Armor [15 Words or Less Poems]

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

armor
Photo: Laura P. Salas

I took this picture in Edinburgh Castle, I’m pretty sure. The swords and armor felt appropriate after all the cool costumes of Halloween! 

This picture makes me think of:

  1. I wonder if knights handed down armor to their little brothers?
  2. The baskets (I think that might be what they’re called?) of the swords are so delicate and curvy
  3. I wish the t.v. show Full Metal Jousting would come back.

And, here’s my first draft.

armor

It’s your turn! Have fun and stick to 15 WORDS OR LESS! (Title doesn’t count toward word count:>) If you leave a poem in the comments, and if it’s 15 words or less, I’ll try to respond!

49 Responses

  1. poem By Jessica Bigi

    Dragon Knight

    Descendant-defending

    Roil-rotation

    armor-arrows

    glory-giant

    one’s-honor

    Nobel

    K

    N

    I

    G

    H

    T

    1. Dang formatting! I’m thinking this is to be centered, to make a sword? I really like the armor-arrows pairing:>)

  2. Laura,
    Your poem has me curious…I want to know more about this father figure. Well done. I see this as something that could be the start to a collection for young readers. Illustrations, poems, and ancient history would raise curiosity and imaginations would soar.

    1. I want to know more, too! I just pictured a boy who wanted to be a baker but whose fate was to be a knight, like it or not. Must’ve been inspired by all the cooks I see on Chopped and such who just want to prove to their parents that cooking IS an honorable career, etc., etc. So many kids hamstrung by their parents’ expectations.

  3. Gifted Teacher

    I’m told she had a suit
    of armor in her classroom–
    curiosity opens young minds.

    1. Maybe I shouldn’t confess that I did not take this literally at first, and imagined the teacher armored against her students’ onslaught of questions. The really bright kids can ask some tough ones.

    2. Ooh, I like this, Margaret. I can picture the classroom and the teacher…and I love the last line.

  4. One word over — oops!

    Aching to sit
    I must confess,
    yet stiffly I stand -
    too much starch in my dress!

    1. This makes me picture her sitting down and her whole skirt flying up. I love the formal tone, which makes me giggle even more about the sight gag in my head.

  5. Made me think of that essential little black dress hanging in the store window or a closet! Of course the hat really makes the outfit!

    Evening Wear

    A little black number,
    Short or gown,
    Everyone needs
    For a knight on the town.

  6. I’m intrigued (and a bit unsettled) by your poem, Laura–I also want to know who father is, what his expectations are, and what else the main character wants to do. Like Linda, I read it as a wonderful opening to something more (maybe a historical novel in verse, if there is such a thing!)

    Splayed on her back
    trapped in her suit of armor
    Junebug surrenders

    1. Kate, I always write my poems for 15wol before I read the other poems. But I think I had the same idea that you had, as far as listing the things the knight needed. However I really like your ending better. Yep. He forgot his courage.

  7. That armor looks a little small. Hm-mm. What else will the knight need?

    Checklist for Battle

    Everything protected?
    Anything neglected?
    Wave my sword,
    hold my shield,
    make those enemies yield!
    Charge!

    1. I love this–I can hear the knight muttering to himself. One thought–I like the flow better without “those” in there. “Those” kind of slows it down for me, when I want to be building speed into “Charge!” Fun!

        1. Thanks, Pat. I rarely offer suggestions, as this isn’t a critique group. But…sometimes when I feel a word or two isn’t necessary, I throw that out there, since making our poems shorter is 1) difficult and 2) effective! But I might be the only one who felt that way about the word, so…just my 2 cents:>)

  8. His words were sharp,
    offensive.
    She parried back,
    defensive.
    Her armored shell
    protected well.

  9. Like others above, your poem’s point of view would touch many. I had two brothers, different years, so creative. The parents both were lawyers & I wondered where the boys got the creativity. I did discover that the father’s father made him go to law school when really what he wanted to do was paint. He said he had still not returned to his art, a sad story.

    Mine goes straight to what I imagined a knight might think:

    After The Battle

    Armor is hung
    and sword I swung.
    Blessed that I live,
    now time to forgive.
    Linda Baie © All Rights Reserved

    1. You know, when I see owners of (usually-failing) restaurants (can you tell I watch too many cooking reality shows?) say that they want to build a restaurant to leave to the their kids, I always think, “What if your kids don’t want a restaurant?” Oi.

      I love this poem–that last word makes me wonder who he’s forgiving…himself? His enemy? Someone else germane to the battle? Evocative!

      1. I know what you mean with the businesses, to ‘pass on’, & then the children are stuck! As for the poem, I imagined a wide range of forgiveness as you said, much to forgive within oneself, asking of those you slayed, how much one has to live but knows the horror inflicted. It is complicated.

        1. Lovely–I thought about all those things (and more). I like poems that feel accessible, then make me wonder/ponder/think a bit beyond the obvious, too. :>)

  10. Sorry for my tardiness. My internet was out this morning and I have felt so alone. Such a terrible thing, especially on a Thursday morning!
    .

    New York Fashion Week

    Black leggings
    ankle boots
    giant hoops in ears;
    next model up
    hits the runway.

    1. Aw, we’re glad you made it, Martha! As I read this, I thought, yup, or any high school hallway! I am so unfashionable (but I love Project Runway). Way to make it work, Martha:>)

      1. I, too, am a fan of PR, and last night was the season finale. I think the “junior” version beginning next week may be fun to watch.

  11. Syllables

    Arm
    Armor
    Armory

    Pill
    Pillow
    Pillory

    One syllable at a time, watch change.

    1. Cool. I see the progression from arm to armor to armory quite clearly–though I never thought of arm to armor before. The second set puzzles me more and makes me want to look at the etymology of these words to see what the common root indicates in each. Thanks, Marian!

  12. Not quite ready
    As you can see
    missing One essential accessory

    that would be me

    Anne McKenna

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