??
Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!
I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas yesterday if you are a Christmas celebrator! I did, and I totally forgot about today’s post. Oops! Sorry. Anyway, belatedly, here we go.
Last fall, while walking Captain Jack around the block, I saw this tree person. Love it! Here are 3 things this photo makes me think of:
1) how when you’re a kid up in a tree, you see and hear all sorts of funny things in your neighborhood because nobody realized you’re there
2) that maybe being forced to be still lets you connect with people (like those folks who hang out on their porch in old books and movies)
3) Ents, from Lord of the Rings
And here’s my first draft!
Too Much Time in My New Treehouse?
By July’s finish,
my eyelids blinked bark
and my hair rustled
in the wind
—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:>)?
I don’t see a photo? ???
Can you see me now? :>)
I don’t see a photo? ???
Can you see me now? :>)
No photo. It will be interesting to see if the image comes to mind is a proper one.
Hmmm…it’s showing up for me. What have I done? OK, re-adding it. Hoping everyone can see it now?
No photo. It will be interesting to see if the image comes to mind is a proper one.
Hmmm…it’s showing up for me. What have I done? OK, re-adding it. Hoping everyone can see it now?
It’s here now, guess you fixed it, Laura. Hope your Christmas was good! I love “eyelids blinked bark”, that idea of spending so much time in the treehouse, becoming one with the tree. I didn’t have a treehouse, but sat on a platform in a tree quite a bit as a child, reading, reading. Fun memories.
Forest walking,
seasons circling,
trees murmuring-
spring storming,
summer singing,
fall fretting,
winter whispering.
Linda Baie ? all rights reserved
Love your forest walk and winter whispering, nice -ing poem.
Love all your “ing” verbs.
THanks, Linda, it was! Hope yours was delightful, too:>) My treehouse was really a big platform atop huge posts/pipes and connected to several surrounding trees. It was very cool, and I spent many, many hours up there. Yes, mostly reading, too:>) I love all your -ing phrases, and most of all, I love that second line. It gives me the big picture for all the wonderful verbs that follow. Captures that timelessness of nature. Wonderful!
It’s here now, guess you fixed it, Laura. Hope your Christmas was good! I love “eyelids blinked bark”, that idea of spending so much time in the treehouse, becoming one with the tree. I didn’t have a treehouse, but sat on a platform in a tree quite a bit as a child, reading, reading. Fun memories.
Forest walking,
seasons circling,
trees murmuring-
spring storming,
summer singing,
fall fretting,
winter whispering.
Linda Baie ? all rights reserved
Love your forest walk and winter whispering, nice -ing poem.
Love all your “ing” verbs.
THanks, Linda, it was! Hope yours was delightful, too:>) My treehouse was really a big platform atop huge posts/pipes and connected to several surrounding trees. It was very cool, and I spent many, many hours up there. Yes, mostly reading, too:>) I love all your -ing phrases, and most of all, I love that second line. It gives me the big picture for all the wonderful verbs that follow. Captures that timelessness of nature. Wonderful!
Tree
Tree turns acorn eyes
to watch me cross the yard.
Asks, “Where are your roots?”
?Kate Coombs
Hm-m, love that question!
a profound question coming from a tree…
Ooh, the acorn eyes are watching.
I like the clever question.
I love this tree’s question. What a great one to ponder at the end of the year, too… And those acorn eyes–yes!
Tree
Tree turns acorn eyes
to watch me cross the yard.
Asks, “Where are your roots?”
?Kate Coombs
Hm-m, love that question!
a profound question coming from a tree…
Ooh, the acorn eyes are watching.
I like the clever question.
I love this tree’s question. What a great one to ponder at the end of the year, too… And those acorn eyes–yes!
Here it is 10:00, I’m at work, and suddenly it hit me–it’s Thursday, NOT Monday! I’ll try to get back later after I get off work.
Here it is 10:00, I’m at work, and suddenly it hit me–it’s Thursday, NOT Monday! I’ll try to get back later after I get off work.
Laura, image never appeared from your original post, but I found it by clicking guidelines in the December archives. Go figure. That’s why I call it “sigh” berspace.
The Autumn of My Life
Heavy canopy
eyelids droop
nose runs
mouth agape.
Hurry winter
lighten burden
for spring’s rebirth.
Liked your poem- I can relate to “nose runs mouth agape.” (I’m getting over a head cold.) I really liked your “sigh” berspace! Ha Ha! I will hang on to that and use it often!
I guess even the trees are in a hurry for spring! I like your descriptions of the face.
Just got in from a chilly walk with kleenex soaked. I did enjoy the brisk walk but look forward to spring.
Very nice Martha. You’ve painted two side by side pictures for me. One of someone sitting on a couch with their grandmothers hand made quilt wrapped around them, over a netipot. The other of a growth of trees dressed in hues of fall. Very nice.
Oh, Martha. This is great. I love the image of the tree’s discomfort.
Funny.
How bizarre! I admire your persistence, though:>)
Oh. My. This poem cuts deep, and in so few words. That first line and then “lighten burden” are my two fav lines. It’s beautiful and painful. I’m SO glad you came back, Martha…
Laura, image never appeared from your original post, but I found it by clicking guidelines in the December archives. Go figure. That’s why I call it “sigh” berspace.
The Autumn of My Life
Heavy canopy
eyelids droop
nose runs
mouth agape.
Hurry winter
lighten burden
for spring’s rebirth.
Liked your poem- I can relate to “nose runs mouth agape.” (I’m getting over a head cold.) I really liked your “sigh” berspace! Ha Ha! I will hang on to that and use it often!
I guess even the trees are in a hurry for spring! I like your descriptions of the face.
Just got in from a chilly walk with kleenex soaked. I did enjoy the brisk walk but look forward to spring.
Very nice Martha. You’ve painted two side by side pictures for me. One of someone sitting on a couch with their grandmothers hand made quilt wrapped around them, over a netipot. The other of a growth of trees dressed in hues of fall. Very nice.
Oh, Martha. This is great. I love the image of the tree’s discomfort.
Funny.
How bizarre! I admire your persistence, though:>)
Oh. My. This poem cuts deep, and in so few words. That first line and then “lighten burden” are my two fav lines. It’s beautiful and painful. I’m SO glad you came back, Martha…
Nice poem, Laura- I liked “hair rustled.” I can picture it full of sawdust and bits of leaves.
Ol’ Miss Wooden’s
complexion: a fright!
Pretended to be rough,
bark worse than her bite.
Wonderful use of ‘bark’ & ‘bite’. Exactly fits!
Cindy, fantastic interpretation. The bark/bite scenario – priceless! Good job.
I like that you named the tree. “Miss Wooden.” Perfect!
Thanks, Cindyb–hehe. I always know I’m in for a chuckle from your poems. Love that you named her! Though the first two words put me in mind of a college football team:>)
Nice poem, Laura- I liked “hair rustled.” I can picture it full of sawdust and bits of leaves.
Ol’ Miss Wooden’s
complexion: a fright!
Pretended to be rough,
bark worse than her bite.
Wonderful use of ‘bark’ & ‘bite’. Exactly fits!
Cindy, fantastic interpretation. The bark/bite scenario – priceless! Good job.
I like that you named the tree. “Miss Wooden.” Perfect!
Thanks, Cindyb–hehe. I always know I’m in for a chuckle from your poems. Love that you named her! Though the first two words put me in mind of a college football team:>)
I kept checking back to see if the image would appear. Knew it would eventually. It’s so nice to have the luxury of coming back to this post with my fairly free day.
In our backyard is an old oak, registered as the Grandmother oak. She holds a great rope swing.
Grandmother oak
calls from the backyard,
“Come, little children,
swing on my branches
alive
carefree.”
Terrific to have a “history tree”, Margaret. Love her voice calling? Trees are so special!
I, too, thought of a “talking tree.” But I like your idea to have it be a “grandmother” oak better. It matches the picture very well. And it came from real life, too.
Glad you came back, Margaret–don’t know what I did wrong, but I was relieved the pic finally showed up! This is wonderful–I love the voice of Grandmother oak.
I kept checking back to see if the image would appear. Knew it would eventually. It’s so nice to have the luxury of coming back to this post with my fairly free day.
In our backyard is an old oak, registered as the Grandmother oak. She holds a great rope swing.
Grandmother oak
calls from the backyard,
“Come, little children,
swing on my branches
alive
carefree.”
Terrific to have a “history tree”, Margaret. Love her voice calling? Trees are so special!
I, too, thought of a “talking tree.” But I like your idea to have it be a “grandmother” oak better. It matches the picture very well. And it came from real life, too.
Glad you came back, Margaret–don’t know what I did wrong, but I was relieved the pic finally showed up! This is wonderful–I love the voice of Grandmother oak.
Mrs. Tree’s Beauty Complaints
My golden crown’s tumbling down–
Dark roots are showing through.
Dandruff?! What’s a girl to do?
What an awesome autumn tree poem–a totally fresh take!
Mrs. Tree’s Beauty Complaints
My golden crown’s tumbling down–
Dark roots are showing through.
Dandruff?! What’s a girl to do?
What an awesome autumn tree poem–a totally fresh take!
You really do come up with interesting topics that make me think. Thank you for sweetening my thursday morning coffee.
NORTHERN ROOTS
SUCH A TREET
FACEING THIS WAY
I BARK AT THOSE I MEET
BUT THAT’S OAKAY
OOPS. Northern roots is the title. It got bunched up. Such is the day in the life of a writer.
Thanks, Bob–happy to hear that:>) Hehe–love all the wordplay here. Kids would have a blast trying to find all the puns in this one!
A creative play with words/spellings. Love it. Thanks.
You really do come up with interesting topics that make me think. Thank you for sweetening my thursday morning coffee.
NORTHERN ROOTS
SUCH A TREET
FACEING THIS WAY
I BARK AT THOSE I MEET
BUT THAT’S OAKAY
OOPS. Northern roots is the title. It got bunched up. Such is the day in the life of a writer.
Thanks, Bob–happy to hear that:>) Hehe–love all the wordplay here. Kids would have a blast trying to find all the puns in this one!
A creative play with words/spellings. Love it. Thanks.
Notes of a Chickadee
Squirrel knows
much more than me.
His best friend, Oak–
shares eavesdropped secrets
like
acorns.
Andria W. Rosenbaum/ all rights reserved
I like the idea of eavesdropped secrets being dropped like acorns.
Andria, I love this whole world you’ve got going on. We know three characters and bits about their relationship in this very short poem. Nice! Love the simile, too.
Notes of a Chickadee
Squirrel knows
much more than me.
His best friend, Oak–
shares eavesdropped secrets
like
acorns.
Andria W. Rosenbaum/ all rights reserved
I like the idea of eavesdropped secrets being dropped like acorns.
Andria, I love this whole world you’ve got going on. We know three characters and bits about their relationship in this very short poem. Nice! Love the simile, too.
My tree
listens to my secrets,
hugs me when I’m sad,
and rejoices my first love
forever.
I thought I replied to this. Now I don’t see it.
But when I first read it, I thought about how often people do become attached to a tree.
Your poem shows that attachment. Like it.
Love the list poem style–and then that last line that breaks the pattern!
My tree
listens to my secrets,
hugs me when I’m sad,
and rejoices my first love
forever.
I thought I replied to this. Now I don’t see it.
But when I first read it, I thought about how often people do become attached to a tree.
Your poem shows that attachment. Like it.
Love the list poem style–and then that last line that breaks the pattern!
Tree Speak
Squirrel, you tickle my limbs
with your fluffy tail.
I make acorns just for you.
I like your idea of the tree talking to the squirrel, a constant companion to a tree.
Rosi, this is wonderful! The wordplay and also all the concrete nouns (limbs, tail, acorns) that totally give this abstract mood shape–nice!
Tree Speak
Squirrel, you tickle my limbs
with your fluffy tail.
I make acorns just for you.
I like your idea of the tree talking to the squirrel, a constant companion to a tree.
Rosi, this is wonderful! The wordplay and also all the concrete nouns (limbs, tail, acorns) that totally give this abstract mood shape–nice!
Laura, I like your use of “hair rustled in the wind.” Certainly goes with a “tree” poem.
Late in the day, but my company has all gone swimming. So I am so addicted, I just had to come look at the site. I do appreciate the time you take to do this. It has helped me think outside the box. (sometimes.) Here’s my thinking on this picture.
Tree Talk
I’m so lonely.
Can’t you see?
Come in my shade
and sit by me.
Pat, I knew you would have a clever reply to this one. I feel a children’s poem in the making.
Thanks, Martha. We’ll see. I often work more with poems that I start on here.
I bet you will, too.
Thanks, Pat! Glad you’re here:>) I absolutely love mask poems. I can totally imagine the emotional life of unemotional objects all the time. If it weren’t so cold out, I’d go sit by my back yard tree right now!
Laura, I like your use of “hair rustled in the wind.” Certainly goes with a “tree” poem.
Late in the day, but my company has all gone swimming. So I am so addicted, I just had to come look at the site. I do appreciate the time you take to do this. It has helped me think outside the box. (sometimes.) Here’s my thinking on this picture.
Tree Talk
I’m so lonely.
Can’t you see?
Come in my shade
and sit by me.
Pat, I knew you would have a clever reply to this one. I feel a children’s poem in the making.
Thanks, Martha. We’ll see. I often work more with poems that I start on here.
I bet you will, too.
Thanks, Pat! Glad you’re here:>) I absolutely love mask poems. I can totally imagine the emotional life of unemotional objects all the time. If it weren’t so cold out, I’d go sit by my back yard tree right now!
I’m home, but I have to run out again, so here goes:
Crab Apple
Winter
bare, no
blossoms,
no fruit,
its bark
not loud
enough
to chase
the deer.
Diane Mayr, all rights reserved
Ha! Love your idea of “bark not loud enough to chase the deer.”
I like this stark, impotent tree, Diane…
I’m home, but I have to run out again, so here goes:
Crab Apple
Winter
bare, no
blossoms,
no fruit,
its bark
not loud
enough
to chase
the deer.
Diane Mayr, all rights reserved
Ha! Love your idea of “bark not loud enough to chase the deer.”
I like this stark, impotent tree, Diane…
Introvert
Solid and stoic
she stands,
but she shakes and shimmies
In her dreams.
~~Barbara J. Turner
Ooooooh, I love the difference between her external and internal life!
Introvert
Solid and stoic
she stands,
but she shakes and shimmies
In her dreams.
~~Barbara J. Turner
Ooooooh, I love the difference between her external and internal life!
THE TOOTHLESS GREAT-GRANDMA
Pucker up
Buttercup,
Don?t be scared
Dwight,
I?m all bark,
I can’t bite.
(c) Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.
THE TOOTHLESS GREAT-GRANDMA
Pucker up
Buttercup,
Don?t be scared
Dwight,
I?m all bark,
I can’t bite.
(c) Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.