Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)! 
This is a closeup pic, and?here are 3 things this photo makes me think of: 1)?Shampoo commercial 2)?Rope swing 3) Hangman’s noose And here’s my first draft. I had fun with my Things To Do poem last week and decided to go with that again–dang, my formatting isn’t there. I wanted that second line indented–a lot!–to mimic the back and forth of the swing.
Things To Do If You’re a Rope Swing
Wear a bristly jacket.
Leap to the sky.
Float safely back to earth.
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
NOTE: I’m driving five hours (hopefully weather won’t slow me down) to Iowa City, IA, today, to be part of the One Book Two Book Festival! I won’t be able to comment on poems today, although I will read through them all once I get checked in to my room. They will be my reward:>) Now it’s your turn! Have fun? and stick to? 15 WORDS OR LESS!??(Title doesn’t count toward word count:>)?
68 Responses
Luscious locks
Pouring down
Spilling sweetly
Over shoulders
Washing the worries away
Cool picture!!! I really like your poem, especially the “Leap to the sky”
Amelia, love “luscious” and “spilling.” I can feel the warm water and smell the aroma of a favorite shampoo.
Love the idea of washing hair, and, like Martha those ‘luscious locks’.
I agree with Martha and Linda, but I also really like the “washing worries away” part.
Great interpretation of this photo, Amelia! I too love washing worries away.
Luscious locks
Pouring down
Spilling sweetly
Over shoulders
Washing the worries away
Cool picture!!! I really like your poem, especially the “Leap to the sky”
Amelia, love “luscious” and “spilling.” I can feel the warm water and smell the aroma of a favorite shampoo.
Love the idea of washing hair, and, like Martha those ‘luscious locks’.
I agree with Martha and Linda, but I also really like the “washing worries away” part.
Great interpretation of this photo, Amelia! I too love washing worries away.
Please
Hold on.
I?m coming.
I?ll pull you up.
Don?t let go,
please don?t.
Hold on.
?Kate Coombs
Kate, your response brings memories of letting the old wooden bucket down into the well that supplied water to my paternal grandparents’ home.
You’ve managed to inject such tension in the words, what I’ve felt when rock climbing!
Yes. Tension is felt in this poem with a feeling of danger.
Please
Hold on.
I?m coming.
I?ll pull you up.
Don?t let go,
please don?t.
Hold on.
?Kate Coombs
Kate, your response brings memories of letting the old wooden bucket down into the well that supplied water to my paternal grandparents’ home.
You’ve managed to inject such tension in the words, what I’ve felt when rock climbing!
Yes. Tension is felt in this poem with a feeling of danger.
Goodbye Launch
Rockets fire,
propel Challenger
into the heavens.
This month
seven families remember.
Laura, I panicked. Did not receive the post. Again I went around my fist to get to my thumb. Clicked on last week’s 15 WOL followed by another click on an underlined “Laura.” Ahhh — success!
Martha, it didn’t come through in my e‑mail either today!
I remember where I was when I heard. Nice that you wrote about this tragic day.
It’s one of those events that you do remember. I was a grandmother, wearing braces on my teeth for the first time, stopped at a traffic light on the way to see my orthodontist. I had to break the news to everyone there.
Yes, Martha. It’s a moment that most all of us remember.
I was teaching first grade at the time and another teacher came in to tell me.
Shock! It was a sad time.
I can see why the picture made you think of a rocket launch.
Good job.
P.S. I didn’t get the email either.
Goodbye Launch
Rockets fire,
propel Challenger
into the heavens.
This month
seven families remember.
Laura, I panicked. Did not receive the post. Again I went around my fist to get to my thumb. Clicked on last week’s 15 WOL followed by another click on an underlined “Laura.” Ahhh — success!
Martha, it didn’t come through in my e‑mail either today!
I remember where I was when I heard. Nice that you wrote about this tragic day.
It’s one of those events that you do remember. I was a grandmother, wearing braces on my teeth for the first time, stopped at a traffic light on the way to see my orthodontist. I had to break the news to everyone there.
Yes, Martha. It’s a moment that most all of us remember.
I was teaching first grade at the time and another teacher came in to tell me.
Shock! It was a sad time.
I can see why the picture made you think of a rocket launch.
Good job.
P.S. I didn’t get the email either.
Red and yellow —- that’s all I could see,
but it brought a thought about —
Chinese New Year
Dancing feet beneath
colorful dragon,
weave though street
to banish evil spirits,
bring good luck.
Easy to envision, especially with those colors.
And that fiery movement in the parade is there!
Red and yellow —- that’s all I could see,
but it brought a thought about —
Chinese New Year
Dancing feet beneath
colorful dragon,
weave though street
to banish evil spirits,
bring good luck.
Easy to envision, especially with those colors.
And that fiery movement in the parade is there!
I like the ‘bristly’ jacket of your rope swing, Laura, & hope you arrived safely! I imagined a bit differently although your mention of rope influenced me.
Jack couldn?t ignore
the shimmer and shine;
grabbing the golden rope,
tremulous, began to climb.
Linda Baie ?All Rights Reserved
I love your idea of tying the picture with Jack in the Beanstalk.
I like the way you worked in the “i” sound and the “o” sound in your end lines.
I like the ‘bristly’ jacket of your rope swing, Laura, & hope you arrived safely! I imagined a bit differently although your mention of rope influenced me.
Jack couldn?t ignore
the shimmer and shine;
grabbing the golden rope,
tremulous, began to climb.
Linda Baie ?All Rights Reserved
I love your idea of tying the picture with Jack in the Beanstalk.
I like the way you worked in the “i” sound and the “o” sound in your end lines.
GOING UP OR DOWN?
A slippery slide,
leading naught
or rescue rope
that’s stretched out taut.
My choice what.
Terrific, didn’t even think of up OR down. I like that final ‘my choice what’.
I like how you used the words naught and taut for rhyme.
I like how you ended your poem, too.
Handy for whatever the need. I like it.
GOING UP OR DOWN?
A slippery slide,
leading naught
or rescue rope
that’s stretched out taut.
My choice what.
Terrific, didn’t even think of up OR down. I like that final ‘my choice what’.
I like how you used the words naught and taut for rhyme.
I like how you ended your poem, too.
Handy for whatever the need. I like it.
What fun poems, today. Linda, I especially like your near rhymes!
In Grandma’s Day
Be-
fore
work-
place
safety
reg-
ula-
tions
taffy
mak-
ing
re-
quir-
ed
oiled
hands
and
repet-
itive
wrist
twists.
Diane Mayr, all rights reserved
You made me re-look at the photo, Diane! It “is” taffy. There is a machine that fascinates as it twists and turns in a mountain tourist town. but now you’ve made me wonder how they did do it before? I like the word arrangement!
Oh my goodness. A string of taffy and you matched the shape of your poem to the taffy.
Great idea. I’m still smiling.
Good job.
Creative indeed. Good job Diane. I’ve never personally pulled taffy but I have watched the commercial machines turn, twist, snip and roll in paper.
What fun poems, today. Linda, I especially like your near rhymes!
In Grandma’s Day
Be-
fore
work-
place
safety
reg-
ula-
tions
taffy
mak-
ing
re-
quir-
ed
oiled
hands
and
repet-
itive
wrist
twists.
Diane Mayr, all rights reserved
You made me re-look at the photo, Diane! It “is” taffy. There is a machine that fascinates as it twists and turns in a mountain tourist town. but now you’ve made me wonder how they did do it before? I like the word arrangement!
Oh my goodness. A string of taffy and you matched the shape of your poem to the taffy.
Great idea. I’m still smiling.
Good job.
Creative indeed. Good job Diane. I’ve never personally pulled taffy but I have watched the commercial machines turn, twist, snip and roll in paper.
I saw a chewed-up number 2 pencil, and was immediately back in elementary school, filling in circles on the Iowa (?) achievement test that we took every couple of years. That was the only standardized test we had until high school SATs–and that was stress enough for my pencil-gnawing teeth. And to think of what kids today endure!
Love your rope swing, Laura–especially leap to the sky–and hope you had safe travels. I did not get this in my email today, either. Glad I suddenly remembered that it was Thursday!
With Number 2 Pencils in Hand:
brows furrow
teeth gnaw
feet shake
chins tremble
palms sweat
hands smudge
clock ticks
Of course. I can certainly see the pencils and have put teeth marks in a few of my own. Great interpretation.
I had to give that achievement test, even to my first graders.
The verbs you used are a great description of the good, hard working students.
Then there were the few who rushed through the test and were the first ones to finish.
Oh, dear. Their scores were dismal.
I gave that (it is Iowa) test too, & my children took it, no real biggie, but they were nervous. My grandson still is nervous, but in 7th grade, he says they talk about the testing a lot! I wonder how many pencils are gnawed-you’ve captured all the actions, Buffy!
I saw a chewed-up number 2 pencil, and was immediately back in elementary school, filling in circles on the Iowa (?) achievement test that we took every couple of years. That was the only standardized test we had until high school SATs–and that was stress enough for my pencil-gnawing teeth. And to think of what kids today endure!
Love your rope swing, Laura–especially leap to the sky–and hope you had safe travels. I did not get this in my email today, either. Glad I suddenly remembered that it was Thursday!
With Number 2 Pencils in Hand:
brows furrow
teeth gnaw
feet shake
chins tremble
palms sweat
hands smudge
clock ticks
Of course. I can certainly see the pencils and have put teeth marks in a few of my own. Great interpretation.
I had to give that achievement test, even to my first graders.
The verbs you used are a great description of the good, hard working students.
Then there were the few who rushed through the test and were the first ones to finish.
Oh, dear. Their scores were dismal.
I gave that (it is Iowa) test too, & my children took it, no real biggie, but they were nervous. My grandson still is nervous, but in 7th grade, he says they talk about the testing a lot! I wonder how many pencils are gnawed-you’ve captured all the actions, Buffy!
THE FLAME
Let the flame
Burn within
So new life
can begin
With abundance
and joy everlasting
- Anne McKenna
THE FLAME
Let the flame
Burn within
So new life
can begin
With abundance
and joy everlasting
- Anne McKenna
I had such a lovely break last night reading through all of your terrific poems. You guys are an inspiration to me. Thank you!
I had such a lovely break last night reading through all of your terrific poems. You guys are an inspiration to me. Thank you!
ROPE CLIMB (PRESSURE)
Grabbing frazzled twine,
Ascending slowly, girlfriend?s
Eyes wait in judgment.
© Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.
ROPE CLIMB (PRESSURE)
Grabbing frazzled twine,
Ascending slowly, girlfriend?s
Eyes wait in judgment.
© Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.