Bull vs. Bear [15 words or less poems]

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

15WOLb1-e1439651802927

Photo: Laura P. Salas
Photo: Laura P. Salas

  Here’s a pic from St. Louis on my ILA trip. St. Louis doesn’t have a stock market, but this cool bull and bear battle each other outside a financial firm (sculpture by Harry Weber).  It makes me think of: 1) the bear in Lord of the Rings 2) super slo-mo sports video 3) why we (as a race, not me personally) like to watch people fight And here’s my first draft.

still-shot-boxing

 

 

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!  

46 Responses

  1. Laura you have found some incredible things to photograph. I love sculpture and this picture makes me realize that there is really a wealth of this art form in this country. The fun is finding it.
    Best to you, Connie

    1. Thanks, Connie:>) I do always have my eyes open for anything striking that might make a good 15 Words or Less image. Especially non-nature ones, since I am partial to nature photos and do probably too many of them!

  2. prehistoric horsefly’s
    buzzing in bars ears
    grouchy grrrr
    grouch he didn’t
    get a vote

    poem By Jessica Bigi

  3. I’m Tired

    We’re at it again
    you and me
    they need us both
    let’s agree to disagree.

    In light of this week’s anxious moments: Kudos Laura, you’ve “taken the bull by the horns” (couldn’t resist) and provided the perfect prompt.

    1. I love the voice of this, Martha. The voice of reason. And–I’ll have to confess I made this post on Sunday and had no idea of coming stock market woes. The poetry gods must have made me choose this pic out of the many I have uploaded for possible 15 Words or Less use:>)

  4. prehistoric horsefly’s
    buzzing in bears ears
    grouchy grrrr
    grouch he didn’t
    get a vote

    poem By Jessica Bigi

  5. Good morning, all! I wrote a 22-word poem but got it down to 16 for you guys… Cutting “now” didn’t quite work for me, but that’s what I’d cut to get it to 15. 🙂

    Bear and Bull

    Stock market,
    shock market,
    horn, paw-claw
    snort market.
    Rumble and crash,
    now will that be cash?

    —Kate Coombs

    1. So cute Kate. I can’t help but think about the people in Greece trying to get their cash.

    2. What fun you had with words and voice! Nice job getting down to 16, at least. Poetry is a cruel mistress, some days. At least Thursdays:>)

  6. It’s an awesome sculpture, Laura, and I love “jaw whipped into last week”!

    Wall Street Brawl

    Although I like slow bears the best,
    I cheer for bulls when I invest.
    Linda Baie © All Rights Reserved

    1. Oooh! All these strong, visceral words–awesome. Though they leave me feeling like I’ve been put through the wringer. Much like looking at our pathetic 401(k) balance does.

  7. WHEN YOU WANT YOUR WAY

    I didn’t,
    nor my kids,
    not even my grands.
    Nobody pays attention
    to reprimands

  8. Wow, how timely, Laura! Your poem is great, and I love the ones others have shared, too, especially the idea of the two as dance partners.
    P.S. I hope your “smay-cation” (Great word, BTW!) doesn’t include email. I just sent you a message I need a quick response to.

  9. Cast foes
    Imprisoned in endless battle…
    An eternity of rage and anger…
    What were we fighting about?

  10. Iron-willed combatants
    Dueling to the death
    Neither one invested
    Neither one with breath

    1. With or without the photo, this works so well. When I read it on its own–no photo–I see gladiators, lions, tributes, and impoverished people. Those fighting because their circumstances (or captors/rulers) demand it. The juxtaposition of dueling to death and neither being invested is great. Love the wordplay of invested.

  11. Bullish,
    Bearish,
    Quite Nightmarish,
    Watching Money Go,
    Riches for Contestants,
    Who Already Have the Dough!

    1. LOVE that rhyme of bearish and nightmarish! And the use of Contestants. Gives the whole poem a surreal feeling, which fits pretty well:>/

  12. Two fierce warriors
    Not l friends
    Fight it out
    until it ends

    No game
    No winner

    Anne McKenna

Subscribe to Blog via Email

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

Join 2,546 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."