?
?
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
Three things this makes me think of:
1) Bacteria in a petri dish
2) Fishing nets full of jellyfish
3) Pods. Pods with monsters in them
And here’s my first draft!
Fishing Net
Strainer of the sea
holds cold quivering bowls,
bells of gel,
tangles of tentacles
–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:>) PLEASE NOTE: I’m on a school visit all day today, so I won’t be responding to poems, though I’ll read through them. I so love how this community is giving feedback and support. Keep up the lovely work!
138 Responses
Not my favorite picture, Laura. Your poem caught some interesting images and the alliteration of tangled tentacles set the stage for my play with the p sound.
Pink
Pepto-Bismal
Pinky red
Petri dish
Of popcorn
Popping
Cotton candy wonderland of science revealed
I love petri dish Of popcorn Popping and wonderland of science revealed. Especially “wonderland” — the essence of research.
I love that last line!
I bet to many biologists, that petri dish is a cotton candy wonderland. Terrific comparison, Margaret!
Not my favorite picture, Laura. Your poem caught some interesting images and the alliteration of tangled tentacles set the stage for my play with the p sound.
Pink
Pepto-Bismal
Pinky red
Petri dish
Of popcorn
Popping
Cotton candy wonderland of science revealed
I love petri dish Of popcorn Popping and wonderland of science revealed. Especially “wonderland” — the essence of research.
I love that last line!
I bet to many biologists, that petri dish is a cotton candy wonderland. Terrific comparison, Margaret!
In a perfect world
We would be equal
All we have
Is what we are !
- Anne McKenna
So true.
“Bells of gel”–fun to say!
Side Effect
Colors
Stripes
Ruffles
Ribs
Making
caps for
chemo
patients
she knits
a reason
to live.
Diane Mayr, all rights reserved
WOW, Diane! Love the story you knit with so few words.
Fabulous from the title to the last line. “She knits a reason to live” — made my heart ache.
^ I agree with them. This touched my heart.
Diane
I said aw! Love that knitting a reason. Do you knit? I’m not very good at it. Maybe when I retire.„
“She knits a reason to live” is so beautifully poignant, Diane.
Wise words.
In a perfect world
We would be equal
All we have
Is what we are !
- Anne McKenna
So true.
“Bells of gel”–fun to say!
Side Effect
Colors
Stripes
Ruffles
Ribs
Making
caps for
chemo
patients
she knits
a reason
to live.
Diane Mayr, all rights reserved
WOW, Diane! Love the story you knit with so few words.
Fabulous from the title to the last line. “She knits a reason to live” — made my heart ache.
^ I agree with them. This touched my heart.
Diane
I said aw! Love that knitting a reason. Do you knit? I’m not very good at it. Maybe when I retire.„
“She knits a reason to live” is so beautifully poignant, Diane.
Wise words.
Baby blobs
of pink meringue
sweetly sing their siren song:
“Start that diet tomorrow.”
You made me laugh, especially with the tempting Halloween candy around this time of year.
I laughed, too. Those last two lines are great!
Baby blobs
of pink meringue
sweetly sing their siren song:
“Start that diet tomorrow.”
You made me laugh, especially with the tempting Halloween candy around this time of year.
I laughed, too. Those last two lines are great!
Laura, quite a challenge. My first thought was of a waffle, topped with something, but it’s too early in the morning to deal with that image — so here goes!
Winter’s chill
beginner’s will
knitting stitch okay.
The art of pretty
pompoms?
Perhaps another day!
I like how you have the whole beginners struggle summed up in a lovely rhyme. And your first line sets the stage. Knitting during summer’s heat — not so appealing.
I saw pompoms, too! 🙂 I love the rhymes in this.
Laura, quite a challenge. My first thought was of a waffle, topped with something, but it’s too early in the morning to deal with that image — so here goes!
Winter’s chill
beginner’s will
knitting stitch okay.
The art of pretty
pompoms?
Perhaps another day!
I like how you have the whole beginners struggle summed up in a lovely rhyme. And your first line sets the stage. Knitting during summer’s heat — not so appealing.
I saw pompoms, too! 🙂 I love the rhymes in this.
Laura, every line, every description in your poem, simply stunning. One of my favorites of yours. Here’s mine:
Through the microscope -
micro-worlds
with micro-monsters
more terrifying
than imagination’s
creations.
Type “larval sea creatures” into Google images for a good example.
Oooh, I like this! Very true.
Laura, every line, every description in your poem, simply stunning. One of my favorites of yours. Here’s mine:
Through the microscope -
micro-worlds
with micro-monsters
more terrifying
than imagination’s
creations.
Type “larval sea creatures” into Google images for a good example.
Oooh, I like this! Very true.
STICKY POCKETS
Snuck a wafer
Pink and crispy
Forgot it until later
Melted, sticky
Cool picture!
How funny, Amelia.
I can just picture this!
STICKY POCKETS
Snuck a wafer
Pink and crispy
Forgot it until later
Melted, sticky
Cool picture!
How funny, Amelia.
I can just picture this!
Laura, love your tangled tentacles phrase. In a rush this morning, but here goes:
Parade
Fill the wire with
fluffy pink flowers.
Finish the float
in only four hours.
I like your different take on the picture and the rhymes, too.
Laura, love your tangled tentacles phrase. In a rush this morning, but here goes:
Parade
Fill the wire with
fluffy pink flowers.
Finish the float
in only four hours.
I like your different take on the picture and the rhymes, too.
Oh I can just see this and feel the stress. Nice rhyme.
Oh I can just see this and feel the stress. Nice rhyme.
Didn’t fit.
They laughed at it-
the hat that Grandma knit.
Wore it
anyway.
This one made me smile. I’d wear something my grandma made, too. 🙂
Didn’t fit.
They laughed at it-
the hat that Grandma knit.
Wore it
anyway.
This one made me smile. I’d wear something my grandma made, too. 🙂
SALMON
Tussling with tides,
crossing currents,
salmon soars
leaping–
past hungry, black bears,
delivering
the future.
Andria W. Rosenbaum/ all rights reserved
I love the story this tells and the alliteration in the first 3 lines.
Was this poem inspired by the recent Nature episode about salmon on PBS? I saw it and was also inspired by their drive to deliver the future! Your words do these amazing fish justice.
I love the images and whimsey in this, Diane!
Thanks, Michelle. It wasn’t inspired by that show specifically, but I’ve watched a fair amount of shows like it.
SALMON
Tussling with tides,
crossing currents,
salmon soars
leaping–
past hungry, black bears,
delivering
the future.
Andria W. Rosenbaum/ all rights reserved
I love the story this tells and the alliteration in the first 3 lines.
Was this poem inspired by the recent Nature episode about salmon on PBS? I saw it and was also inspired by their drive to deliver the future! Your words do these amazing fish justice.
I love the images and whimsey in this, Diane!
Thanks, Michelle. It wasn’t inspired by that show specifically, but I’ve watched a fair amount of shows like it.
Laura,
love the assonance in your poem epecially, the last 3 lines and the idea of a net acting as a strainer 🙂
Laura,
love the assonance in your poem epecially, the last 3 lines and the idea of a net acting as a strainer 🙂
Cells
Knit one, purl two.
Twisting DNA stitches
make this new life.
?Kate Coombs
Crafting– from a differnt point of view. Nice.
Great twist on what we see.
Oh, wow — great image!
Cells
Knit one, purl two.
Twisting DNA stitches
make this new life.
?Kate Coombs
Crafting– from a differnt point of view. Nice.
Great twist on what we see.
Oh, wow — great image!
Your poem makes me wonder how they do get those ‘tangles of tentacles’ out of the net, Laura. I guess they do hold on! You’ve made me imagine a menagerie of sea creatures in the net, which is a problem I know! I saw something different, but it’s an amazing photo!
Grandma teaches me,
Knit one, Purl Two
It?s her hand-me-down,
saying ?I love you?.
Linda Baie?All Rights Reserved
Sweet poem!
Your poem touched my heart today, Linda, because it was my grandmother who taught me how to knit.
Your poem makes me wonder how they do get those ‘tangles of tentacles’ out of the net, Laura. I guess they do hold on! You’ve made me imagine a menagerie of sea creatures in the net, which is a problem I know! I saw something different, but it’s an amazing photo!
Grandma teaches me,
Knit one, Purl Two
It?s her hand-me-down,
saying ?I love you?.
Linda Baie?All Rights Reserved
Sweet poem!
Your poem touched my heart today, Linda, because it was my grandmother who taught me how to knit.
I love tangles of tentacles!
Tightly woven
bobbles unbroken
warm to the touch
grandma
Ooh 15 exactly phew
I like “bobbles unbroken”.
I too love those ‘bobbles unbroken’, & think it’s amazing how both of us thought of Grandma. Nice, Catherine!
What a perfect way to describe grandma!
I love tangles of tentacles!
Tightly woven
bobbles unbroken
warm to the touch
grandma
Ooh 15 exactly phew
I like “bobbles unbroken”.
I too love those ‘bobbles unbroken’, & think it’s amazing how both of us thought of Grandma. Nice, Catherine!
What a perfect way to describe grandma!
“Strainer of the sea,” “quivering bowls,” “tangles of tentacles” — wow! wow! wow! Love your imagery, Laura!
GRANDMA’S BEDSPREAD
Knobbly and warm
is the hug I slip into
each night at Nana’s house.
© Michelle Heidenrich Barnes, all rights reserved.
Lovely, cozy images of comfort and security.
My grandma had one of those, too. 🙂 I love the feeling of this one.
I think my grandmother had the same bedspread as yours! Love the image of bedspread as warm hug.
thanks for the comment-glad it touched you, Michelle. I didn’t have much time to even read or then comment today, but we must have had nice grandmas to both write this way. I like that ‘hug I slip into’-felt just that way, didn’t it?
“Strainer of the sea,” “quivering bowls,” “tangles of tentacles” — wow! wow! wow! Love your imagery, Laura!
GRANDMA’S BEDSPREAD
Knobbly and warm
is the hug I slip into
each night at Nana’s house.
© Michelle Heidenrich Barnes, all rights reserved.
Lovely, cozy images of comfort and security.
My grandma had one of those, too. 🙂 I love the feeling of this one.
I think my grandmother had the same bedspread as yours! Love the image of bedspread as warm hug.
thanks for the comment-glad it touched you, Michelle. I didn’t have much time to even read or then comment today, but we must have had nice grandmas to both write this way. I like that ‘hug I slip into’-felt just that way, didn’t it?
COOL!
My evening sweater
Is an open weave,
so I can feel
a gentle breeze.
Great picture, Laura. Love the color and what you did with it.
Joy
Nice one!
Hmm… I’ve tried to reply, but it doesn’t seem to be showing up. I’ll try again — nice one!
Nice rhythm and rhyme, Joy…love the idea of a sweater welcoming a gentle breeze.
Was just thinking today that I need to get me one of these light, breezy cardigans! You make it sound even more appealing.
COOL!
My evening sweater
Is an open weave,
so I can feel
a gentle breeze.
Great picture, Laura. Love the color and what you did with it.
Joy
Nice one!
Hmm… I’ve tried to reply, but it doesn’t seem to be showing up. I’ll try again — nice one!
Nice rhythm and rhyme, Joy…love the idea of a sweater welcoming a gentle breeze.
Was just thinking today that I need to get me one of these light, breezy cardigans! You make it sound even more appealing.
These are all wonderful! Here’s my entry:
New Sweater
Knitting
Pitting needles and yarn
Creating a pink pattern
Fitting cozy against
Winter’s unremitting cold
These are all wonderful! Here’s my entry:
New Sweater
Knitting
Pitting needles and yarn
Creating a pink pattern
Fitting cozy against
Winter’s unremitting cold
Oh, Laura — I love all the sounds in your poem! My favorite is “tangles of tentacles”, but, really, I love each of your lines.
The picture reminded me of a child’s sweater with little pompoms on it, so I came up with this:
SWEATER WEATHER
Wrapped in cozy layers?
turtleneck, sweater, blanket?
sipping cider
and
reading Gaiman:
perfectly October.
This poem is as cozy as sweater weather–love the wrapped in cozy layers.
Sounds like a divine way to spend an afternoon! And you’re so right– layers, cider, and Gaiman are a great October combo.
Oh, Laura — I love all the sounds in your poem! My favorite is “tangles of tentacles”, but, really, I love each of your lines.
The picture reminded me of a child’s sweater with little pompoms on it, so I came up with this:
SWEATER WEATHER
Wrapped in cozy layers?
turtleneck, sweater, blanket?
sipping cider
and
reading Gaiman:
perfectly October.
This poem is as cozy as sweater weather–love the wrapped in cozy layers.
Sounds like a divine way to spend an afternoon! And you’re so right– layers, cider, and Gaiman are a great October combo.
Needles cross:
drop one, snarl two,
stitches twist and tangle–
lacy dreams unravel.
I’m unstitching my previous tangle:
Drop one, snarl two,
needles cross,
stitches twist and tangle–
lacy dreams unravel.
I like the “lacy dreams unravel”, & your ‘unstitching’, Buffy. Also that you thought of ‘snarl’ instead of purl-of course it does!
“Drop one, snarl two” is awesome– DIY has never been so easy!
Needles cross:
drop one, snarl two,
stitches twist and tangle–
lacy dreams unravel.
I’m unstitching my previous tangle:
Drop one, snarl two,
needles cross,
stitches twist and tangle–
lacy dreams unravel.
I like the “lacy dreams unravel”, & your ‘unstitching’, Buffy. Also that you thought of ‘snarl’ instead of purl-of course it does!
“Drop one, snarl two” is awesome– DIY has never been so easy!
The Chain Link Fence
In Fall, all the leaves
from the Truffula tree,
repurpose to make
a more fashionable me.
LOVE your clever Dr. Seuss reference! Not sure I understand the poem’s connection to your title, though. Can you explain?
truffula trees are round. I was seeing the image as round leaves, blown up against a chain link fence. a bit odd, but imagination is like that. The fence is now fashionable, with it’s new leaf dress.
Got it! You just keep that great imagination flowing. 🙂
The Chain Link Fence
In Fall, all the leaves
from the Truffula tree,
repurpose to make
a more fashionable me.
LOVE your clever Dr. Seuss reference! Not sure I understand the poem’s connection to your title, though. Can you explain?
truffula trees are round. I was seeing the image as round leaves, blown up against a chain link fence. a bit odd, but imagination is like that. The fence is now fashionable, with it’s new leaf dress.
Got it! You just keep that great imagination flowing. 🙂
WHEN TURNING ON THE A/C
Blankets of granule spheres
Caked inside air vents
Arrive for your sneezing pleasure.
© Charles Waters 2013 all rights reserved.
WHEN TURNING ON THE A/C
Blankets of granule spheres
Caked inside air vents
Arrive for your sneezing pleasure.
© Charles Waters 2013 all rights reserved.