[15 words or less] Mermaid

?15WOLs

??

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) Mermaid family reunion
2) Sculptor who wants his statue to live
3) Giant who skips boulders across a lake

And here’s my first draft!

On the Way to Mermaid Prom
SO excited!
Painted nails.
Polished scales.
Bejeweled tails.
Seakelp veils.
Enchanted whales

(and princes)

–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved

Now it’s your turn! Have fun? and stick to? 15 WORDS OR LESS!?Poetry elves will be deleting comments?containing poems longer than 15 words.?(Title doesn’t count toward word count:>)

214 Responses

  1. OCEAN

    Gossamer waves
    Wisps of mist
    Pebbles of diamond
    Sands of time

    I LOVE your poem, Ms. Salas! The format is so cool; those little two word phrases really struck me as different. SUCH a cool picture!

    1. Oh, my. Look at what you did in just 11 words. This is stunning. Those first two lines especially grab me–almost completely concrete, gorgeous nouns. Wonderful work. Glad you liked mine. I bolted up at 5 a.m. and realized I hadn’t done a 15WOL post for today, so it was a rushed affair:>)

  2. OCEAN

    Gossamer waves
    Wisps of mist
    Pebbles of diamond
    Sands of time

    I LOVE your poem, Ms. Salas! The format is so cool; those little two word phrases really struck me as different. SUCH a cool picture!

    1. Oh, my. Look at what you did in just 11 words. This is stunning. Those first two lines especially grab me–almost completely concrete, gorgeous nouns. Wonderful work. Glad you liked mine. I bolted up at 5 a.m. and realized I hadn’t done a 15WOL post for today, so it was a rushed affair:>)

  3. Waves

    My tail,
    strong, beautiful,
    waves below the sea
    Here, above
    I wave to you.

    This is my first time to join the 15 words or less. It’s harder than it looks. My first draft was 22 words, so then I just cut, cut, cut. Makes you get to the meat of the message.
    I enjoyed imagining the mermaid prom with you.

    1. So glad that you played this week. I love that you got the double wave in there. And how waves apply to a mermaid anyway, so there are really three waves going on in my head, even if one is unspoken:>) And yep, 15 words is pretty dang short, isn’t it? I like what you did with yours!

      1. Yes, they are addictive. I’m missed nary a one in the past 6 years. Actually, I’m not sure of the years, but it’s been at least 6 years that I’ve been participating. When did you first start the challenges, Laura?

    2. I like how you made your mermaid have a life below the sea, too. Welcome, Margaret to this nice group! When I can get here, I love the challenge. Most times I spend a long time working, but I have gotten a little braver sharing quick writes sometimes…like today!

  4. Waves

    My tail,
    strong, beautiful,
    waves below the sea
    Here, above
    I wave to you.

    This is my first time to join the 15 words or less. It’s harder than it looks. My first draft was 22 words, so then I just cut, cut, cut. Makes you get to the meat of the message.
    I enjoyed imagining the mermaid prom with you.

    1. So glad that you played this week. I love that you got the double wave in there. And how waves apply to a mermaid anyway, so there are really three waves going on in my head, even if one is unspoken:>) And yep, 15 words is pretty dang short, isn’t it? I like what you did with yours!

      1. Yes, they are addictive. I’m missed nary a one in the past 6 years. Actually, I’m not sure of the years, but it’s been at least 6 years that I’ve been participating. When did you first start the challenges, Laura?

    2. I like how you made your mermaid have a life below the sea, too. Welcome, Margaret to this nice group! When I can get here, I love the challenge. Most times I spend a long time working, but I have gotten a little braver sharing quick writes sometimes…like today!

  5. Your poem makes the statue sparkle for me. Love polished scales/bejeweled tails. I couldn’t help but notice the little duck at the bottom right.

    Mis-Imprint

    Ever more anxious,
    I circle and quack.
    All Mother does
    is wave at others.

    1. I noticed that duck, too, though didn’t write about it. I love how you focused on the duck and the predicament you put it in!

    2. Awwwwww…I didn’t see the duck. Kind of blends in with the rocks. There were ducks all over when I took the picture. That is so forlorn. Kind of wrenching…

    3. That poor little ducky. I, too, did not notice the duck. Glad you brought it into the poem. Reminds me of the times when I would be on the phone and my young son would do all he could to get me to pay attention to him! Be present, mom!!! A good message for a duckling and for us.

  6. Your poem makes the statue sparkle for me. Love polished scales/bejeweled tails. I couldn’t help but notice the little duck at the bottom right.

    Mis-Imprint

    Ever more anxious,
    I circle and quack.
    All Mother does
    is wave at others.

    1. I noticed that duck, too, though didn’t write about it. I love how you focused on the duck and the predicament you put it in!

    2. Awwwwww…I didn’t see the duck. Kind of blends in with the rocks. There were ducks all over when I took the picture. That is so forlorn. Kind of wrenching…

    3. That poor little ducky. I, too, did not notice the duck. Glad you brought it into the poem. Reminds me of the times when I would be on the phone and my young son would do all he could to get me to pay attention to him! Be present, mom!!! A good message for a duckling and for us.

    1. Sort of like the rock mermaid is the queen checking on every new mermaid’s progress and prowess.….

    1. Sort of like the rock mermaid is the queen checking on every new mermaid’s progress and prowess.….

  7. Great idea for your poem, Laura — rather witty, for a rush-job! Some other nice ones here, too. Like you, I only had a few minutes to come up with something…but decided to go in a totally different direction:

    Rush Hour

    Waiting, waiting,
    Without brassiere
    What?s a girl gotta do
    To catch a cab ?round here?

    - Matt Forrest Esenwine

    1. Laura, at first I misread the words in your title as Mermaid Porn, so, thanks for the inspiration! (I love the poem, by the way.)

      Upon Receiving an Invitation to the Mermaid’s Wedding

      One has to wonder
      at the logistics
      of that first night
      of wedded bliss.

      Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

      1. Glad not to read your mermaid porn comment before coming up with a poem–would have made it hard to write a PG-poem! Your comment and poem made me laugh..

      2. Oh, this is the best laugh I’ve had all day! Happy to oblige. I love how you use very proper, formal language to to ponder a question that would be surrounded by snickers and hand gestures!

    2. Snorting Fresca here. I love your different direction! Now I kind of want to write a Mardi Gras poem featuring her. Uh oh, we’ll have a naughty mermaid collection before long!

      1. Her tail got caught
        in thick seaweed;
        she didn’t catch
        a single bead.
        You’d think a gal
        like Ariel
        at Mardi Gras
        would do so well.
        Next time she wants
        to see the Quarter,
        she’ll have to try
        to leave the warter.

  8. Great idea for your poem, Laura — rather witty, for a rush-job! Some other nice ones here, too. Like you, I only had a few minutes to come up with something…but decided to go in a totally different direction:

    Rush Hour

    Waiting, waiting,
    Without brassiere
    What?s a girl gotta do
    To catch a cab ?round here?

    - Matt Forrest Esenwine

    1. Laura, at first I misread the words in your title as Mermaid Porn, so, thanks for the inspiration! (I love the poem, by the way.)

      Upon Receiving an Invitation to the Mermaid’s Wedding

      One has to wonder
      at the logistics
      of that first night
      of wedded bliss.

      Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

      1. Glad not to read your mermaid porn comment before coming up with a poem–would have made it hard to write a PG-poem! Your comment and poem made me laugh..

      2. Oh, this is the best laugh I’ve had all day! Happy to oblige. I love how you use very proper, formal language to to ponder a question that would be surrounded by snickers and hand gestures!

    2. Snorting Fresca here. I love your different direction! Now I kind of want to write a Mardi Gras poem featuring her. Uh oh, we’ll have a naughty mermaid collection before long!

      1. Her tail got caught
        in thick seaweed;
        she didn’t catch
        a single bead.
        You’d think a gal
        like Ariel
        at Mardi Gras
        would do so well.
        Next time she wants
        to see the Quarter,
        she’ll have to try
        to leave the warter.

  9. I don’t mean to be negative. Just going with my first thoughts.

    Help

    Murky waters
    oily sands
    my water friends
    and I need
    a helping hand.

    1. That’s lovely, Matha. No apologies needed! I often post melancholy poems myself. Going with your first thought is exactly the point!

  10. I don’t mean to be negative. Just going with my first thoughts.

    Help

    Murky waters
    oily sands
    my water friends
    and I need
    a helping hand.

    1. That’s lovely, Matha. No apologies needed! I often post melancholy poems myself. Going with your first thought is exactly the point!

    1. Oh, Kate, I love how you brought in whale music and mermaid songs. Lovely poem!

    1. Oh, Kate, I love how you brought in whale music and mermaid songs. Lovely poem!

  11. I love your two-word phrases, and rhyme, Laura! I kept thinking of the locked-in mermaid, no more ocean for her! Here’s mine:

    Personal Ad-Sunday Times

    Retired,
    aging mermaid,
    wishes less strenuous work.
    Friendly work environment,
    ocean-related.

  12. I love your two-word phrases, and rhyme, Laura! I kept thinking of the locked-in mermaid, no more ocean for her! Here’s mine:

    Personal Ad-Sunday Times

    Retired,
    aging mermaid,
    wishes less strenuous work.
    Friendly work environment,
    ocean-related.

  13. STOOD UP

    You pledged.
    I waited.
    Love seemed–
    Uncomplicated.
    But damp, all
    alone,
    I turned
    into
    stone.

    Andria W. Rosenbaum, all rights reserved

  14. STOOD UP

    You pledged.
    I waited.
    Love seemed–
    Uncomplicated.
    But damp, all
    alone,
    I turned
    into
    stone.

    Andria W. Rosenbaum, all rights reserved

  15. What I want to know is where I can pick up a sea kelp veil for my next fancy affair? What a fun poem, Laura. Brings back memories… sort of. 😉

    A Mermother?s Lament

    IMOGEN,
    pearl of my eye,
    STOLEN
    by a sailor?s heart.
    The one that got
    AWAY.

    ? Michelle Heidenrich Barnes, all rights reserved.

    1. Love this, reference to Cymbaline, Michelle? My younger granddaughter’s name is Imogene- I will keep this for her, in her scrapbook!

      1. Thank you, Linda, for sharing this with your granddaughter. That makes me very happy. 🙂

        And you’re right, remarkably, this does have similarities to the Imogen in Cymbeline. I wish I was erudite enough to think of that connection ahead of time, but unfortunately, no. See my reply to Laura’s comment for more of an explanation.

    2. THanks, Michelle. OK, I love this poem and the mini-poem tucked within it. I adore that kind of sleight of hand! Also, is Imogen a specific person? I Googled and kept coming up with stuff to do with The Little Mermaid and Imogen Thomas, but I’m unclear on who she is. Or did you just make up the name? Enquiring minds want to know! Thanks! P.S. I also love pearl of my eye. Changing up the common phrase to use a sea reference is genius.

      1. Thanks for your nice comments, Laura– they mean a lot coming from you!

        Re: the name Imogen, I chose it for two reasons… neither of which are Shakespeare-worthy (see my reply to Linda’s comment above). I loosely based my poem on the Hans Christian Andersen tale, but unlike the original story, I wanted to give the mermaid a name since the poem speaks in the mother’s voice. “Ariel” was out of the question (too Disney). Imogen seemed to possess a mermaid quality to it, plus I like how it’s similar to the word “imagine”. Also, I’ve been listening to a lot of Imogen Heap lately (I highly recommend her album, SPEAK FOR YOURSELF), and she also has a dreamlike quality to her music. Strange and wonderful how it all just comes together!

        1. I’m not familiar with Imogen Heap–I guess I’ll be searching YouTube tonight! I like that you called her mother a mermother. It takes the mind off into a whole other direction–mergranny, meruncle, mercousin, merbro…

        2. Oooh, thanks for the backstory! So fun to learn these little details. So Imogen Heap isn’t actually connected with Little Mermaid? On Google, the search results kept coming up with her attending the premiere or something, so I actually thought she was a voice for it:>)

  16. What I want to know is where I can pick up a sea kelp veil for my next fancy affair? What a fun poem, Laura. Brings back memories… sort of. 😉

    A Mermother?s Lament

    IMOGEN,
    pearl of my eye,
    STOLEN
    by a sailor?s heart.
    The one that got
    AWAY.

    ? Michelle Heidenrich Barnes, all rights reserved.

    1. Love this, reference to Cymbaline, Michelle? My younger granddaughter’s name is Imogene- I will keep this for her, in her scrapbook!

      1. Thank you, Linda, for sharing this with your granddaughter. That makes me very happy. 🙂

        And you’re right, remarkably, this does have similarities to the Imogen in Cymbeline. I wish I was erudite enough to think of that connection ahead of time, but unfortunately, no. See my reply to Laura’s comment for more of an explanation.

    2. THanks, Michelle. OK, I love this poem and the mini-poem tucked within it. I adore that kind of sleight of hand! Also, is Imogen a specific person? I Googled and kept coming up with stuff to do with The Little Mermaid and Imogen Thomas, but I’m unclear on who she is. Or did you just make up the name? Enquiring minds want to know! Thanks! P.S. I also love pearl of my eye. Changing up the common phrase to use a sea reference is genius.

      1. Thanks for your nice comments, Laura– they mean a lot coming from you!

        Re: the name Imogen, I chose it for two reasons… neither of which are Shakespeare-worthy (see my reply to Linda’s comment above). I loosely based my poem on the Hans Christian Andersen tale, but unlike the original story, I wanted to give the mermaid a name since the poem speaks in the mother’s voice. “Ariel” was out of the question (too Disney). Imogen seemed to possess a mermaid quality to it, plus I like how it’s similar to the word “imagine”. Also, I’ve been listening to a lot of Imogen Heap lately (I highly recommend her album, SPEAK FOR YOURSELF), and she also has a dreamlike quality to her music. Strange and wonderful how it all just comes together!

        1. I’m not familiar with Imogen Heap–I guess I’ll be searching YouTube tonight! I like that you called her mother a mermother. It takes the mind off into a whole other direction–mergranny, meruncle, mercousin, merbro…

        2. Oooh, thanks for the backstory! So fun to learn these little details. So Imogen Heap isn’t actually connected with Little Mermaid? On Google, the search results kept coming up with her attending the premiere or something, so I actually thought she was a voice for it:>)

    1. I like the contrast between the two creatures — though when I first started reading, I thought the mermaid was going to wish she could sprout legs like the tadpole.

    1. I like the contrast between the two creatures — though when I first started reading, I thought the mermaid was going to wish she could sprout legs like the tadpole.

  17. What a fun poem, Laura! I can just picture that prom. 🙂

    ALWAYS WET

    Water-logged,
    soggy,
    drenched, no lie?
    dreaming I could
    sit in the sun
    and drip dry.

    1. Aw, I feel bad for the mermaid now. I always have thought it would be lovely to be a water creature, but I’m rethinking that! I esp love lines 1 and 2 and the words drenched and dreaming!

  18. What a fun poem, Laura! I can just picture that prom. 🙂

    ALWAYS WET

    Water-logged,
    soggy,
    drenched, no lie?
    dreaming I could
    sit in the sun
    and drip dry.

    1. Aw, I feel bad for the mermaid now. I always have thought it would be lovely to be a water creature, but I’m rethinking that! I esp love lines 1 and 2 and the words drenched and dreaming!

  19. Stone maiden,
    locked away.
    One hundred years.
    Don?t delay!
    Return the wave.
    Simply.
    Generously.
    Save.

  20. Stone maiden,
    locked away.
    One hundred years.
    Don?t delay!
    Return the wave.
    Simply.
    Generously.
    Save.

  21. I’m made of rock
    That’s the thing
    Kind of hard
    For me to sing

    - Anne McKenna

  22. I’m made of rock
    That’s the thing
    Kind of hard
    For me to sing

    - Anne McKenna

  23. STATUE OF NO LIMITATIONS

    Despite
    Rain,
    Snow,
    Sun,
    Thunder,
    Or a
    Disrespectful
    Crowd:
    My granite
    Smile
    Remains
    Unbowed.

    © Charles Waters 2013 all rights reserved.

  24. STATUE OF NO LIMITATIONS

    Despite
    Rain,
    Snow,
    Sun,
    Thunder,
    Or a
    Disrespectful
    Crowd:
    My granite
    Smile
    Remains
    Unbowed.

    © Charles Waters 2013 all rights reserved.

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