Photo: Randy Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I took this picture a few days ago on the North Shore of Lake Superior. I was gathering lots?of images of water in various forms to use in materials related to my forthcoming book, Water Can Be.… The temps were below zero the whole time, and I decided I?needed to try the boiling-water-into-snow activity.? This is the cloud of snow created as I flung a mugful of boiling water off the balcony. Cool!?Here are?3 things this photo makes me think of:
1)?What if a whole lake boiled and then burst into snow like this?
2)?the song/video for Cloud Busting, by Kate Bush
3) a giant creating a snowstorm over a tiny village
And here’s my first draft.
Dragon Breath
He snorts snowy clouds,
hurls his?icy exhale,
buries? the village below
–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:>)?
P.S. I’m at a school visit today, but I’ll read and comment on poems. It just might not be until this weekend:>)
194 Responses
THE DANCE
Twirling and spinning
Ritual of white
Preparing
To make snow
Tonight
This looks so fun!! Great picture 🙂
This kind of reminded me of snow fairies… I just love the magic of a good snowfall 🙂
This kind of reminded me of snow fairies… I love the magic of a good snowfall!
Ugh whoops!
Love the use of the word ritual, as though the making of snow is a ritual. Poof! A magical ritual.
Yes, Amelia, “ritual of white” is a particularly great line!
Hope you receive snow, that is, if you so desire! Lovely image.
Your poem is lovely, Amelia! Every word adds magic to your snow recipe.
I agree with the others about your use of the word “ritual.”
The picture does look as if a magician is casting a spell.
Ooh, that’s lovely–love the idea of snow fairies!
THE DANCE
Twirling and spinning
Ritual of white
Preparing
To make snow
Tonight
This looks so fun!! Great picture 🙂
This kind of reminded me of snow fairies… I just love the magic of a good snowfall 🙂
This kind of reminded me of snow fairies… I love the magic of a good snowfall!
Ugh whoops!
Love the use of the word ritual, as though the making of snow is a ritual. Poof! A magical ritual.
Yes, Amelia, “ritual of white” is a particularly great line!
Hope you receive snow, that is, if you so desire! Lovely image.
Your poem is lovely, Amelia! Every word adds magic to your snow recipe.
I agree with the others about your use of the word “ritual.”
The picture does look as if a magician is casting a spell.
Ooh, that’s lovely–love the idea of snow fairies!
Snow Cloud
Each time you
open yourself
to the world,
miracles happen
like snow from
boiling water.
–Margaret Simon
Fascinated by thoughts of magic, fairies, snow, nature — seems to be a common theme.
Good thought. Open yourself to the world — miracles happen.
I like that.
Wow. A lot said in 15 words, Margaret!
this is wonderful
Snow Cloud
Each time you
open yourself
to the world,
miracles happen
like snow from
boiling water.
–Margaret Simon
Fascinated by thoughts of magic, fairies, snow, nature — seems to be a common theme.
Good thought. Open yourself to the world — miracles happen.
I like that.
Wow. A lot said in 15 words, Margaret!
this is wonderful
Good morning Laura et al. Awoke (NC) to 6–7″ of soft snow. I’m surrounded by the quiet beauty of my own Fairy Land.
Nature’s Ballet
Clouds and fog
join hands,
form rime frost.
Distant vista
dances, dressed
in fairy dust.
Love “distant vistas”. Snow does dance!
Again, you have written a beautiful image.
I like how you looked at the same stuff I see, and thought those positive thoughts
of beauty.
I looked out and moaned. 🙂
Inwardly I’m moaning. Two events cancelled for today.
I LOVE rime ice! It’s my favorite winter thing–a rare miracle. Love all the great concrete images here.
I’ve never heard of rim ice?
rime icee ?
Rime ice is formed when water droplets from fog and low-hanging clouds freeze. The wind propels those droplets toward trees and other vegetation, resulting in lovely shapes and wintry landscapes, especially those in higher elevations.
Good morning Laura et al. Awoke (NC) to 6–7″ of soft snow. I’m surrounded by the quiet beauty of my own Fairy Land.
Nature’s Ballet
Clouds and fog
join hands,
form rime frost.
Distant vista
dances, dressed
in fairy dust.
Love “distant vistas”. Snow does dance!
Again, you have written a beautiful image.
I like how you looked at the same stuff I see, and thought those positive thoughts
of beauty.
I looked out and moaned. 🙂
Inwardly I’m moaning. Two events cancelled for today.
I LOVE rime ice! It’s my favorite winter thing–a rare miracle. Love all the great concrete images here.
I’ve never heard of rim ice?
rime icee ?
Rime ice is formed when water droplets from fog and low-hanging clouds freeze. The wind propels those droplets toward trees and other vegetation, resulting in lovely shapes and wintry landscapes, especially those in higher elevations.
Cloud
Sun, you
haven?t won?
I?m proud
I can make
my own
cloud.
?Kate Coombs
Ah, power!
I’m smiling at your idea.
Like it.
I like your determination. I think the sun may win out here. Good verse.
Ha! Great voice:>)
Cloud
Sun, you
haven?t won?
I?m proud
I can make
my own
cloud.
?Kate Coombs
Ah, power!
I’m smiling at your idea.
Like it.
I like your determination. I think the sun may win out here. Good verse.
Ha! Great voice:>)
Winter Ball
Hiding behind
a mask of white
water tiptoes in
draped in her
niveous gown.
Diane Mayr, all rights reserved
Diane, thanks!
I had to look up niveous.
Perfect word!
It’s one I will remember now.
I had to look it up, too. Great word choice, Diane.
I like mask of white, especially on tiptoes.
Niveous gown–love that. I always think of autumn leaves as beautiful gowns for trees. But I haven’t thought of snow as a gown for water. Beautiful image.
Winter Ball
Hiding behind
a mask of white
water tiptoes in
draped in her
niveous gown.
Diane Mayr, all rights reserved
Diane, thanks!
I had to look up niveous.
Perfect word!
It’s one I will remember now.
I had to look it up, too. Great word choice, Diane.
I like mask of white, especially on tiptoes.
Niveous gown–love that. I always think of autumn leaves as beautiful gowns for trees. But I haven’t thought of snow as a gown for water. Beautiful image.
The Queen of Winter
waves her royal fan
and the world
turns
white.
The queen with a royal fan.
Another magical idea, and a good one.
Who says it has to be “old man winter.” I like Queen much better! ;-))
Love the royal fan!
I love the motion here–the fan waves back and forth, and snow drifts out from it. Gorgeous!
The Queen of Winter
waves her royal fan
and the world
turns
white.
The queen with a royal fan.
Another magical idea, and a good one.
Who says it has to be “old man winter.” I like Queen much better! ;-))
Love the royal fan!
I love the motion here–the fan waves back and forth, and snow drifts out from it. Gorgeous!
WINTER’S SPELL
Her fingers dance,
her cold breath blows.
She orders wind,
and bright, white snow.
Andria W. Rosenbaum/ all rights reserved
I like your story of Winter casting a spell.
I think that is what has happened here.
Unusually deep snow for this area.
She has a lot of power around here! I like the idea of her fingers dancing.
Nice!
Love this personification of winter!
WINTER’S SPELL
Her fingers dance,
her cold breath blows.
She orders wind,
and bright, white snow.
Andria W. Rosenbaum/ all rights reserved
I like your story of Winter casting a spell.
I think that is what has happened here.
Unusually deep snow for this area.
She has a lot of power around here! I like the idea of her fingers dancing.
Nice!
Love this personification of winter!
Laura, love the story you paint of the dragon burrying a village. I usually think of a dragon having hot breath, but I guess yours is a snow dragon. I think there’s one or two outside my window right now!
Thanks, Pat! Yes, the snow dragon has visited several times this winter:>)
Laura, love the story you paint of the dragon burrying a village. I usually think of a dragon having hot breath, but I guess yours is a snow dragon. I think there’s one or two outside my window right now!
Thanks, Pat! Yes, the snow dragon has visited several times this winter:>)
I love your dragon breath idea, Laura.
Here in western North Carolina, we are snowed in this morning.
So all I can think of is:
Snow, Be Gone!
Burst of steam
melts the snow
clears the roads
so we can go.
Another Celtic verse. Very nice Pat. I wish the beauty and silence could remain for a few days but hopefully the roads will be available soon.
Thanks, Martha.
We may get out by spring! 🙂
Pat, I like the impatient, bossy tone here!
I love your dragon breath idea, Laura.
Here in western North Carolina, we are snowed in this morning.
So all I can think of is:
Snow, Be Gone!
Burst of steam
melts the snow
clears the roads
so we can go.
Another Celtic verse. Very nice Pat. I wish the beauty and silence could remain for a few days but hopefully the roads will be available soon.
Thanks, Martha.
We may get out by spring! 🙂
Pat, I like the impatient, bossy tone here!
got to agree with that dragon breath!
The mountain breathes
and white snow spins
a sure sign
of the dragon within.
I like that you put the mountains into it.
Mountains breathing — yes. I like the feel of that.
Cold breath blows sums it up beautifully.
The dragon lives on. I hear it is headed to the east coast.
Great image!
A dragon of a different breath!
Ooh, this made me picture spindrift, which I love, love, love. Love the breathing.
got to agree with that dragon breath!
The mountain breathes
and white snow spins
a sure sign
of the dragon within.
I like that you put the mountains into it.
Mountains breathing — yes. I like the feel of that.
Cold breath blows sums it up beautifully.
The dragon lives on. I hear it is headed to the east coast.
Great image!
A dragon of a different breath!
Ooh, this made me picture spindrift, which I love, love, love. Love the breathing.
You write of a different kind of dragon, frozen in the icy north, I guess. Fun image to imagine!
My neighbor celebrated freezing air.
Today, Snow Queen, flinging there
magic snow crystals everywhere.
Beware!
Linda Baie ? All Rights Reserved
Beware indeed, very nice!
It’s all being flung here today!
Frozen air, Snow Queen flinging snow crystals, magic.
All good ideas nicely put together.
Beware! It’s crazy watching the news of so much snow and ice and trouble. We only had a small taste of it here. I wish I could experience snow without the trouble.
Hi Linda–I love the image of the Snow Queen flinging crystals everywhere. Beautiful!
You write of a different kind of dragon, frozen in the icy north, I guess. Fun image to imagine!
My neighbor celebrated freezing air.
Today, Snow Queen, flinging there
magic snow crystals everywhere.
Beware!
Linda Baie ? All Rights Reserved
Beware indeed, very nice!
It’s all being flung here today!
Frozen air, Snow Queen flinging snow crystals, magic.
All good ideas nicely put together.
Beware! It’s crazy watching the news of so much snow and ice and trouble. We only had a small taste of it here. I wish I could experience snow without the trouble.
Hi Linda–I love the image of the Snow Queen flinging crystals everywhere. Beautiful!
GIVING IN
Tempers boiling over.
We need some relief.
My unexpected action
froze her in disbelief.,
Love that, Cindy!
Water flung in anger.
I like the “froze her in disbelief.”
Oh, child, what have you done? :>)
GIVING IN
Tempers boiling over.
We need some relief.
My unexpected action
froze her in disbelief.,
Love that, Cindy!
Water flung in anger.
I like the “froze her in disbelief.”
Oh, child, what have you done? :>)
Great picture and poem!
Jack Frost blew out the candles
his wish drowned in snow.
(i don’t know what the wish is lol)
Now that’s some real “icing” on the cake!
Poor Jack.
Snow icing. Ha! Cute.
Oh, interesting. Even Jack Frost gets taken over by snow:>)
Great picture and poem!
Jack Frost blew out the candles
his wish drowned in snow.
(i don’t know what the wish is lol)
Now that’s some real “icing” on the cake!
Poor Jack.
Snow icing. Ha! Cute.
Oh, interesting. Even Jack Frost gets taken over by snow:>)
with just one blow
she smashed the pane
and she could touch
that mountain
again
Breaking glass! I like your different take on the picture.
I love that second line–so violent! And then the touching of the mountain feels so gentle. Great contrast!
with just one blow
she smashed the pane
and she could touch
that mountain
again
Breaking glass! I like your different take on the picture.
I love that second line–so violent! And then the touching of the mountain feels so gentle. Great contrast!
I like so many of these, Laura! Great idea for a poem prompt. Here’s mine:
DRAGON’S LAMENT
No fire
no smoke
no charbroiled flesh;
since that York Patty,
my breath’s minty fresh.
- ? 2014, Matt Forrest Esenwine
Oh my, how cute is this?!!
What a unique take on the picture. Love it! You’ve got a good tv commercial right there.
This is funny.
Thanks for the smiles.
You are such a hoot, York Patty! A dragon’s mint!? Love it.
This totally made me laugh! Last week, I tweeted: “If you eat a mint, then inhale 5‑degree air, your throat turns into a minty icicle. Scientific fact.”
I like so many of these, Laura! Great idea for a poem prompt. Here’s mine:
DRAGON’S LAMENT
No fire
no smoke
no charbroiled flesh;
since that York Patty,
my breath’s minty fresh.
- ? 2014, Matt Forrest Esenwine
Oh my, how cute is this?!!
What a unique take on the picture. Love it! You’ve got a good tv commercial right there.
This is funny.
Thanks for the smiles.
You are such a hoot, York Patty! A dragon’s mint!? Love it.
This totally made me laugh! Last week, I tweeted: “If you eat a mint, then inhale 5‑degree air, your throat turns into a minty icicle. Scientific fact.”
Oh my, I wrote this before 7 am this morning and just noticed I never clicked “post comment.”
Fun to imagine a dragon snorting, Laura. 🙂
Blast of cold
Cotton white
Puff of smoke
Nature’s sleight
Not too close
Frostbite
I like your rhyme and the cold feel to your poem.
Br-r‑r.
Love the warning in those last two lines especially!
Oh my, I wrote this before 7 am this morning and just noticed I never clicked “post comment.”
Fun to imagine a dragon snorting, Laura. 🙂
Blast of cold
Cotton white
Puff of smoke
Nature’s sleight
Not too close
Frostbite
I like your rhyme and the cold feel to your poem.
Br-r‑r.
Love the warning in those last two lines especially!
It’s blizzarding on top of the ice right now…making me wonder if I’m really in North Carolina or have been transported back to Michigan. The power is back on after a few cold hours, and it looks magical outside. (I doubt it would feel magical if we’d had the endless snow and cold that’s been going on most places!)
Recipe for a No-School Day
A bottle of blizzard
A gallon of glee
A snow-covered yard
A merriest me.
Throw a good book in there and you’re describing the past few days in my life. Love the rhyme.
Buffy, I love this!
Having taught school in Wisconsin before moving down here to get away from the snow — Ha! —
I remember very well the joy I felt when it was a “SNOW DAY.”
I think we teachers were as happy as the kids.
However, here on the western side of North Carolina, there have been way too many snow days this year. I think it’s been hard on the kids AND the teachers.
Love your cheerful rhyme in the midst of all that crazy weather you are having!
This is so cute, Buffy! I love it. I hope you shared this with all the schools you could think of:>)
It’s blizzarding on top of the ice right now…making me wonder if I’m really in North Carolina or have been transported back to Michigan. The power is back on after a few cold hours, and it looks magical outside. (I doubt it would feel magical if we’d had the endless snow and cold that’s been going on most places!)
Recipe for a No-School Day
A bottle of blizzard
A gallon of glee
A snow-covered yard
A merriest me.
Throw a good book in there and you’re describing the past few days in my life. Love the rhyme.
Buffy, I love this!
Having taught school in Wisconsin before moving down here to get away from the snow — Ha! —
I remember very well the joy I felt when it was a “SNOW DAY.”
I think we teachers were as happy as the kids.
However, here on the western side of North Carolina, there have been way too many snow days this year. I think it’s been hard on the kids AND the teachers.
Love your cheerful rhyme in the midst of all that crazy weather you are having!
This is so cute, Buffy! I love it. I hope you shared this with all the schools you could think of:>)
The illusion
of holding a cloud
Makes me want to
Shout out loud
Absolutely amazing
- Anne McKenna
Like this! Portrays the emotion of the moment nicely.
I agree–this verse novel reaches great emotional depth…
Thanks, Anne–You actually captured how it did feel. It *was* amazing! It will become an annual tradition for us now.
The illusion
of holding a cloud
Makes me want to
Shout out loud
Absolutely amazing
- Anne McKenna
Like this! Portrays the emotion of the moment nicely.
I agree–this verse novel reaches great emotional depth…
Thanks, Anne–You actually captured how it did feel. It *was* amazing! It will become an annual tradition for us now.
to count the stars sesames imposable
stars snow flacks falling I cachet it in my hands
to think of the impossible as caching a cloud
as sever steam rises from green tea I wright the word cloud
on into paper sky
to think of the impossible as caching a cloud
as silver steam rises from green tea I wright the word cloud
on to paper sky
to think of the impossible as catching a cloud
as silver steam rises from green tea I write the word cloud
on to paper sky
to count the stars sesames imposable
stars snow flacks falling I cachet it in my hands
to think of the impossible as caching a cloud
as sever steam rises from green tea I wright the word cloud
on into paper sky
to think of the impossible as caching a cloud
as silver steam rises from green tea I wright the word cloud
on to paper sky
to think of the impossible as catching a cloud
as silver steam rises from green tea I write the word cloud
on to paper sky
To count the stars seems impossible.
Stars, snow flakes falling, I catch in my hands.
To think of the impossible as catching a cloud
as silver steam rises from green tea I write the word CLOUD on into paper sky.
I love the images in this, Jessica. Writing cloud in the steam–layers of layers of magic there. So glad to see you here, and welcome! For future poems (don’t worry about this one AT ALL!), the idea is that your poem can only be 15 words long (or less). The title doesn’t count in your word count. Hope to see you here next week, Jessica!
To count the stars seems impossible.
Stars, snow flakes falling, I catch in my hands.
To think of the impossible as catching a cloud
as silver steam rises from green tea I write the word CLOUD on into paper sky.
I love the images in this, Jessica. Writing cloud in the steam–layers of layers of magic there. So glad to see you here, and welcome! For future poems (don’t worry about this one AT ALL!), the idea is that your poem can only be 15 words long (or less). The title doesn’t count in your word count. Hope to see you here next week, Jessica!
To hold infinite in the palm
Of your hand
Is like holding a cloud
To hold infinite in the palm
Of your hand
Is like holding a cloud
TWO SIDES OF A SEASON
Winter?s icy blast
Is summer?s heat showing off
Her feminine side.
TWO SIDES OF A SEASON #2
Snowstorms icy blast
Are volcanic eruptions
Showing her feminine side.
© Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.
TWO SIDES OF A SEASON
Winter?s icy blast
Is summer?s heat showing off
Her feminine side.
TWO SIDES OF A SEASON #2
Snowstorms icy blast
Are volcanic eruptions
Showing her feminine side.
© Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.