Airport Gorilla [15 Words or Less]

Hello, and welcome! This is 15 Words or Less Poems, a low-pressure way to wake up your poetry brain (guidelines here), and I’m very glad you’re here. 

gorilla airport atlanta
Photo: Laura P. Salas

More fun from the Atlanta airport. There was a series of sculptures by a Zimbabwean (I think) sculptor. I loved the bold shapes.  This image makes me think of several things:

  1. how cold a gorilla in Minnesota would be (it’s 14 below zero as I write this)
  2. a statue who wonders why everyone’s looking at it
  3. a statue that comes to live in an airport

And here’s my first draft. 

cold-gorilla 15wol poem

 

It’s your turn! Have fun and stick to 15 WORDS OR LESS! (Title doesn’t count toward word count.)

Save

Save

Save

31 Responses

  1. Merry Christmas, Laura! Loved your last line — tropical villa sounds good right now.

    CHRISTMAS DINNER AND MORE

    The family feast
    for man and beast,
    my dog faired well
    I’m not so swell.

    1. Merry Christmas, Cindy. Oh, boy–can I relate. I have been eating non-stop for three weeks. Mostly sweets. Which I love. I love the way you used the man and beast phrase and then showed the results for both. Gave me an empathetic chuckle.

  2. What a strange statue to have there! He sure looks cold! Your poem is perfect. Loved its rhyme.

    Wrong Shipment

    We ordered moose
    And piney trees -
    Not icy-cubes
    On frozen seas,
    Nor gorilla -
    Exchange, please!

    1. Well, it was a whole cool series. Lots of family and people shapes. I’m not that big on people art–I always gravitate toward nature. Fun poem. The moose and pine tree decor–northwoods look–is big up here, so I’m picturing cabin owners opening up a shipment and finding a gorilla. Unexpected to say the least!

  3. This southern girl would not survive, either, in that cold. We say it’s freezing when it’s below 50. Merry Christmas! And stay warm.
    I am writing haiku every day for Mary Lee Hahn’s December challenge #haikuforhealing, so my poem today is also a haiku.

    I could be a bear
    dreaming of spring’s abundance
    safely hiding now

    –Margaret Simon

    1. Sometimes I wonder if I’d miss having the inhospitable winter weather if I lived in the south. The danger of the cold can be somehow invigorating, and just a tad rewarding when you are watching it safely indoors! 50 degrees is shorts weather here!
      That bear needs a den to curl up in to weather the weather!

      1. I hated southern, hot holidays (grew up in Fla.). Just talked to several family members in past few days, and we all talked about how hard it was to feel Christmasy when it’s in the 80s. Give me a cold, white Christmas anytime! (And winter in general:>)

    2. Merry Christmas, Margaret! We have warmed up into the 20s, so it’s not nearly so brutal as a few days ago! I feel like a lot of people are in hiding, hibernating until better days:>/ This is lovely.

  4. Laura, I loved your rhyming poem. Chilla is such a fun word in my mouth. Tropical villa was an unexpected surprise. Good work. I really enjoyed the photo too. Except my brain wanted to know textures. First question was, what was the medium for the statue? Wood or stone? Then I was looking at the floor, tile or carpet? The colors really are happy and loud for me.

    Hugging gorilla
    with a tight squeeze
    a big hug willa
    give you
    his fleas..

    Mele Kalikimaka. Our high yesterday was 77. Come visit Kauai.

    1. Thanks, Joy. The statue was silver metal, not too shiny. It’s standing on a base that has, I think, a black marble-like top on it. And that’s carpet with the strong pattern. And the purple lines are the sides of the moving walkway dividers. Ha! I laughed at the fleas. Not a gift I want to receive:>) I would love to visit Kauai–though not during the holidays. I love winters and was just thinking the gorilla might not:>) But some February when I’m getting a little tired of the cold, I hope to make it to Hawaii. Thank you for the song!

  5. Delightful take on the picture Laura. Even here in the south a tropical villa sounds awfully inviting. I would invite the gorilla to come with me!

    Body Language

    Arms crossed
    toes pointed in,
    “closed off?” you ask;
    how about
    cold, ashamed,
    outcast!

    1. I like the analysis, Martha! I’m trying to remember if the gorilla seemed so sad without the filter. Great last three words.

  6. The poor thing’s eyes just look too sad.

    …Staying Home

    Forgot gloves, hat and coat.
    No warm scarf round my throat.
    Sending you a note…

    1. Oh, no! This reminds me of a phone call home from elementary school when a child isn’t warmly enough dressed to go outside for recess:>) I love how cozy your middle line is.

  7. That gorilla looks so sad! If I had more than 15 words I’d try to cheer him up.
    Happy Holidays to all!

    New Kid on the Playground

    They call me pointy-head,
    and run away…

    I stare at toes,
    alone,
    watch them play.

    1. This makes me want to go back in time and seek out some of those “new kids” or just ones that were left out, and rewrite their school years with a kinder me.

    1. Uh oh! Poor gorilla has more problems than I imagined. And everyone staring! Happy holidays, Yvonne!

  8. Frozen with fear
    Best not come near
    Unless you have beer
    This time of year !

    Anne McKenna

    (Merry Christmas from Aus)

    1. Merry Christmas, Anne! Fun to see this different mood from you:>) Happy holidays to you and yours!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 2,547 other subscribers

Are You Looking For?

Poetry Friday posts

Classroom Connections posts

All my poetryactions

Go to my Poetry page for:

  • National Poetry Month projects through the years
  • Small Reads Roundups (poems grouped by topic)
  • Introductions to several favorite poetry forms
Tags
#waterpoemproject15 Words or Less Poems20for2030 Painless Classroom Poems50 State Poemsacrosticsactivity pagesactivity sheetALAA Leaf Can Be...Amy Ludwig VanDerwaterA Need to FeedanthologiesanthologyA Rock Can Be...art projectsaudiopoemsawardsbad newsBarbara Juster EsbensenBilly Collinsbiopoemsblog tourbookalikesbook festivalsBookSpeak!book spine poemsbook trailersbop poembyr a thoddaidcafepresscalendar poemsCamp Read-a-LotCan Be... bookscan be... poemsCapstoneCarol Varsalonacascade poemsCatherine FlynnccbcCCRA.W.3CCRA.W.4CCRA.W.5centoschapter booksCharles Waterschoral compositionschristina rossetticinquainsCLAclassified ad poemsclassroom connectionclassroom connectionsClover Kittyconferences and conventionscrown sonnetscybilsdansaDare to DreamDavid Elliottdeeper wisdom poemdefinitosdiamantesdiversitydizaindodoitsuDot DayDouglas Floriandownloadablesdrum corpse.e. cummingsekphrastic poemsepistolary poemsequation poemsessentialethereeseventsexquisite corpseFairy Tale Garage Salefamilyfibonaccifiction picture booksfinding familyfirefightersforeign editionsfound poemsfree author zoomsfree versefrom studentsgeesegeorgia heardghazalGift Taggiveawaygolden shovelgoldilocksgratitudehaikuheart of aheart of a teacherHeidi MordhorstHelen FrostHighlightshow-to poemshow to make a rainbowI Am FromI Am poemsidiomsif you want to knit some mittensIf You Were the MoonILAimagepoemsinterviewin the middle of the nightIRAIrelandIrene LathamJ. Patrick LewisJanet WongJoyce SidmanKendraKerlanKidlit Comboslailaura's board booksLaura's booksLaura's poemsLaura's readingsLaura ShovanLee Bennett HopkinsLilian MoorelimericksLinda Booth SweeneyLine Leads the WayLion of the Skylist poemslittle free librarylive writingLullaby and Kisses Sweetlyricsmadness poetrymagnipoemsmargaret simonMarilyn Singermary lee hahnmask poemsMatt Forrest EsenwineMeet My FamilyMelissa StewartMentors for Rentmentor textsmetaphorMichelle Myers LacknerMillbrookMinnesota Book Awardsmoneymoonmy reading lifemy writing processN+7naaninarrative poemsNational Poetry Month 2012 (haiku a day)National Poetry Month 2014 (riddle-ku)National Poetry Month 2015National Poetry Month 2016National Poetry Month 2017 (#wonderbreak)national poetry month 2018 (haiku a day)National Poetry Month 2020National Poetry Month 2021 (#EquationPoem)national poetry month 2022 (sticky-note poems)National Poetry Month 2023 (Digging for Poems)National Poetry Month 2024 (magnipoems)ncteNerdy Book Clubnifty newsnifty stuffNikki Grimesnonfictionnonfiction booksNonfiction Writers Dig Deepnovelsnovels in verseodesOne Minute Till BedtimeoppositifyOskar's VoyagepadletpantoumsparodiesPatreonpeacepersonalpet poemsphotopoetryphrase acrosticspicture booksplagiarismpoempicspoemspoems for two voicespoemsketchpoetic pursuitsPoetry 7poetryactionspoetry activitiesPoetry Blastpoetry booksPoetry FridayPoetry Friday AnthologiesPoetry Princessespoetry promptspoetry sistersPoetry Tips for Teachersprogressive poempublishing processpuddle songPutridquotationsraccontinosRandy Salasread-aloudreadaloudreading poetry in the classroomRebecca Kai Dotlichrecipe poemsrefugeesresearchreview copiesreviewsrevisionrhyming booksrhyming nonfictionrhyming picture booksRhyming Picture Books the Write Wayrhyming poemsRiddle-kuriddle poemsRock Can Be...Rock the Blogrondeau redoublesRudyard Kiplingsalas snippetsSCBWIschool visitsScotlandseasonssecrets of the loonSELsestinasshrinking daysskinnyskypeslice of lifesmall readssnack snooze skedaddlesnowman-coldsonnetsStampede!storm poemstorytimestorywalkstudent poemsstudent workSylvia VardellTanita Davistankatautogramteachableteacher resourcesteen/adult poemsterza rimasthankfulthank yous and referencesthe business sidethings to do iftracy nelson maurertrioletstunie munson-bensonvideosVikram MadanvillanellevillanellesWater Can Be...wealthy elementaryWe BelongWhat's InsideWhy-kuwinterwonderwonderbreakword of the yearwordplaywordsmithswork for hirewritingwriting bookswriting processwriting promptswriting the life poeticyoung authors conferencesYouTubeZapZap Clap Boomzenozentangle
Show More Show Less

Discover more from Laura Purdie Salas

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Join Laura's monthly newsletter for eductators

Get three of Laura's favorite poetry activities when you subscribe to "Small Reads."