[15 words or less] Submerged

?15WOLs?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!

Three things this photo makes me think of:

1) Medusa
2) Mermaid castle
3) Duck feet

And here’s my first draft!

Floor Plans

Beaver architect
pulls soggy floor plans
from fur coveralls,
gnaws thoughtfully
on a pine pencil

–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:>)? Also, I’m at a 4‑day Story Masters writing intensive, so I won’t be able to comment today. Sorry! But I can’t wait to read what you come up with on my lunch break:>)

146 Responses

  1. Neighborhood Redevelopment

    Behind the dam,
    deep
    beneath still waters
    lie streets
    backyards
    and Sarah’s favorite doll–
    forever.

  2. Neighborhood Redevelopment

    Behind the dam,
    deep
    beneath still waters
    lie streets
    backyards
    and Sarah’s favorite doll–
    forever.

  3. This made me think of the island of Santorini in Greece. I had the incredible privilege to visit there a few years ago. It is an island created by a great volcano eruption in the 1630s BCE. My poem is exactly 15 words.

    Lost long ago
    far below
    Thira, her volcano
    fiery and fierce–
    a fallen black pebble.

  4. This made me think of the island of Santorini in Greece. I had the incredible privilege to visit there a few years ago. It is an island created by a great volcano eruption in the 1630s BCE. My poem is exactly 15 words.

    Lost long ago
    far below
    Thira, her volcano
    fiery and fierce–
    a fallen black pebble.

  5. Only part of me
    Reaches the surface
    The rest remains
    A foggy mystery

    Very cool picture! It took me a while to get what it was, but after I did, I loved it!!! Great poems so far!

  6. Only part of me
    Reaches the surface
    The rest remains
    A foggy mystery

    Very cool picture! It took me a while to get what it was, but after I did, I loved it!!! Great poems so far!

  7. THE OCTOPUS

    Silently slithering,
    arms all a‑quivering,
    r e a c h i n g to feel,
    and find the next meal.

    1. Love slithering, a‑quivering and how you stretched out reaching. And as always, a weekly wonderful rhyme.

  8. THE OCTOPUS

    Silently slithering,
    arms all a‑quivering,
    r e a c h i n g to feel,
    and find the next meal.

    1. Love slithering, a‑quivering and how you stretched out reaching. And as always, a weekly wonderful rhyme.

  9. In a Tippy Canoe

    Didn’t want to go fishing.
    Don’t like the view.
    Imagining monsters,
    and toe-biters too!

    1. Your poem made me smile. A tippy canoe.
      Wow! I love all the different ideas people have.

  10. In a Tippy Canoe

    Didn’t want to go fishing.
    Don’t like the view.
    Imagining monsters,
    and toe-biters too!

    1. Your poem made me smile. A tippy canoe.
      Wow! I love all the different ideas people have.

  11. I immediately thought of the Thanksgiving meal.

    Incognito

    The desperate turkey
    in camouflage
    roosts among the woodpile
    praying once again for pardon.

  12. I immediately thought of the Thanksgiving meal.

    Incognito

    The desperate turkey
    in camouflage
    roosts among the woodpile
    praying once again for pardon.

    1. Thanks Ellie. I couldn’t resist. I usually go with a first impression, and Tom Turkey was it!

    1. Thanks Ellie. I couldn’t resist. I usually go with a first impression, and Tom Turkey was it!

    1. This is fabulous. I love the varied pacing and many images of the stick’s water ride, until it’s stuck. Your poems are always impressive.

    1. This is fabulous. I love the varied pacing and many images of the stick’s water ride, until it’s stuck. Your poems are always impressive.

  13. November

    The month poised
    between tepid and cold
    color and its absence
    life and certain death.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    I love everyone’s takes on the photo. All I saw was the cold and grey. 🙁

    1. The picture did look cold and grey, and you turned it round into a lovely poem.
      Good job.

  14. November

    The month poised
    between tepid and cold
    color and its absence
    life and certain death.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    I love everyone’s takes on the photo. All I saw was the cold and grey. 🙁

    1. The picture did look cold and grey, and you turned it round into a lovely poem.
      Good job.

  15. This picture had me “stumped” at first as nothing pretty came to mind. I love how you’ve painted November as a month of transition. Lines two and three are my favorites.

  16. This picture had me “stumped” at first as nothing pretty came to mind. I love how you’ve painted November as a month of transition. Lines two and three are my favorites.

  17. Such superb poems this morning!

    Island

    Island stretches her toes,
    curls them into ocean bottom
    still warm from old volcanoes.

    ?Kate Coombs

  18. Such superb poems this morning!

    Island

    Island stretches her toes,
    curls them into ocean bottom
    still warm from old volcanoes.

    ?Kate Coombs

  19. I love this. So creative. And on a chilly morning, the warm ocean bottom sounds inviting for cold toes. Fabulous job.

    1. I agree. Toes curling in warm water sounds good today.
      I like your idea.

  20. I love this. So creative. And on a chilly morning, the warm ocean bottom sounds inviting for cold toes. Fabulous job.

    1. I agree. Toes curling in warm water sounds good today.
      I like your idea.

  21. I just couldn’t get my eyes off that strange looking lump.

    Alien Creature

    He floats alone
    and longs to find
    another creature
    of his kind.

  22. I just couldn’t get my eyes off that strange looking lump.

    Alien Creature

    He floats alone
    and longs to find
    another creature
    of his kind.

  23. REPURPOSED

    Once
    my slim limbs
    reached for sky.
    Now I lie
    muddy,
    cradling tiny tadpoles.

    Andria W. Rosenbaum, all rights reserved

    1. Yes. A great description of the remains of a tree.
      I like the internal rhyme — slim limbs.

  24. REPURPOSED

    Once
    my slim limbs
    reached for sky.
    Now I lie
    muddy,
    cradling tiny tadpoles.

    Andria W. Rosenbaum, all rights reserved

    1. Yes. A great description of the remains of a tree.
      I like the internal rhyme — slim limbs.

  25. Great poem, Laura. I am stumped for what the picture is, apart from the tree roots. Great shot! (Oh it’s under water I get it.

    First someone lopped off my body
    Now they are drowning my feet
    A mere toad stool

    1. Your feet drowning. Hm–m. You probably have come closest to what the picture really is.
      A tree reduced to a toad stool! Good thinking.

  26. Great poem, Laura. I am stumped for what the picture is, apart from the tree roots. Great shot! (Oh it’s under water I get it.

    First someone lopped off my body
    Now they are drowning my feet
    A mere toad stool

    1. Your feet drowning. Hm–m. You probably have come closest to what the picture really is.
      A tree reduced to a toad stool! Good thinking.

  27. Laura, your beaver and his soggy floor plans brought the biggest smile to my face this morning! 🙂

    The photo reminds me of camping in the BWCA:

    IN MY CANOE

    paddle,
    paddle,

    glide?

    skimming the lake
    smooth and still,
    ever watchful,
    seeking
    rocks,
    logs,
    wildlife.

  28. Laura, your beaver and his soggy floor plans brought the biggest smile to my face this morning! 🙂

    The photo reminds me of camping in the BWCA:

    IN MY CANOE

    paddle,
    paddle,

    glide?

    skimming the lake
    smooth and still,
    ever watchful,
    seeking
    rocks,
    logs,
    wildlife.

  29. A Tree’s Life

    Looking,
    leaning,
    longing for
    the sea,
    living,
    vicariously,
    through generations
    inching
    toward a
    watery dream.

    ~~Barbara Turner

  30. A Tree’s Life

    Looking,
    leaning,
    longing for
    the sea,
    living,
    vicariously,
    through generations
    inching
    toward a
    watery dream.

    ~~Barbara Turner

  31. This made me think of the island of Santorini in Greece. I had the incredible privilege to visit there a few years ago. It is an island created by a great volcano eruption in the 1630s BCE. My poem is exactly 15 words.

    Lost long ago
    far below
    Thira, her volcano
    fiery and fierce?
    a fallen black pebble.

  32. This made me think of the island of Santorini in Greece. I had the incredible privilege to visit there a few years ago. It is an island created by a great volcano eruption in the 1630s BCE. My poem is exactly 15 words.

    Lost long ago
    far below
    Thira, her volcano
    fiery and fierce?
    a fallen black pebble.

  33. Wow–what a wonderful group of poems today. Mythical, sad, silly, beautiful, thoughtful, spooky…you guys have run the gamut. So nice to read through these after an intense day! Thank you!

  34. Wow–what a wonderful group of poems today. Mythical, sad, silly, beautiful, thoughtful, spooky…you guys have run the gamut. So nice to read through these after an intense day! Thank you!

  35. I float around
    In peaceful bliss
    Beauty is within
    Thank goodness for this !

    - Anne McKenna

  36. I float around
    In peaceful bliss
    Beauty is within
    Thank goodness for this !

    - Anne McKenna

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