Snow Cloud [15 words or less]

Photo: Randy Salas

Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!

15WOLs

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

  1. THE DANCE

    Twirling and spinning
    Ritual of white
    Preparing
    To make snow
    Tonight

    This looks so fun!! Great picture 🙂

    1. This kind of reminded me of snow fairies… I just love the magic of a good snowfall 🙂

  2. THE DANCE

    Twirling and spinning
    Ritual of white
    Preparing
    To make snow
    Tonight

    This looks so fun!! Great picture 🙂

    1. This kind of reminded me of snow fairies… I just love the magic of a good snowfall 🙂

    1. Fascinated by thoughts of magic, fairies, snow, nature — seems to be a common theme.

    1. Fascinated by thoughts of magic, fairies, snow, nature — seems to be a common theme.

  3. 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.

    1. 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. 🙂

    2. I LOVE rime ice! It’s my favorite winter thing–a rare miracle. Love all the great concrete images here.

        1. 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.

  4. 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.

    1. 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. 🙂

    2. I LOVE rime ice! It’s my favorite winter thing–a rare miracle. Love all the great concrete images here.

        1. 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.

  5. Winter Ball

    Hiding behind
    a mask of white
    water tiptoes in
    draped in her
    niveous gown.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    1. 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.

  6. Winter Ball

    Hiding behind
    a mask of white
    water tiptoes in
    draped in her
    niveous gown.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    1. 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.

    1. I love the motion here–the fan waves back and forth, and snow drifts out from it. Gorgeous!

    1. I love the motion here–the fan waves back and forth, and snow drifts out from it. Gorgeous!

  7. WINTER’S SPELL

    Her fingers dance,
    her cold breath blows.
    She orders wind,
    and bright, white snow.

    Andria W. Rosenbaum/ all rights reserved

  8. WINTER’S SPELL

    Her fingers dance,
    her cold breath blows.
    She orders wind,
    and bright, white snow.

    Andria W. Rosenbaum/ all rights reserved

  9. 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!

  10. 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!

  11. 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.

    1. 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.

  12. 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.

    1. 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.

  13. got to agree with that dragon breath!

    The mountain breathes
    and white snow spins
    a sure sign
    of the dragon within.

  14. got to agree with that dragon breath!

    The mountain breathes
    and white snow spins
    a sure sign
    of the dragon within.

  15. 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

    1. 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.

    2. Hi Linda–I love the image of the Snow Queen flinging crystals everywhere. Beautiful!

  16. 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

    1. 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.

    2. Hi Linda–I love the image of the Snow Queen flinging crystals everywhere. Beautiful!

  17. GIVING IN

    Tempers boiling over.
    We need some relief.
    My unexpected action
    froze her in disbelief.,

  18. GIVING IN

    Tempers boiling over.
    We need some relief.
    My unexpected action
    froze her in disbelief.,

  19. Great picture and poem!

    Jack Frost blew out the candles
    his wish drowned in snow.

    (i don’t know what the wish is lol)

  20. Great picture and poem!

    Jack Frost blew out the candles
    his wish drowned in snow.

    (i don’t know what the wish is lol)

    1. I love that second line–so violent! And then the touching of the mountain feels so gentle. Great contrast!

    1. I love that second line–so violent! And then the touching of the mountain feels so gentle. Great contrast!

  21. 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

    1. What a unique take on the picture. Love it! You’ve got a good tv commercial right there.

    2. 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.”

  22. 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

    1. What a unique take on the picture. Love it! You’ve got a good tv commercial right there.

    2. 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.”

  23. 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

  24. 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

  25. 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.

    1. Throw a good book in there and you’re describing the past few days in my life. Love the rhyme.

    2. 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.

    3. This is so cute, Buffy! I love it. I hope you shared this with all the schools you could think of:>)

  26. 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.

    1. Throw a good book in there and you’re describing the past few days in my life. Love the rhyme.

    2. 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.

    3. This is so cute, Buffy! I love it. I hope you shared this with all the schools you could think of:>)

  27. The illusion
    of holding a cloud
    Makes me want to
    Shout out loud

    Absolutely amazing

    - Anne McKenna

    1. Thanks, Anne–You actually captured how it did feel. It *was* amazing! It will become an annual tradition for us now.

  28. The illusion
    of holding a cloud
    Makes me want to
    Shout out loud

    Absolutely amazing

    - Anne McKenna

    1. Thanks, Anne–You actually captured how it did feel. It *was* amazing! It will become an annual tradition for us now.

  29. 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

    1. 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

      1. 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

  30. 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

    1. 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

      1. 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

  31. 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.

    1. 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!

  32. 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.

    1. 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!

  33. 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.

  34. 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.

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