Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Oh, my funny brother-in-law and sister-in-law. When we went to their house for games shortly after Easter, they stashed this Easter decoration in the tub so that I almost had a heart attack when I went into the bathroom. I’m the easiest person in the world to scare–just ask my husband, who’s always sneaking around corners and making me scream. Anyway, here’s what this creepy picture makes me think of:
1) Hide-and-seek gone wrong
2) Voyeurs of the animal kingdom
3) A shy kid on the first day of school who hides in the bathroom
And here’s my poem first draft:
First-Day Escape
Strangers, loudspeakers,
cubbies, hall passes–
I sneak book to bathroom
and breathe free
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
What do you think of when you look at this picture? Take any quick idea and jot down a 15 Words or Less poem. It doesn’t have to rhyme or describe this picture. It’s just about whatever you think of when you look at it.
60 Responses
I remember those days. :0) Here’s my first draft Laura-
Shaking up Easter
This bunny needs some glee.
Instead of hiding pretty eggs,
This year, I’m hiding ME!
— Donna L Sadd, all rights reserved
Haha! Nice twist 🙂
Hee, hee, thanks. :0)
Hey, Easter Bunny–that’s not your job description:>)
I remember those days. :0) Here’s my first draft Laura-
Shaking up Easter
This bunny needs some glee.
Instead of hiding pretty eggs,
This year, I’m hiding ME!
— Donna L Sadd, all rights reserved
Haha! Nice twist 🙂
Hee, hee, thanks. :0)
Hey, Easter Bunny–that’s not your job description:>)
“Where are you hiding?
I know that you’re real!”
The endless search
for Easter Bunny
They shoulda looked in the bathtub. 🙂 Love your poem, Ms. Salas!
There is nothing better than kids who believe in the magic of the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy, etc. Sigh. Thanks for reminding me:>)
“Where are you hiding?
I know that you’re real!”
The endless search
for Easter Bunny
They shoulda looked in the bathtub. 🙂 Love your poem, Ms. Salas!
There is nothing better than kids who believe in the magic of the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy, etc. Sigh. Thanks for reminding me:>)
there is safety
in the tub
when it’s empty…
that’s the rub!
hiding in the bathroom, ah, the memories. of course, i only hid there from the bullies. how did they always know to look there?
Ooh, that IS the rub. Yeah, bullies always know the best hiding places:>/
there is safety
in the tub
when it’s empty…
that’s the rub!
hiding in the bathroom, ah, the memories. of course, i only hid there from the bullies. how did they always know to look there?
Ooh, that IS the rub. Yeah, bullies always know the best hiding places:>/
Bunnies in the bath–so demonic! I’m going in another direction!
forsythia…
under the blossoms
the twitch of a nose
© Diane Mayr
Before it was ripped out, the forsythia bush on a neighborhood corner was a hiding spot for wildlife.
“the twitch of a nose” ‑such a tiny gesture that says so much. But I don’t know, ripping out a forsythia bush where bunnies hang out seems pretty demonic to me!
Gor. Geous. The details of forsythia and that tiny twitch. I have a beautiful watercolor image in my head now. And there’s been the cutest baby bunny, maybe 6–8″ long, grazing around/under the spirea bushes around the patio. I’ve been watching him/her all week.
Love this–a complete scene in under 9 words. (I’ve been playing with a few haikus, and you’re helping me see how far I still have to go.)
Oh, you’re making me blush! Thank you.
Bunnies in the bath–so demonic! I’m going in another direction!
forsythia…
under the blossoms
the twitch of a nose
© Diane Mayr
Before it was ripped out, the forsythia bush on a neighborhood corner was a hiding spot for wildlife.
“the twitch of a nose” ‑such a tiny gesture that says so much. But I don’t know, ripping out a forsythia bush where bunnies hang out seems pretty demonic to me!
Gor. Geous. The details of forsythia and that tiny twitch. I have a beautiful watercolor image in my head now. And there’s been the cutest baby bunny, maybe 6–8″ long, grazing around/under the spirea bushes around the patio. I’ve been watching him/her all week.
Love this–a complete scene in under 9 words. (I’ve been playing with a few haikus, and you’re helping me see how far I still have to go.)
Oh, you’re making me blush! Thank you.
Rabbits
There?s a rabbit
behind that tree
where you can?t see.
Rabbits have
a hiding habit.
–Kate Coombs
Love the wordplay/sounds, Kate!
Rabbits
There?s a rabbit
behind that tree
where you can?t see.
Rabbits have
a hiding habit.
–Kate Coombs
Love the wordplay/sounds, Kate!
I had to write one for you, too, Laura. Sorry you’re always being scared! We had a mannequin at school that people were always moving around into empty rooms-startled us when we entered every time!
For Laura
Peek a bunny
Peek-a-boo!
Guess it?s not funny
but we love scaring you!
and another:
Help!
Enough of the hiding;
Easter is over!
I need to escape,
and return to clover.
Love your exasperated Easter Bunny! And–shudder. Mannequins and lifesize cardboard cutouts are just wrong. That cardboard guy at the post office scared me for months!
I had to write one for you, too, Laura. Sorry you’re always being scared! We had a mannequin at school that people were always moving around into empty rooms-startled us when we entered every time!
For Laura
Peek a bunny
Peek-a-boo!
Guess it?s not funny
but we love scaring you!
and another:
Help!
Enough of the hiding;
Easter is over!
I need to escape,
and return to clover.
Love your exasperated Easter Bunny! And–shudder. Mannequins and lifesize cardboard cutouts are just wrong. That cardboard guy at the post office scared me for months!
“I sneak book to bathroom and breathe free” — love that!
Here’s mine:
I’m late!
I’m lost!
I’m lost!
I’m late!
My rabbit hole
A sewer grate.
Ha! Fabulous job working in the picture’s setting to your poem. I pity the bunny who has to get around via sewer pipes!
“I sneak book to bathroom and breathe free” — love that!
Here’s mine:
I’m late!
I’m lost!
I’m lost!
I’m late!
My rabbit hole
A sewer grate.
Ha! Fabulous job working in the picture’s setting to your poem. I pity the bunny who has to get around via sewer pipes!
Don?t breath!
Don?t blink!
So scared?
Hot pink!
Heart drums,
Weak knees.
On nooo?
A sneeeeeze!
Love the hot pink as the color of fear. And your sneezy ending made me laugh.
Thanks, Buffy. Of course I mispelled breathe.
Don?t breath!
Don?t blink!
So scared?
Hot pink!
Heart drums,
Weak knees.
On nooo?
A sneeeeeze!
Love the hot pink as the color of fear. And your sneezy ending made me laugh.
Thanks, Buffy. Of course I mispelled breathe.
Pinky’s pet pig
rolls in peony petals,
Pinky makes mud pies
while Piggy nips nettles.
All that pink made me think pigs. Love the phrase “sneak book”–I hear it as a compound verb, and it makes me want to sneak book it out of here and go play in my sunny garden.
Pinky’s pet pig
rolls in peony petals,
Pinky makes mud pies
while Piggy nips nettles.
All that pink made me think pigs. Love the phrase “sneak book”–I hear it as a compound verb, and it makes me want to sneak book it out of here and go play in my sunny garden.
Beautiful poem, Laura!
Look at Pinky
quick from sinky
super slinky
bath tub winky.
sneaky
Beautiful poem, Laura!
Look at Pinky
quick from sinky
super slinky
bath tub winky.
sneaky
Pink bunnies are too girly for a guy like me! I went a different route:
Pink pawprints
upon the wall…
beware -
evil may befall!
Terror lurks
in the shower stall.
-Matt Forrest Esenwine
Pink bunnies are too girly for a guy like me! I went a different route:
Pink pawprints
upon the wall…
beware -
evil may befall!
Terror lurks
in the shower stall.
-Matt Forrest Esenwine
Unaware, received a scare!
Bathtub bunny thinks it’s funny.
Don’t do
peek-a-boo
here!
Now disappear!
Unaware, received a scare!
Bathtub bunny thinks it’s funny.
Don’t do
peek-a-boo
here!
Now disappear!
Hidden, quiet
still as a toy
safe from the pedophile,
a scared little boy.
Hidden, quiet
still as a toy
safe from the pedophile,
a scared little boy.
These are a barrel of fun!
Dreading Dress-up
Oh no!
The apron and the bow?
No way!
I?ll hide away all day!
~Penny Klostermann
These are a barrel of fun!
Dreading Dress-up
Oh no!
The apron and the bow?
No way!
I?ll hide away all day!
~Penny Klostermann
Drained
Long gone
are
long baths,
steam and song,
soaking in
life,
fresh, free
newborn dreams
-Pamela Ross
Drained
Long gone
are
long baths,
steam and song,
soaking in
life,
fresh, free
newborn dreams
-Pamela Ross
I have 3 poems. Do you have a favorite?
CONSTANT MUCHIES
Eastern cottontail
devours freshly pulled weeds -
Garbage disposal.
JACKPOT
A Cottontail drenched in hunger,
Malnourished as a cotton swab
furiously scarves down
Leafy weeds.
VEGETABLE GARDEN
Rabbit
Plays peek-a-boo
With an impervious
Turtle who’s busy scoping his
Next meal.
© Charles Waters 2013 all rights reserved.
I have 3 poems. Do you have a favorite?
CONSTANT MUCHIES
Eastern cottontail
devours freshly pulled weeds -
Garbage disposal.
JACKPOT
A Cottontail drenched in hunger,
Malnourished as a cotton swab
furiously scarves down
Leafy weeds.
VEGETABLE GARDEN
Rabbit
Plays peek-a-boo
With an impervious
Turtle who’s busy scoping his
Next meal.
© Charles Waters 2013 all rights reserved.