub-a-dub?wonderful view!

  11. Following Your Footsteps

    Always climbing,
    reaching,
    never catching up–
    someday
    I’ll scale skyscrapers
    leave you behind.

    Can you tell I was the youngest kid in my family? Love your skin prickling change to spiderman, Laura!

  12. Following Your Footsteps

    Always climbing,
    reaching,
    never catching up–
    someday
    I’ll scale skyscrapers
    leave you behind.

    Can you tell I was the youngest kid in my family? Love your skin prickling change to spiderman, Laura!

    1. I love that your voice comes through in everything you write, Diane! Clever, full of passion about social justice…

    1. I love that your voice comes through in everything you write, Diane! Clever, full of passion about social justice…

  13. Wall walking-
    Better than mall walking.
    Act like a spider.
    The view is wider!

  14. Wall walking-
    Better than mall walking.
    Act like a spider.
    The view is wider!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 2,499 other subscribers

Are You Looking For?

Poetry Friday posts

Classroom Connections posts

All my poetryactions

Go to my Poetry page for:

  • National Poetry Month projects through the years
  • Small Reads Roundups (poems grouped by topic)
  • Introductions to several favorite poetry forms
Tags
#waterpoemproject15 Words or Less Poems20for2030 Painless Classroom Poems50 State Poemsacrosticsactivity pagesactivity sheetALAA Leaf Can Be...Amy Ludwig VanDerwaterA Need to FeedanthologiesanthologyA Rock Can Be...art projectsaudiopoemsawardsbad newsBarbara Juster EsbensenBilly Collinsbiopoemsblog tourbookalikesbook festivalsBookSpeak!book spine poemsbook trailersbop poembyr a thoddaidcafepresscalendar poemsCamp Read-a-LotCan Be... bookscan be... poemsCapstoneCarol Varsalonacascade poemsCatherine FlynnCCRA.W.3CCRA.W.4CCRA.W.5centoschapter bookschoral compositionschristina rossetticinquainsCLAclassified ad poemsclassroom connectionclassroom connectionsClover Kittyconferences and conventionscrown sonnetscybilsdansaDare to DreamDavid Elliottdeeper wisdom poemdefinitosdiamantesdiversitydizaindodoitsuDot DayDouglas Floriandownloadablesdrum corpse.e. cummingsekphrastic poemsepistolary poemsequation poemsessentialethereeseventsexquisite corpseFairy Tale Garage Salefamilyfibonaccifiction picture booksfinding familyfirefightersforeign editionsfound poemsfree author zoomsfree versefrom studentsgeesegeorgia heardghazalGift Taggiveawaygolden shovelgoldilocksgratitudehaikuheart of aheart of a teacherHeidi MordhorstHelen FrostHighlightshow-to poemshow to make a rainbowI Am FromI Am poemsidiomsif you want to knit some mittensIf You Were the MoonILAimagepoemsinterviewin the middle of the nightIRAIrelandIrene LathamJ. Patrick LewisJanet WongJoyce SidmanKendraKerlanKidlit Comboslailaura's board booksLaura's booksLaura's poemsLaura's readingsLaura ShovanLee Bennett HopkinsLilian MoorelimericksLinda Booth SweeneyLion of the Skylist poemslittle free librarylive writingLullaby and Kisses Sweetlyricsmadness poetrymargaret simonMarilyn Singermary lee hahnmask poemsMeet My FamilyMelissa StewartMentors for Rentmentor textsmetaphorMichelle Myers LacknerMillbrookMinnesota Book Awardsmoonmy reading lifemy writing processN+7naaninarrative poemsNational Poetry Month 2012 (haiku a day)National Poetry Month 2014 (riddle-ku)National Poetry Month 2015National Poetry Month 2016National Poetry Month 2017 (#wonderbreak)national poetry month 2018 (haiku a day)National Poetry Month 2020National Poetry Month 2021 (#EquationPoem)national poetry month 2022 (sticky-note poems)National Poetry Month 2023 (Digging for Poems)ncteNerdy Book Clubnifty newsnifty stuffNikki Grimesnonfictionnonfiction booksNonfiction Writers Dig Deepnovelsnovels in verseodesOne Minute Till BedtimeoppositifyOskar's VoyagepadletpantoumsparodiesPatreonpeacepersonalpet poemsphotopoetryphrase acrosticspicture booksplagiarismpoempicspoemspoems for two voicespoemsketchpoetic pursuitsPoetry 7poetryactionspoetry activitiesPoetry Blastpoetry booksPoetry FridayPoetry Friday AnthologiesPoetry Princessespoetry promptspoetry sistersPoetry Tips for Teachersprogressive poempublishing processpuddle songPutridquotationsraccontinosRandy Salasread-aloudreadaloudreading poetry in the classroomRebecca Kai Dotlichrecipe poemsrefugeesresearchreviewsrevisionrhyming booksrhyming nonfictionrhyming picture booksRhyming Picture Books the Write Wayrhyming poemsRiddle-kuriddle poemsRock Can Be...Rock the Blogrondeau redoublesRudyard Kiplingsalas snippetsSCBWIschool visitsScotlandseasonssecrets of the loonSELsestinasshrinking daysskinnyskypeslice of lifesmall readssnack snooze skedaddlesnowman-coldsonnetsStampede!storm poemstorytimestorywalkstudent poemsstudent workSylvia VardellTanita Davistankatautogramteachableteacher resourcesteen/adult poemsterza rimasthankfulthank yous and referencesthe business sidethings to do iftracy nelson maurertrioletstunie munson-bensonvideosVikram MadanvillanellevillanellesWater Can Be...wealthy elementaryWe BelongWhat's InsideWhy-kuwinterwonderwonderbreakword of the yearwordplaywordsmithswork for hirewritingwriting bookswriting processwriting promptswriting the life poeticyoung authors conferencesYouTubeZap Clap Boomzenozentangle
Show More Show Less

Join Laura's monthly newsletter for eductators

Get three of Laura's favorite poetry activities when you subscribe to "Small Reads."