Behind the Glass [15 words or less]

Photo: Laura Salas

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

15WOLs

On our plane ride home from Florida Sunday, I was behind this girl wearing her doll in a backpack. I was half amazed and half horrified. How cool! How creepy!?Here are?3 things this photo makes me think of:

1)??a sarcophagus
2)??Sleeping Beauty
3)? space travelers put in cryogenic sleep until they get where they’re going

And here’s my?first draft. Confession: This is a week where I’m fascinated by the image, but completely struggling to quickly come up with a draft of anything!

I’m Frozen
in time
in space
in a capsule

My breath
hovers
above
the galaxy
–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:>)?

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108 Responses

  1. Laura, I lifted a line from your poem and was surprised how oppressive my result was.

    My breath
    silenced by your words
    gasps for release, air
    from this cave of distrust.

    –Margaret Simon

    1. Cave of distrust–ooh, that is marvelous, Margaret! Isn’t it funny what comes out sometimes?

  2. Laura, I lifted a line from your poem and was surprised how oppressive my result was.

    My breath
    silenced by your words
    gasps for release, air
    from this cave of distrust.

    –Margaret Simon

    1. Cave of distrust–ooh, that is marvelous, Margaret! Isn’t it funny what comes out sometimes?

  3. Love “my breath hovers above the galaxy” Laura!

    Perfection’s Price

    You keep me preserved
    pristine and pure,
    but I long to be marked
    by love.

    Andria W. Rosenbaum/ all rights reserved

    1. Andria, I understand being able to “play” with a doll as opposed to a “for show” one.

    2. Thanks, Andria! I love your poem. Great alliteration, too. My “On the Shelf and Under the Bed,” in BOOKSPEAK, is about this same thing. I have a great time talking with upper elementary students about how the things we love best are often worn out and highly imperfect, and that that’s a good thing.

  4. Love “my breath hovers above the galaxy” Laura!

    Perfection’s Price

    You keep me preserved
    pristine and pure,
    but I long to be marked
    by love.

    Andria W. Rosenbaum/ all rights reserved

    1. Andria, I understand being able to “play” with a doll as opposed to a “for show” one.

    2. Thanks, Andria! I love your poem. Great alliteration, too. My “On the Shelf and Under the Bed,” in BOOKSPEAK, is about this same thing. I have a great time talking with upper elementary students about how the things we love best are often worn out and highly imperfect, and that that’s a good thing.

  5. Looking out
    through a window of love,
    carried and cared for
    by someone above.

  6. Looking out
    through a window of love,
    carried and cared for
    by someone above.

  7. ADVENTURE

    On an adventure
    My girl leaves a little window
    So I watch her shadow dance

    I have an american girl doll, so I thought this was cute 🙂

    1. Amelia, coming from an era of actually playing with dolls and treating them as human babies, there is a real need for the window.

    2. Aw, I like how friendly this is, and that the doll watches her girl’s shadow. That’s an awesome detail, since she’s facing away from her girl. Very clever!

  8. ADVENTURE

    On an adventure
    My girl leaves a little window
    So I watch her shadow dance

    I have an american girl doll, so I thought this was cute 🙂

    1. Amelia, coming from an era of actually playing with dolls and treating them as human babies, there is a real need for the window.

    2. Aw, I like how friendly this is, and that the doll watches her girl’s shadow. That’s an awesome detail, since she’s facing away from her girl. Very clever!

  9. Laura, I like your idea that the picture inspired. However, all I could see was a doll in a back pack. I have two grand daughters who live close to Boston. Last fall, we went with them to an American Girl Doll Store. What an experience! Dozens of little girls, some with a doll pack on their back, all of them so excited, wanting this or that to go with their doll. Big price tags, too!

    American Girl Doll Store

    Girls with dolls
    crowd the store,
    look with wonder
    wanting more.
    Grandpa eyes
    the door.

    1. Yeah, the American Doll empire is amazing. At the Chicago one, they have a restaurant where you eat with your doll. When we visit Chicago, we see those distinctive American Girl bags all over the Mile, clutched by excited little girls:>) Love Grandpa here, eying the door. Ha!

  10. Laura, I like your idea that the picture inspired. However, all I could see was a doll in a back pack. I have two grand daughters who live close to Boston. Last fall, we went with them to an American Girl Doll Store. What an experience! Dozens of little girls, some with a doll pack on their back, all of them so excited, wanting this or that to go with their doll. Big price tags, too!

    American Girl Doll Store

    Girls with dolls
    crowd the store,
    look with wonder
    wanting more.
    Grandpa eyes
    the door.

    1. Yeah, the American Doll empire is amazing. At the Chicago one, they have a restaurant where you eat with your doll. When we visit Chicago, we see those distinctive American Girl bags all over the Mile, clutched by excited little girls:>) Love Grandpa here, eying the door. Ha!

  11. One never knows when a photo op will force the electronics into action. Good shot and first thoughts are endless.

    Doll Speak

    “Overhead be full
    so I ride below;
    lady across the aisle
    loves me, I know.”

    1. I felt stalkery trying to take a pic on the plane without anyone noticing. And your poem game me a great laugh!

  12. One never knows when a photo op will force the electronics into action. Good shot and first thoughts are endless.

    Doll Speak

    “Overhead be full
    so I ride below;
    lady across the aisle
    loves me, I know.”

    1. I felt stalkery trying to take a pic on the plane without anyone noticing. And your poem game me a great laugh!

  13. Glass Elevator

    Scaling the hotel’s
    facade I’m sickened
    and horrified–some
    creatures clearly
    aren’t made to fly.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    1. Ha! Yes–that didn’t occur to me, but what a great connection:>) I can’t stand right next to the exterior glass when I’m in a glass elevator. You know, it could break at any moment!

  14. Glass Elevator

    Scaling the hotel’s
    facade I’m sickened
    and horrified–some
    creatures clearly
    aren’t made to fly.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    1. Ha! Yes–that didn’t occur to me, but what a great connection:>) I can’t stand right next to the exterior glass when I’m in a glass elevator. You know, it could break at any moment!

    1. One of those American Girl dolls is called “Just Like Me.” Must be common to want the doll to look like the owner. But your idea goes deeper, I realize.

    2. This is either sad or creepy. I feel like the kid is either an observer of her own life, which makes me sad. Or she’s in a SF/fantasy situation with a creepy twin/clone. Oooohhh. (I do know about the My Twin dolls or whatever, but this poem had a different feel to me:>) Love “dusty” in there.

    3. Kate, in my young eyes, my dolls always looked like me. It’s a shame when they are put aside and become “dusty.” I like the way you share your inner self.

    1. One of those American Girl dolls is called “Just Like Me.” Must be common to want the doll to look like the owner. But your idea goes deeper, I realize.

    2. This is either sad or creepy. I feel like the kid is either an observer of her own life, which makes me sad. Or she’s in a SF/fantasy situation with a creepy twin/clone. Oooohhh. (I do know about the My Twin dolls or whatever, but this poem had a different feel to me:>) Love “dusty” in there.

    3. Kate, in my young eyes, my dolls always looked like me. It’s a shame when they are put aside and become “dusty.” I like the way you share your inner self.

  15. When I was young I love to hear my friend Ann tall stories of all the places she had gone to viset her was so fun bubble gum meachine cookies candy and trinkets on her walls from places she had been I miss her so much

    My Friend Ann

    Stories weighting
    Cross country
    On glass bottom boats
    Bubble gum
    candy hearts and kisses
    Best friends

    1. I love the concrete details here, Jessica–all those little details that friends share–and then that intriguing glass-bottom boat, that brings in the exotic element. Nice!

  16. When I was young I love to hear my friend Ann tall stories of all the places she had gone to viset her was so fun bubble gum meachine cookies candy and trinkets on her walls from places she had been I miss her so much

    My Friend Ann

    Stories weighting
    Cross country
    On glass bottom boats
    Bubble gum
    candy hearts and kisses
    Best friends

    1. I love the concrete details here, Jessica–all those little details that friends share–and then that intriguing glass-bottom boat, that brings in the exotic element. Nice!

  17. You’re right, Laura, cool AND creepy! Here’s something from the doll’s pov:

    Be My Friend?

    Through my window
    I can see
    A little girl
    To play with me.

    1. And we can hope she did indeed play with the doll, maybe even during flight.

  18. You’re right, Laura, cool AND creepy! Here’s something from the doll’s pov:

    Be My Friend?

    Through my window
    I can see
    A little girl
    To play with me.

    1. And we can hope she did indeed play with the doll, maybe even during flight.

    1. Ah yes, the Kewpie dolls and the dreaded cargo holds, where even the luggage cringes. I really enjoy the male version on 15WOL.

    2. I really like the use of “cast” here. Brings so many associations: molded, actor, thrown away…

    1. Ah yes, the Kewpie dolls and the dreaded cargo holds, where even the luggage cringes. I really enjoy the male version on 15WOL.

    2. I really like the use of “cast” here. Brings so many associations: molded, actor, thrown away…

  19. The breath hovering, needy, rather scary as you said, Laura. All I could think was being ‘in the box’.

    Doll, like daughter-
    pretty presentation.
    Wrapped up, trapped up,
    females wishing more
    of life?s liberation.
    Linda Baie ?All Rights Reserved

  20. The breath hovering, needy, rather scary as you said, Laura. All I could think was being ‘in the box’.

    Doll, like daughter-
    pretty presentation.
    Wrapped up, trapped up,
    females wishing more
    of life?s liberation.
    Linda Baie ?All Rights Reserved

  21. Can’t say that I like the face peeking out the back.

    “My beautiful assistant
    Will be sawn in two!”
    Announced Magnifico.
    “Ewww. Hand me the glue!”

  22. Can’t say that I like the face peeking out the back.

    “My beautiful assistant
    Will be sawn in two!”
    Announced Magnifico.
    “Ewww. Hand me the glue!”

  23. Regrets

    Protected,
    unaffected,
    she exists outside
    a world she rejected
    and wishes
    she chose
    to live.

    ~~Barbara J. Turner

  24. Regrets

    Protected,
    unaffected,
    she exists outside
    a world she rejected
    and wishes
    she chose
    to live.

    ~~Barbara J. Turner

  25. Destination unknown
    Wherever it be I go alone
    Oh mummy please !
    Not on my own.

  26. Destination unknown
    Wherever it be I go alone
    Oh mummy please !
    Not on my own.

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