Ghostly [15 words or less]

Photo: Laura Salas

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

15WOLs

This was?a cool scene during a color guard winter show recently.?Here are?3 things this photo makes me think of:

1)? The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (anyone remember that old movie?)
2)? a butterfly?eager to break out of its cocoon
3)? the Surinam toad, which hatches eggs from its back (disgusting and amazing at the same time!)

And here’s my first draft.

Almost Within Reach

My wings
cramp and crack,
hemmed in
by
that
fragile,

translucent,
unbreakable
wall.

–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:>)?

150 Responses

  1. Bubble Wrap

    Pop each bubble
    and you will find
    a tiny bubble fairy
    dancing inside

    I don’t know why this made me think of bubble wrap… but its a very cool picture! I love your poem, Laura, especially how much is described in your last four lines. Very cool!

    1. Thanks, Amelia–and I love the fanciful nature of this. Next time I pop bubble wrap, I’ll be careful not to squash the fairies inside!

  2. Bubble Wrap

    Pop each bubble
    and you will find
    a tiny bubble fairy
    dancing inside

    I don’t know why this made me think of bubble wrap… but its a very cool picture! I love your poem, Laura, especially how much is described in your last four lines. Very cool!

    1. Thanks, Amelia–and I love the fanciful nature of this. Next time I pop bubble wrap, I’ll be careful not to squash the fairies inside!

    1. One of nature’s awesome events. Something so delicate and lovely, yet so perilous if one dares to enter.

    1. One of nature’s awesome events. Something so delicate and lovely, yet so perilous if one dares to enter.

  3. Laura, I like the way you described that butterfly without even using the word butterfly or chrysalis.
    My first thoughts were of plants covered by snow, but then I thought again.
    Here goes:

    Closing Cottage for Winter

    Sheets draped over furniture,
    protect from dust,
    hold memories of
    children, chaos and love.

    1. This sets the scene so vividly. Here in Minnesota, so many people do “cabins” up north–homes where they spend weekends from Mem Day to Labor Day. This felt just right for Cabin Closing Time.

  4. Laura, I like the way you described that butterfly without even using the word butterfly or chrysalis.
    My first thoughts were of plants covered by snow, but then I thought again.
    Here goes:

    Closing Cottage for Winter

    Sheets draped over furniture,
    protect from dust,
    hold memories of
    children, chaos and love.

    1. This sets the scene so vividly. Here in Minnesota, so many people do “cabins” up north–homes where they spend weekends from Mem Day to Labor Day. This felt just right for Cabin Closing Time.

  5. SPIRIT

    I am longing
    shadow, shape and substance
    submerged in subtlety,
    wishing you would
    see me.

    Andria W. Rosenbaum/all rights reserved

    1. Ooh. Open-ended for multiple interpretations.
      I’m thinking spirituality, or being noticed by love interest or ??
      Hm-m‑m. I like your presentation. Makes me think.

    2. I love the voice of the spirit here…the yearning. And bonus for me–alliteration:>)

  6. SPIRIT

    I am longing
    shadow, shape and substance
    submerged in subtlety,
    wishing you would
    see me.

    Andria W. Rosenbaum/all rights reserved

    1. Ooh. Open-ended for multiple interpretations.
      I’m thinking spirituality, or being noticed by love interest or ??
      Hm-m‑m. I like your presentation. Makes me think.

    2. I love the voice of the spirit here…the yearning. And bonus for me–alliteration:>)

  7. Sweet Dreams

    Downy duvet
    make me proud
    transform the floor
    into a heavenly cloud.

    Laura, the thought of being hemmed in is spot on. I first saw today’s photo on my E‑reader and immediately saw a fluffy duvet. Thus the above verse. When I looked at it on my computer screen, I could see the images underneath and the second entry conveys that interpretation. I’ve probably crossed a “no-no” line.

    The Collection

    Have no fear
    porcelain angels of mine,
    the painter’s cloth protects
    your features sublime.

    1. Martha–it’s always interesting to see how different an image looks on my phone, and then when I email it to the blog! I can see the duvet–like the little bubbles or pockets on a fluffy, quilted one.

      Ooooh, creepy second one. You didn’t cross any line–no worries. I try to keep the Comments gore-free and sex-free since teachers drop by. But eerie and mysterious is always welcome. This would just go right over the heads of young kids, but there are no objectionable words. Anyway, I love it. The voice, so possessive and…shuddery! That second line is especially splendid.

  8. Sweet Dreams

    Downy duvet
    make me proud
    transform the floor
    into a heavenly cloud.

    Laura, the thought of being hemmed in is spot on. I first saw today’s photo on my E‑reader and immediately saw a fluffy duvet. Thus the above verse. When I looked at it on my computer screen, I could see the images underneath and the second entry conveys that interpretation. I’ve probably crossed a “no-no” line.

    The Collection

    Have no fear
    porcelain angels of mine,
    the painter’s cloth protects
    your features sublime.

    1. Martha–it’s always interesting to see how different an image looks on my phone, and then when I email it to the blog! I can see the duvet–like the little bubbles or pockets on a fluffy, quilted one.

      Ooooh, creepy second one. You didn’t cross any line–no worries. I try to keep the Comments gore-free and sex-free since teachers drop by. But eerie and mysterious is always welcome. This would just go right over the heads of young kids, but there are no objectionable words. Anyway, I love it. The voice, so possessive and…shuddery! That second line is especially splendid.

  9. Two extra words but my cutting efforts hit a wall?

    I Always Wanted

    to see a ghost
    white sheet floating
    but the ghost
    was me
    from when I don?t know

    ?Kate Coombs

    1. An image I’ve seen before, possibly a dream? At least you’re in control of the ghost and that’s good! Fun.

    2. white sheet floating I like this makes me think of a sheet on a close line and the bag I saw floating through wind today

  10. Two extra words but my cutting efforts hit a wall?

    I Always Wanted

    to see a ghost
    white sheet floating
    but the ghost
    was me
    from when I don?t know

    ?Kate Coombs

    1. An image I’ve seen before, possibly a dream? At least you’re in control of the ghost and that’s good! Fun.

    2. white sheet floating I like this makes me think of a sheet on a close line and the bag I saw floating through wind today

  11. I’m late for work, but I couldn’t leave before playing today!

    sleepover…
    the giggles of ghosts
    in the night

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    1. Awww…I do miss my kids being young enough for sleepovers. giggles and ghosts–such an unexpected combo!

  12. I’m late for work, but I couldn’t leave before playing today!

    sleepover…
    the giggles of ghosts
    in the night

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    1. Awww…I do miss my kids being young enough for sleepovers. giggles and ghosts–such an unexpected combo!

    1. I love the image of being locked inside the barrel of the wave. Surfing always looks so free, so that was an unexpected phrase, which I like!

    1. I love the image of being locked inside the barrel of the wave. Surfing always looks so free, so that was an unexpected phrase, which I like!

  13. I know we place human feelings on animals too often, but wonder if they do feel “hemmed in”, Laura. I ‘feel’ that “cramp and crack”! I saw something else…

    After The Games

    Olympic athletes
    tell night dance stories,
    caught in tangled dreams
    of future glories.
    Linda Baie ?All Rights Reserved

    1. Ooh, I see this. The rippling fabric makes me think of the flags from different countries, too. Lovely. Those tangled dreams…

  14. I know we place human feelings on animals too often, but wonder if they do feel “hemmed in”, Laura. I ‘feel’ that “cramp and crack”! I saw something else…

    After The Games

    Olympic athletes
    tell night dance stories,
    caught in tangled dreams
    of future glories.
    Linda Baie ?All Rights Reserved

    1. Ooh, I see this. The rippling fabric makes me think of the flags from different countries, too. Lovely. Those tangled dreams…

    1. What a creepy scene! Now I’m hearing eerie moans coming out of that photo:>) There’s definitely a story here.

    1. What a creepy scene! Now I’m hearing eerie moans coming out of that photo:>) There’s definitely a story here.

  15. “The Boy in the Plastic Bubble” — now there’s a blast from the past! That was one of John Travolta’s first big gigs. I really like some of the poems here, especially yours and Linda’s…but I’m taking a cue from your blog post title:

    THEN THE WIFE GHOST ASKED…

    “Tell me the truth
    and be honest, Matt -
    does this sheet
    make me look fat?”

    - ? 2014, Matt Forrest Esenwine

    1. Ha! I love it when we get a laugh out loud poem here:>) I hope the ghost husband is smart enough to give the right answer here!

  16. “The Boy in the Plastic Bubble” — now there’s a blast from the past! That was one of John Travolta’s first big gigs. I really like some of the poems here, especially yours and Linda’s…but I’m taking a cue from your blog post title:

    THEN THE WIFE GHOST ASKED…

    “Tell me the truth
    and be honest, Matt -
    does this sheet
    make me look fat?”

    - ? 2014, Matt Forrest Esenwine

    1. Ha! I love it when we get a laugh out loud poem here:>) I hope the ghost husband is smart enough to give the right answer here!

    1. this reminds me of skiers bursting free from a mountains in a snow storm
      I relay like every ones poems and thoughts

      steam
      burst of feathers
      dandelion seeds
      parasites of silk tread
      writing imagination in the wind

      1. Ooh, I love this collection of images. So many great concrete things here: feathers, seeds, thread…lovely.

    2. Fog, goslings and a red fox. Sounds like the makings of a Grimm’s Fairy Tale. Very well done.

    1. this reminds me of skiers bursting free from a mountains in a snow storm
      I relay like every ones poems and thoughts

      steam
      burst of feathers
      dandelion seeds
      parasites of silk tread
      writing imagination in the wind

      1. Ooh, I love this collection of images. So many great concrete things here: feathers, seeds, thread…lovely.

    2. Fog, goslings and a red fox. Sounds like the makings of a Grimm’s Fairy Tale. Very well done.

  17. I try to hide
    Still you see
    Life stifling me
    buried in emotion
    forever entombed

    - Anne McKenna

  18. I try to hide
    Still you see
    Life stifling me
    buried in emotion
    forever entombed

    - Anne McKenna

  19. The artiest song

    In a garden
    Out of ice
    hooves prance
    Towards stars

    Jessica bigi

  20. The artiest song

    In a garden
    Out of ice
    hooves prance
    Towards stars

    Jessica bigi

  21. If clouds could speak
    Wind would be dragons
    Rain drop voices
    Snowflakes laughter

  22. If clouds could speak
    Wind would be dragons
    Rain drop voices
    Snowflakes laughter

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