Enclosure [15 words or less poems]

IMG_8370
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas

 

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

15WOLs

It’s another pic from the Walker Art Center’s Outdoor Sculpture Garden. This image makes me think of:

1) a gigantic spiderweb
2) a gerbil in a gerbil ball
3) an alligator caught in a fishing net

And here’s my?first draft.

Wrapped

mutant spider
spins her silk?
slowly?
slowly?
slowly?
around alligator’s armored scales

–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:>)?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

198 Responses

  1. Jungle Gym

    Scrambling up
    Is hard to do
    When thumbs are needed
    Preferably two

    Poor little alligator! This just made me think of the dome-like jungle gym in not-so-long-ago playgrounds 🙁

    1. Definitely not-so-long-ago. I’ve climbed on some of those in the past couple of years:>) I love the tone of that last line, especially:>)

  2. Jungle Gym

    Scrambling up
    Is hard to do
    When thumbs are needed
    Preferably two

    Poor little alligator! This just made me think of the dome-like jungle gym in not-so-long-ago playgrounds 🙁

    1. Definitely not-so-long-ago. I’ve climbed on some of those in the past couple of years:>) I love the tone of that last line, especially:>)

  3. kaleidoscope stars
    scattered diamonds
    across frosty blue sky
    gator draws an
    etch-a-sketch sun

    Poem By Jessica Bigi

    Laura I love the pic to day and you poem I like the slowly- slowly- slowly

    1. Thanks, Jessica. I like the way your gator is drawing an etch-a-sketch sun. I don’t even know what that would look like, but etch-a-sketch makes me think of hard, scratchy things, and that seems to fit well with gator claws!

  4. kaleidoscope stars
    scattered diamonds
    across frosty blue sky
    gator draws an
    etch-a-sketch sun

    Poem By Jessica Bigi

    Laura I love the pic to day and you poem I like the slowly- slowly- slowly

    1. Thanks, Jessica. I like the way your gator is drawing an etch-a-sketch sun. I don’t even know what that would look like, but etch-a-sketch makes me think of hard, scratchy things, and that seems to fit well with gator claws!

  5. Entangled
    By the geometric beauty
    Weaved around me,
    I watch
    As the architect spider dances.

    This made me think about how beautiful some spider webs are and how much work those busy little spiders must do.

  6. Entangled
    By the geometric beauty
    Weaved around me,
    I watch
    As the architect spider dances.

    This made me think about how beautiful some spider webs are and how much work those busy little spiders must do.

    1. Thanks, Renee–I love the meter of yours. I always admire when a free verse poem still feels so rhythmic. Adore your spirograph sky!

    2. Love the line “unclaimed and wild”…I have days like that! Also like the use of “Spirograph” sky. Beautiful!

    1. Thanks, Renee–I love the meter of yours. I always admire when a free verse poem still feels so rhythmic. Adore your spirograph sky!

    2. Love the line “unclaimed and wild”…I have days like that! Also like the use of “Spirograph” sky. Beautiful!

  7. Daring young squirrel, he’s
    Trapezing from trees -
    No sweat,
    He’s got a net!

    Looked like a flying squirrel to me.…. Leaping from the tree, with a safety net below.

  8. Daring young squirrel, he’s
    Trapezing from trees -
    No sweat,
    He’s got a net!

    Looked like a flying squirrel to me.…. Leaping from the tree, with a safety net below.

  9. With this netting
    I am betting
    something’s caught
    that ought not.

    Don’t litter,

    Sincerely,

    Critter

  10. With this netting
    I am betting
    something’s caught
    that ought not.

    Don’t litter,

    Sincerely,

    Critter

  11. Laura, that sculpture garden sounds like an interesting place.
    When I look at this picture, I get the shivers, thinking of the times when I have walked straight through a spider web when hiking in the woods.

    Where’s the spider
    who lurks in that tree?
    Certainly hope that
    he won’t catch me!

    1. Walking into webs is never fun I love how you have the spider hiding in the trees

    2. It is! Nice poem, Pat–I like seeing spiderwebs, esp in the early morning, but I despise walking into them. Shudder.

  12. Laura, that sculpture garden sounds like an interesting place.
    When I look at this picture, I get the shivers, thinking of the times when I have walked straight through a spider web when hiking in the woods.

    Where’s the spider
    who lurks in that tree?
    Certainly hope that
    he won’t catch me!

    1. Walking into webs is never fun I love how you have the spider hiding in the trees

    2. It is! Nice poem, Pat–I like seeing spiderwebs, esp in the early morning, but I despise walking into them. Shudder.

  13. Perhaps
    a hairnet
    will hold leaves to trees
    through changing colors -
    Nope. Off in a breeze.

    Sorry. 16 words unless the first one looks like a title. Enticing picture!

  14. Perhaps
    a hairnet
    will hold leaves to trees
    through changing colors -
    Nope. Off in a breeze.

    Sorry. 16 words unless the first one looks like a title. Enticing picture!

  15. Under Nature’s Big Tent

    Aerial acrobat
    wends her way
    to safety
    preferring to jump
    rather than
    f
    a
    a
    l
    l
    l
    l.

    Another spectacular photo Laura. So many images. I love Thursdays.

  16. Under Nature’s Big Tent

    Aerial acrobat
    wends her way
    to safety
    preferring to jump
    rather than
    f
    a
    a
    l
    l
    l
    l.

    Another spectacular photo Laura. So many images. I love Thursdays.

  17. I lit upon the star aspect, too.

    Long Quiet Nights

    Sheep-weary
    shepherds watch
    the stars
    spy fantasy
    beasts
    but always
    come back
    to asterisms.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    1. Love the sleepy s sounds. Sometimes coming back to the simple shapes is best (I didn’t know of asterisms until now).

  18. I lit upon the star aspect, too.

    Long Quiet Nights

    Sheep-weary
    shepherds watch
    the stars
    spy fantasy
    beasts
    but always
    come back
    to asterisms.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    1. Love the sleepy s sounds. Sometimes coming back to the simple shapes is best (I didn’t know of asterisms until now).

    1. Internet kittens! Ha! There are a lot of them.
      I would love a dream of chocolate, too.

    1. Internet kittens! Ha! There are a lot of them.
      I would love a dream of chocolate, too.

  19. I love the ‘mutant spider’, didn’t make that leap. You packed a lot into 15 words this time, Laura.

    Hope

    A pretending ?spider?
    plays the waiting game.
    Nothing lured, beautiful web,
    just not the same.
    Linda Baie ? All rights reserved

    1. The beauty of the web with out the death-threat “just not the same.” What an interesting perspective.

      1. Yes, Linda. Yours is an interesting perspective.
        A “pretending” spider — the kind I like best.

    2. This is my second attempt — first comment disappeared — let’s see if I can remember what I said…
      “Pretending spider” needs to trap some pretty big “bug game” in his net!

  20. I love the ‘mutant spider’, didn’t make that leap. You packed a lot into 15 words this time, Laura.

    Hope

    A pretending ?spider?
    plays the waiting game.
    Nothing lured, beautiful web,
    just not the same.
    Linda Baie ? All rights reserved

    1. The beauty of the web with out the death-threat “just not the same.” What an interesting perspective.

      1. Yes, Linda. Yours is an interesting perspective.
        A “pretending” spider — the kind I like best.

    2. This is my second attempt — first comment disappeared — let’s see if I can remember what I said…
      “Pretending spider” needs to trap some pretty big “bug game” in his net!

  21. Once again, my students and I try this challenge. It was their idea today. We made ours into haikus. Vannisa’s is a “thanku.”

    Flower trapped so high
    soon to be rescued by an
    invisible prince.
    by Tyler

    Spinning

    The creepy crawler
    spins her silk into a web.
    Thank you for spinning.
    by Vannisa

    Caught– a high wire act
    My voice echoes in wind-rush.
    Kaleidoscope sky.
    by Margaret Simon

    1. Wonderful, Margaret! I love the idea of that flower waiting to be rescued! Great job of taking the image and then totally departing from what’s actually there and just letting imagination take over. Lovely “thanku” :>) It feels almost like one stanza of a praise poem or ode, where each stanza would be a brief description of an action and then a final line that is: Thank you for ________. What fun to do a bunch of those (or as a class project, have each student do one verse/thanku). And Margaret–that echo in wind-rush–I can HEAR it!

      1. Great idea. We need to write a thank you letter to my mother-in-law who visited my classes to teach them about Vietnam where she recently visited. A Thank‑u ode. My students will love it.

  22. Once again, my students and I try this challenge. It was their idea today. We made ours into haikus. Vannisa’s is a “thanku.”

    Flower trapped so high
    soon to be rescued by an
    invisible prince.
    by Tyler

    Spinning

    The creepy crawler
    spins her silk into a web.
    Thank you for spinning.
    by Vannisa

    Caught– a high wire act
    My voice echoes in wind-rush.
    Kaleidoscope sky.
    by Margaret Simon

    1. Wonderful, Margaret! I love the idea of that flower waiting to be rescued! Great job of taking the image and then totally departing from what’s actually there and just letting imagination take over. Lovely “thanku” :>) It feels almost like one stanza of a praise poem or ode, where each stanza would be a brief description of an action and then a final line that is: Thank you for ________. What fun to do a bunch of those (or as a class project, have each student do one verse/thanku). And Margaret–that echo in wind-rush–I can HEAR it!

      1. Great idea. We need to write a thank you letter to my mother-in-law who visited my classes to teach them about Vietnam where she recently visited. A Thank‑u ode. My students will love it.

  23. Laura and all, I did not have a chance to reply to each comment, individually, but wanted to give a huge shout-out to all of you. It was a fun picture, fun submissions and I am still amazed at the number of people who contribute, yet each is individual in what they see and how they interpret the picture. Thanks to all.

  24. Laura and all, I did not have a chance to reply to each comment, individually, but wanted to give a huge shout-out to all of you. It was a fun picture, fun submissions and I am still amazed at the number of people who contribute, yet each is individual in what they see and how they interpret the picture. Thanks to all.

  25. I wrote this cinquain poem a month or so ago. My Toddler (I, too) was seriously tired because we went to the New England Aquarium and he missed his nap.

    Toddler

    Fun day, Full day

    No nap it?s five PM

    Biting, Screaming, Crying, Laughing

    TIRED!

  26. I wrote this cinquain poem a month or so ago. My Toddler (I, too) was seriously tired because we went to the New England Aquarium and he missed his nap.

    Toddler

    Fun day, Full day

    No nap it?s five PM

    Biting, Screaming, Crying, Laughing

    TIRED!

  27. (My homage to Walt Whitman’s Noiseless Patient Spider)
    I couldn’t help myself?

    Version 1:
    THE NOISELESS PATIENT SPIDER FINALLY GETS HIS CATCH

    Careful weave
    of filament and floss?
    I quietly wait
    for my prize to cross.

    Version 2:
    Was this your plan all the while?
    Sooner or later
    you caught your gator!

    Version 3:
    Dear Spider,
    Is this what you had in mind
    when your gossamer filament
    you entwined?

    Ellen Vojnovic

    1. I think the spider got a lot more than he expected, in more ways than one! Love “filament and floss” and “gossamer filament you entwined”!
      So fun to say.

    2. These are lovely, Ellen. Version 1 is my favorite–I especially love those first two lines.

  28. (My homage to Walt Whitman’s Noiseless Patient Spider)
    I couldn’t help myself?

    Version 1:
    THE NOISELESS PATIENT SPIDER FINALLY GETS HIS CATCH

    Careful weave
    of filament and floss?
    I quietly wait
    for my prize to cross.

    Version 2:
    Was this your plan all the while?
    Sooner or later
    you caught your gator!

    Version 3:
    Dear Spider,
    Is this what you had in mind
    when your gossamer filament
    you entwined?

    Ellen Vojnovic

    1. I think the spider got a lot more than he expected, in more ways than one! Love “filament and floss” and “gossamer filament you entwined”!
      So fun to say.

    2. These are lovely, Ellen. Version 1 is my favorite–I especially love those first two lines.

  29. I thought I posted this earlier. I guess I didn’t send it. I hope I didn’t post it on someone else’s blog thinking it was this one. I had several tabs open 🙂

    I have a gecko that lives in my mailbox during the warm months. He was there last year, too. Maybe it wasn’t the same one…but he looks the same. Even though I know he’s there, I jump every time he scampers out between bills and junk mail. Due to that, I’ve named him Dennis the Menace. This is for Dennis.

    If My Gecko Moved to the Rainforest

    Dennis,
    dexterous and deft?
    climbed the canopy
    to call on Clyde,
    a colorful, chatty canary.
    Penny Parker Klostermann

    1. Heehee–if so, they’re pry thinking, “What the heck?!” This is wonderful–I like line two, especially. And that would totally freak me out at the mailbox!

  30. I thought I posted this earlier. I guess I didn’t send it. I hope I didn’t post it on someone else’s blog thinking it was this one. I had several tabs open 🙂

    I have a gecko that lives in my mailbox during the warm months. He was there last year, too. Maybe it wasn’t the same one…but he looks the same. Even though I know he’s there, I jump every time he scampers out between bills and junk mail. Due to that, I’ve named him Dennis the Menace. This is for Dennis.

    If My Gecko Moved to the Rainforest

    Dennis,
    dexterous and deft?
    climbed the canopy
    to call on Clyde,
    a colorful, chatty canary.
    Penny Parker Klostermann

    1. Heehee–if so, they’re pry thinking, “What the heck?!” This is wonderful–I like line two, especially. And that would totally freak me out at the mailbox!

  31. Laura, love your “alligator armor”, but I’d hope I don’t have nightmares about mutant spiders–the regular ones are bad enough!

    Out of place
    (In space)
    Alligator Consternation
    Constellation.

    1. Like your use of parentheses .…and the pairing of constellation with consternation…it’s “out of this world”!

    2. The space to talk about could fit with the up’s and downs of everyday life I love this

    3. Hehe–it’s the gators that give ME nightmares! And how funny that I’m writing about constellations today and then read this:>) That third line is so fun to say.

  32. Laura, love your “alligator armor”, but I’d hope I don’t have nightmares about mutant spiders–the regular ones are bad enough!

    Out of place
    (In space)
    Alligator Consternation
    Constellation.

    1. Like your use of parentheses .…and the pairing of constellation with consternation…it’s “out of this world”!

    2. The space to talk about could fit with the up’s and downs of everyday life I love this

    3. Hehe–it’s the gators that give ME nightmares! And how funny that I’m writing about constellations today and then read this:>) That third line is so fun to say.

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."