Riddle-Ku! [drift down]

Riddle-ku (National Poetry Month 2014)

 

Riddle-Ku of the Day

Alone, I drift down
With friends, I lift, high and swift
I make robins fly 

–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved

?

HINT 1:

feather_sq_z_500

 

HINT 2:

 

feather_sq_500

 

.aLL

Photos by Laura Purdie Salas

TITLE (AND ANSWER):

FEATHER

 
[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions for using these riddle-ku with your students.]

UPDATE: My riddle-ku are now available in Kindle and paperback as Riddle-ku: Haiku for Very Close Reading (along with tons of great auxiliary materials for teachers), part of the 30 PAINLESS CLASSROOM POEMS series.

riddle-ku-FINAL-kindle
Riddle-ku: Book 2 in the 30 Painless Classroom Poems series

 

Hi, 15 Words or Less community! I’m home from my travels and looking forward to reading your poem drafts! I’ll post a draft in the Comments–I didn’t want to post one here and confuse educators who might be visiting for the first time:>)

56 Responses

  1. 15 words or less–Laura’s first draft:

    Backyard Mystery

    Feather on deck:

    crumb from cat snack?
    note from sky-flyer?

    Cat looks hungry
    Whew!

    –Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved

  2. 15 words or less–Laura’s first draft:

    Backyard Mystery

    Feather on deck:

    crumb from cat snack?
    note from sky-flyer?

    Cat looks hungry
    Whew!

    –Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved

  3. Nice riddle series, Laura.

    The Shiki Kukai free format topic is “allusion.” Your picture provides this allusion poem:

    a white feather
    on the bus stop bench
    …I taste chocolate

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    1. What a mysterious image and unexpected leap. Thanks for the link…but then doesn’t your poem have to include the word “allusion”? Or maybe I misunderstood something in my reading.

      1. No, for the purposes of this challenge I think you have to provide a literary or cultural allusion. If I were home, I could find the example shown, but, I’m at work now, and probably won’t get home ’til very late. (I’m judging the NH PBS Kids’ writing contest later today! And that’s an excuse to have dinner with a writer friend!) Of course, I could be totally mis-remembering and you could be right. Keep watching this space…

        1. Have fun with the judging–it’s always amazing to see what kids write! And hard to pick winners. No worries on the rules. I was just curious, but didn’t mean to throw a wrench in the literary works:)

          1. Here’s the directions from the kukai notice: The free format theme for April is ‘ALLUSION’ (either literary allusion or allusive variation). These are described on pages 122 and 123 of The Haiku Handbook by Bill Higginson. The literary allusion technique references and attempts to expand the meaning of another literary source. Allusive variation in Japanese haiku attempts to parody other well-known haiku, but submissions may parody other literary sources.

            Now I have to write one for the contest!

          2. Ah, that makes total sense. I must have misread the part I was reading:>) Good luck–I’m sure you’ll come up with a stunner. You’re always excellent at historical allusions, so I’m sure literary allusion will be a piece of cake for you!

  4. Nice riddle series, Laura.

    The Shiki Kukai free format topic is “allusion.” Your picture provides this allusion poem:

    a white feather
    on the bus stop bench
    …I taste chocolate

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    1. What a mysterious image and unexpected leap. Thanks for the link…but then doesn’t your poem have to include the word “allusion”? Or maybe I misunderstood something in my reading.

      1. No, for the purposes of this challenge I think you have to provide a literary or cultural allusion. If I were home, I could find the example shown, but, I’m at work now, and probably won’t get home ’til very late. (I’m judging the NH PBS Kids’ writing contest later today! And that’s an excuse to have dinner with a writer friend!) Of course, I could be totally mis-remembering and you could be right. Keep watching this space…

        1. Have fun with the judging–it’s always amazing to see what kids write! And hard to pick winners. No worries on the rules. I was just curious, but didn’t mean to throw a wrench in the literary works:)

          1. Here’s the directions from the kukai notice: The free format theme for April is ‘ALLUSION’ (either literary allusion or allusive variation). These are described on pages 122 and 123 of The Haiku Handbook by Bill Higginson. The literary allusion technique references and attempts to expand the meaning of another literary source. Allusive variation in Japanese haiku attempts to parody other well-known haiku, but submissions may parody other literary sources.

            Now I have to write one for the contest!

          2. Ah, that makes total sense. I must have misread the part I was reading:>) Good luck–I’m sure you’ll come up with a stunner. You’re always excellent at historical allusions, so I’m sure literary allusion will be a piece of cake for you!

  5. The Feather

    Feather tickles, I giggle,
    together we make
    silly Spring sneezes.

    Remembering fun times with my grandmother; tickling her leg with a feather above the line of her garter-rolled stockings which were below the knees. She would grab her knee and scratch and pretend she didn’t know what it was; then tickling her under her nose and collapsing in giggles when she faked her loud sneezes.

    1. What a great story–love those details! Grandmoms who play along–they’re the best. I especially like “together,” which sums up the best part of this moment.

  6. The Feather

    Feather tickles, I giggle,
    together we make
    silly Spring sneezes.

    Remembering fun times with my grandmother; tickling her leg with a feather above the line of her garter-rolled stockings which were below the knees. She would grab her knee and scratch and pretend she didn’t know what it was; then tickling her under her nose and collapsing in giggles when she faked her loud sneezes.

    1. What a great story–love those details! Grandmoms who play along–they’re the best. I especially like “together,” which sums up the best part of this moment.

  7. Drifting through heaven
    On daydream words
    Golden silver
    Letter wings
    Dance across
    Blue paper sky

    1. I have always loved the idea of words in the sky–words as birds, as feathers, as flying objects themselves. This is lovely.

  8. Drifting through heaven
    On daydream words
    Golden silver
    Letter wings
    Dance across
    Blue paper sky

    1. I have always loved the idea of words in the sky–words as birds, as feathers, as flying objects themselves. This is lovely.

  9. When I saw that flower, I thought of Easter hats and how women used to wear big hats adorned with flowers, feathers, etc.

    A Windy Day

    Gorgeous hat
    with one large feather
    should not be worn
    in windy weather.
    Oops!

    Thanks for your posts, Laura. I enjoy reading them.

    1. Hahaha–I LOVE the image this one gives me, Pat. And that final line. So glad you’re enjoying the poems.

  10. When I saw that flower, I thought of Easter hats and how women used to wear big hats adorned with flowers, feathers, etc.

    A Windy Day

    Gorgeous hat
    with one large feather
    should not be worn
    in windy weather.
    Oops!

    Thanks for your posts, Laura. I enjoy reading them.

    1. Hahaha–I LOVE the image this one gives me, Pat. And that final line. So glad you’re enjoying the poems.

  11. Cloud leaf
    Wind whispers spring
    Silver nickel dreams
    sailing through sky dreams
    On cloud leafs

    By Jessica Bigi

  12. Cloud leaf
    Wind whispers spring
    Silver nickel dreams
    sailing through sky dreams
    On cloud leafs

    By Jessica Bigi

    1. Love how you connected pecking and chicken feathers and came up with those gorgeous last 5 words!

    1. Love how you connected pecking and chicken feathers and came up with those gorgeous last 5 words!

    1. Thanks, Linda. I did have fun thinking that a single feather is pretty powerless, but a group of them achieves miracles:>)

    1. Thanks, Linda. I did have fun thinking that a single feather is pretty powerless, but a group of them achieves miracles:>)

  13. RIDDLE-KU

    A bushel of quills
    Unfold at daybreak, ready
    For their morning flight.

    15 WORDS OR LESS

    AERIAL BEAUTY
    Powder white plumes
    Flapping in rhythm
    Over water, buildings, trees,
    Dancing in the breeze.

    © Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.

  14. RIDDLE-KU

    A bushel of quills
    Unfold at daybreak, ready
    For their morning flight.

    15 WORDS OR LESS

    AERIAL BEAUTY
    Powder white plumes
    Flapping in rhythm
    Over water, buildings, trees,
    Dancing in the breeze.

    © Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.

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."