The View [15 words or less]

?15WOLs?

?

Photo: Laura Salas

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

Happy New Year!

I mentioned earlier this week that I’ll be making some pretty major changes to the blog this year, but 15 Words or Less will not be going anywhere:>) I will be trying to increase the ways educators use it, but we will remain a community of poets, sharing our work and rev-starting our brains on Thursdays:>)

Here are 3 things this photo makes me think of:

1) Halloween costumes–I’m not sure why, but that’s what comes to mind!
2) alligators–shudder
3) cookie cutters

And here’s my first draft!

Nan Khatai: Cookies From Home


cardamom, ghee, cashews–
a moment of stillness
while all of India
melts on my tongue


—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:>)?

112 Responses

  1. I stand tall
    I see all
    Guiding us
    to victory
    and freedom
    For all mankind

    - Anne McKenna

    1. Anne, I like this interesting narrative voice. THe speaker could be benevolent and well-intentioned. Or he/she could be arrogant and misguided. Makes me ponder the possibilities!

  2. I stand tall
    I see all
    Guiding us
    to victory
    and freedom
    For all mankind

    - Anne McKenna

    1. Anne, I like this interesting narrative voice. THe speaker could be benevolent and well-intentioned. Or he/she could be arrogant and misguided. Makes me ponder the possibilities!

  3. Seeking it,
    he clambered high
    unaware
    it was so nigh…

    (Wear your glasses-
    don’t deny!)

  4. Seeking it,
    he clambered high
    unaware
    it was so nigh…

    (Wear your glasses-
    don’t deny!)

  5. Wow Laura. You went deep for this one. So many avenues available. Again, I followed my first impression brought about by the opening into forever.

    Fleur-de-lis

    A peace lily
    a new year
    light the way
    for mankind
    to rise above
    partition.

  6. Wow Laura. You went deep for this one. So many avenues available. Again, I followed my first impression brought about by the opening into forever.

    Fleur-de-lis

    A peace lily
    a new year
    light the way
    for mankind
    to rise above
    partition.

  7. With God on Their Side

    They embraced the myth,
    approached the native
    species sword in hand
    and declared themselves
    dragon-slayers.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    Yes, I cheated, I counted dragon-slayers as one word!

  8. With God on Their Side

    They embraced the myth,
    approached the native
    species sword in hand
    and declared themselves
    dragon-slayers.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    Yes, I cheated, I counted dragon-slayers as one word!

  9. Laura, I really like that! The spices, the moment, and the melting on the tongue.

    Knight

    I have slain the dragon! But?
    where are the roses?
    The crowds, the princesses?

    ?Kate Coombs

    1. Thanks, Kate. Aw, I feel bad for this knight! It’s kind of like a first-time book author–you think there’s gonna be all this glory, but then…well, hardly anybody notices you did anything!

      1. Thanks, Pat. And Laura, that’s exactly right! I felt (and still feel) like there should be a ticker tape parade or something when my book came out, and? there isn’t! Except in my head. That’ll just have to do. 🙂

  10. Laura, I really like that! The spices, the moment, and the melting on the tongue.

    Knight

    I have slain the dragon! But?
    where are the roses?
    The crowds, the princesses?

    ?Kate Coombs

    1. Thanks, Kate. Aw, I feel bad for this knight! It’s kind of like a first-time book author–you think there’s gonna be all this glory, but then…well, hardly anybody notices you did anything!

      1. Thanks, Pat. And Laura, that’s exactly right! I felt (and still feel) like there should be a ticker tape parade or something when my book came out, and? there isn’t! Except in my head. That’ll just have to do. 🙂

    1. “dragon fangs” — Why do we never hear of dragon fangs? As soon as I read this, I thought, “Of course, dragons have fangs. Deathly, meaty, sharp fangs.” But I don’t think I’ve ever seen them referred to! I like all the nouns in line 1, and the words helmeted, foretold, and soldier have such a nice ring (literally) to them, all together.

    1. “dragon fangs” — Why do we never hear of dragon fangs? As soon as I read this, I thought, “Of course, dragons have fangs. Deathly, meaty, sharp fangs.” But I don’t think I’ve ever seen them referred to! I like all the nouns in line 1, and the words helmeted, foretold, and soldier have such a nice ring (literally) to them, all together.

    1. Ha! Yes! I have a phobia of gators/crocs, so normally I’m on the side of the conqueror, but I do like the idea of this arrogant guy getting his just desserts. :>)

    1. Ha! Yes! I have a phobia of gators/crocs, so normally I’m on the side of the conqueror, but I do like the idea of this arrogant guy getting his just desserts. :>)

  11. Love that you thought of cookie cutters, Laura, and that ‘all of India melting on the tongue’-nice. It was hard this time; I wanted more words! Looking forward to new things from your blog!

    Day follows day,
    frozen thoughts.
    Would choose
    thundering
    on horseback
    in the frays
    of danger.

    1. Thanks, Linda. Oooh. “in the frays/of danger” — intriguing. I’m seeing a character who is numb either with depression or indecision who would rather be stuck anywhere other than inside his/her own head. No idea if that’s what you were thinking, but it’s what I picture with it!

  12. Love that you thought of cookie cutters, Laura, and that ‘all of India melting on the tongue’-nice. It was hard this time; I wanted more words! Looking forward to new things from your blog!

    Day follows day,
    frozen thoughts.
    Would choose
    thundering
    on horseback
    in the frays
    of danger.

    1. Thanks, Linda. Oooh. “in the frays/of danger” — intriguing. I’m seeing a character who is numb either with depression or indecision who would rather be stuck anywhere other than inside his/her own head. No idea if that’s what you were thinking, but it’s what I picture with it!

  13. Wow! What a hard one! But my first idea is that Dr. Seuss book, Yertle the Turtle.
    So here’s my try.

    I’m Lord of the Universe!
    As you can see,
    Even the alligators
    bow to me.

    1. hehhehe–love the arrogant tone here. Could be a kid playing make believe, but it could also totally be a conquering megalomaniac. Excellent!

  14. Wow! What a hard one! But my first idea is that Dr. Seuss book, Yertle the Turtle.
    So here’s my try.

    I’m Lord of the Universe!
    As you can see,
    Even the alligators
    bow to me.

    1. hehhehe–love the arrogant tone here. Could be a kid playing make believe, but it could also totally be a conquering megalomaniac. Excellent!

  15. Prayers done
    I peek through the church windows
    and let my imagination
    fly free

    Great picture! Happy New Year, everyone!!!

  16. Prayers done
    I peek through the church windows
    and let my imagination
    fly free

    Great picture! Happy New Year, everyone!!!

    1. Me, too! Except I don’t care for cardamom that much. But I wanted some kind of exotic cookie:>) I love your storytelling poem!

    1. Me, too! Except I don’t care for cardamom that much. But I wanted some kind of exotic cookie:>) I love your storytelling poem!

  17. THE END

    My last view of you
    victorious,
    sweetened the beast’s
    boiling breath,
    and Death’s darkness.

    Andria W. Rosenbaum/ all rights reserved

  18. THE END

    My last view of you
    victorious,
    sweetened the beast’s
    boiling breath,
    and Death’s darkness.

    Andria W. Rosenbaum/ all rights reserved

  19. Dragons don?t exist, they say.
    Still, he slew one, anyway.
    Vimana came. He flew away.

    ~~Barbara J. Turner

    1. Just like dmayr , I, too, had to look up Vimana. That explains why he flew away. Excellent choice.
      Glad you used that word. Learning a new word is fun

    2. Oooh…so is this usage of vimana as a flying chariot kind of thing? So the wagon is not winged, I assume? I love the use of an exotic, new-to-me word!

  20. Dragons don?t exist, they say.
    Still, he slew one, anyway.
    Vimana came. He flew away.

    ~~Barbara J. Turner

    1. Just like dmayr , I, too, had to look up Vimana. That explains why he flew away. Excellent choice.
      Glad you used that word. Learning a new word is fun

    2. Oooh…so is this usage of vimana as a flying chariot kind of thing? So the wagon is not winged, I assume? I love the use of an exotic, new-to-me word!

    1. Beth, that first line is wonderful. Unusual, but totally accessible in the feeling it gives. And I love “strength/Of the skies”!

    1. Beth, that first line is wonderful. Unusual, but totally accessible in the feeling it gives. And I love “strength/Of the skies”!

  21. Laura, my husband gave me a new little leather notebook, just the right size for 15 word poems. So my first page has this poem.

    The view
    clear-cut
    salted mountain old
    guard with sword and shield
    forever bold.

    1. Oh, how fun! I mostly write on my laptop, but I do love little notebooks dedicated to specific little projects! “Salted” is such an evocative word here. Love it. Especially since this past summer, my husband and I toured the world’s oldest known salt mine in Austria. Great details and tone!

  22. Laura, my husband gave me a new little leather notebook, just the right size for 15 word poems. So my first page has this poem.

    The view
    clear-cut
    salted mountain old
    guard with sword and shield
    forever bold.

    1. Oh, how fun! I mostly write on my laptop, but I do love little notebooks dedicated to specific little projects! “Salted” is such an evocative word here. Love it. Especially since this past summer, my husband and I toured the world’s oldest known salt mine in Austria. Great details and tone!

  23. AND THE WINNER IS ?.
    Standing ramrod straight,
    Concealing nervous vibrations,
    Gliding to the stage,
    Receiving 1st place medal.

    © Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.

  24. AND THE WINNER IS ?.
    Standing ramrod straight,
    Concealing nervous vibrations,
    Gliding to the stage,
    Receiving 1st place medal.

    © Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.

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