Photo: Laura Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I just realized I still had this?pic from Vegas. It is just a little thingamajig that was on the floor of the High Roller observation wheel we rode in. I was intrigued by it. Here are?3 things this photo makes me think of:
1)?Braille–I’ve read a couple of interesting things recently about visual artists incorporating Braille into their paintings and sculptures. I wonder what it would be like to try to picture an artwork simply by touching it/tracing the outline…
2)?a mylar birthday balloon–The round shape and the puffy shininess of this makes me think “birthday boy” immediately.
3) an alien
And here’s my?first draft.
A Mad Scientist Has Trapped Me in Mylar…
Locked inside
a hollow?globe,
tethered but floating
Streamer sky
Giftwrap ground
Don’t.
Let.
Go.
–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:>)?
96 Responses
Scratched
But my surface shines
Dented
But I open fine
Dirty
But worth a dime
I was thinking about 5 cent returns and couldn’t rhyme anything with nickel, so… can we just pretend a dime is 5 cents? 🙂
Why, yes, Amelia, we certainly can! I really love this. With the image, I get recycling. WithOUT the image, I get a deeper message/feeling from it. And now I’m humming it to the tune of One Republic’s “Counting Stars.” This could be stuck in my head all day! Great job:>)
I’m imagining a metaphor for a person, sad image really, but well done!
Clever, and the message never gets old.
I like the riddle feeling of your poem. Nice rhythm too!
Wow, Amelia–that’s excellent!
Scratched
But my surface shines
Dented
But I open fine
Dirty
But worth a dime
I was thinking about 5 cent returns and couldn’t rhyme anything with nickel, so… can we just pretend a dime is 5 cents? 🙂
Why, yes, Amelia, we certainly can! I really love this. With the image, I get recycling. WithOUT the image, I get a deeper message/feeling from it. And now I’m humming it to the tune of One Republic’s “Counting Stars.” This could be stuck in my head all day! Great job:>)
I’m imagining a metaphor for a person, sad image really, but well done!
Clever, and the message never gets old.
I like the riddle feeling of your poem. Nice rhythm too!
Wow, Amelia–that’s excellent!
My favorite part of your poem is the title. Funny. Then the three words Don’t. Let. Go. actually become profound if you think about it.
I first wanted to write something deep and inspirational, but when the pencil began to scribble, this silly thing came out. Follow the muse.
Look closely
at the keyhole
a hooded man
waits
to twist your arm.
–Margaret
Love this, Margaret! “Follow the muse.” Precisely. This is so clever! So ominous but then funny because of the keyhole clue. Thanks for your feedback–sometimes I need a rather–ahem–lengthy title to set up the situation when a poem has to be so short:>)
I like that ‘hooded man’, Margaret-didn’t see it until I read your poem. Nice.
My favorite part of your poem is the title. Funny. Then the three words Don’t. Let. Go. actually become profound if you think about it.
I first wanted to write something deep and inspirational, but when the pencil began to scribble, this silly thing came out. Follow the muse.
Look closely
at the keyhole
a hooded man
waits
to twist your arm.
–Margaret
Love this, Margaret! “Follow the muse.” Precisely. This is so clever! So ominous but then funny because of the keyhole clue. Thanks for your feedback–sometimes I need a rather–ahem–lengthy title to set up the situation when a poem has to be so short:>)
I like that ‘hooded man’, Margaret-didn’t see it until I read your poem. Nice.
The lock that
opens my heart
Is reserved for
The selected few
showered with love
- Anne McKenna
Lovely, Anne! I like those “selected” few.
I like that idea of a ‘lock’ to the heart.
Wonderful 🙂
The lock that
opens my heart
Is reserved for
The selected few
showered with love
- Anne McKenna
Lovely, Anne! I like those “selected” few.
I like that idea of a ‘lock’ to the heart.
Wonderful 🙂
Can top put me in mind of big top!
traveling circus:
eyes jump from ring to ring
hoping not to miss
Diane Mayr, all rights reserved
Oh, this is why I hate the circus. At least a 3‑ring one. I never know where to look and constantly hear a gasp or an eruption of applause when I’m looking at something totally boring!
Can top put me in mind of big top!
traveling circus:
eyes jump from ring to ring
hoping not to miss
Diane Mayr, all rights reserved
Oh, this is why I hate the circus. At least a 3‑ring one. I never know where to look and constantly hear a gasp or an eruption of applause when I’m looking at something totally boring!
I greet you
with outstretched
arms–
an intergalactic
hug
of peace
Lovely.
I love this hugs are wonderful
Love this, Cynthia, especially the intergalactic hug!
Nice mix of alien and peace! Love that intergalactic / hug!
I greet you
with outstretched
arms–
an intergalactic
hug
of peace
Lovely.
I love this hugs are wonderful
Love this, Cynthia, especially the intergalactic hug!
Nice mix of alien and peace! Love that intergalactic / hug!
When I read your poem, then I ‘saw’ the globe, Laura. I like the ‘streamer sky’. Here’s what I imagined:
News alert
Archaeologist dig
discovers metal cans,
stamped with human image,
thought to contain
drinks for indigestion.
Linda Baie ?All Rights Reserved
Oh, this makes me think (as I do periodically) of what future societies will think of us when they dig up our trash and treasures. Love the verb stamped here.
I like this make me think how we love things that old and that others no longer won’t and to us they become new
When I read your poem, then I ‘saw’ the globe, Laura. I like the ‘streamer sky’. Here’s what I imagined:
News alert
Archaeologist dig
discovers metal cans,
stamped with human image,
thought to contain
drinks for indigestion.
Linda Baie ?All Rights Reserved
Oh, this makes me think (as I do periodically) of what future societies will think of us when they dig up our trash and treasures. Love the verb stamped here.
I like this make me think how we love things that old and that others no longer won’t and to us they become new
DIRECTIONS FOR PEACE
Global need
Simple start
Opened arms
Softened hearts.
Andria W. Rosenbaum/all rights reserved
So elegant and lovely, Andria. Thank you!
DIRECTIONS FOR PEACE
Global need
Simple start
Opened arms
Softened hearts.
Andria W. Rosenbaum/all rights reserved
So elegant and lovely, Andria. Thank you!
Laura, the Braille possibilities are miraculous. Like Margaret, I too wanted to come up with something deep and profound but there is one image deeply etched in one of my brain’s wrinkles.
You Can’t Catch Me
Lift me gently
from dough.
bake, set free,
aroma lingers forever.
I’m the Gingerbread Man!
I love this
Thank you Jessica!
Hahahaha–What a cool contrast between the title/last line and the main text of the poem. And I think those deep and profound meanings come through best when we’re not trying, anyway! I am smelling gingerbread now and have just eaten four tiny Ginger Cat cookies from Trader Joe’s in your poem’s honor. Those, I can catch!
Thank you Laura. I’ve had those cookies and they are addictive. I gave thought to a line about the “belly button” as in push go or some such but stuck to my first thought which was the title/last line. Such fun.
Laura, the Braille possibilities are miraculous. Like Margaret, I too wanted to come up with something deep and profound but there is one image deeply etched in one of my brain’s wrinkles.
You Can’t Catch Me
Lift me gently
from dough.
bake, set free,
aroma lingers forever.
I’m the Gingerbread Man!
I love this
Thank you Jessica!
Hahahaha–What a cool contrast between the title/last line and the main text of the poem. And I think those deep and profound meanings come through best when we’re not trying, anyway! I am smelling gingerbread now and have just eaten four tiny Ginger Cat cookies from Trader Joe’s in your poem’s honor. Those, I can catch!
Thank you Laura. I’ve had those cookies and they are addictive. I gave thought to a line about the “belly button” as in push go or some such but stuck to my first thought which was the title/last line. Such fun.
robots Blowing Bubbles
To turn
Unlatch leaver
Puzzling minds
Then peace
Back to gather
Time-space
One circle
Wow, I’m not even sure what’s happening here, but I love the images. It’s like a sci-fi music video, full of mysterious words and images. Your title could be a great band name:>)
Laura the pic looked like a puzzle to me
I like your poem
robots Blowing Bubbles
To turn
Unlatch leaver
Puzzling minds
Then peace
Back to gather
Time-space
One circle
Wow, I’m not even sure what’s happening here, but I love the images. It’s like a sci-fi music video, full of mysterious words and images. Your title could be a great band name:>)
Laura the pic looked like a puzzle to me
I like your poem
Symbol
Who knows
what it means?
the artist,
the heartist.
Not me.
–Kate Coombs
Fabulous rhyme! The heartist–love it.
Thanks, Laura!
Symbol
Who knows
what it means?
the artist,
the heartist.
Not me.
–Kate Coombs
Fabulous rhyme! The heartist–love it.
Thanks, Laura!
Alien Gingerbread,
Cold,
Hard,
Metallic,
Need more milk.
I love the concept of alien gingerbread, mixing something so typically cold/unfeeling with something that represents cozy, homey holidays. Nice!
Alien Gingerbread,
Cold,
Hard,
Metallic,
Need more milk.
I love the concept of alien gingerbread, mixing something so typically cold/unfeeling with something that represents cozy, homey holidays. Nice!
The Circus is in Town
Cartwheeler
Cunning clown
Spinning world
Upside down
Arms outstretched
Single wheel
Balancing act
Crowd appeal
I really like that cunning clown. Walks the tightrope between the two polarized view of clowns: funny or terrifying.
The Circus is in Town
Cartwheeler
Cunning clown
Spinning world
Upside down
Arms outstretched
Single wheel
Balancing act
Crowd appeal
I really like that cunning clown. Walks the tightrope between the two polarized view of clowns: funny or terrifying.
I just couldn’t get this out of my head. Would you call this
a “found poem”?
Run, Run
As fast as you can
You can’t catch me
I’m the Gingerbread Man.
——————————
OK, and now for something original.
Unisex man
on a unicycle wheel
spreads his arms with hugs for all
universal appeal.
I love this, Diane! I have a prefix-based poem in my Always Got My Feet, and it was super fun to write. This makes me want to write another one!
I just couldn’t get this out of my head. Would you call this
a “found poem”?
Run, Run
As fast as you can
You can’t catch me
I’m the Gingerbread Man.
——————————
OK, and now for something original.
Unisex man
on a unicycle wheel
spreads his arms with hugs for all
universal appeal.
I love this, Diane! I have a prefix-based poem in my Always Got My Feet, and it was super fun to write. This makes me want to write another one!
Sun
Washed in
Gold ink
A dill of time
Writing found
On a wall
Love that gold ink, Jessica!
Sun
Washed in
Gold ink
A dill of time
Writing found
On a wall
Love that gold ink, Jessica!
My first thought was of a gingerbread man, too.
A Navel Experiment
Inny?
Outy?
Give a push.
Did he grin?
Yikes!
You smooshed
gingerbread man
into mush!
~~Barbara J. Turner
Oh, no! Hehehe:>) Love smooshed.
My first thought was of a gingerbread man, too.
A Navel Experiment
Inny?
Outy?
Give a push.
Did he grin?
Yikes!
You smooshed
gingerbread man
into mush!
~~Barbara J. Turner
Oh, no! Hehehe:>) Love smooshed.
Pocket watch
Copper penny shine
Hands spinning time
Twelve tick toke twelve
Grand dad wined’s his
Watch
Pocket watch
Copper penny shine
Hands spinning time
Twelve tick toke twelve
Grand dad wined’s his
Watch
SNOWMAN
Gazing at earth?s bleached ceiling,
Flapping limbs like newly arrived infants ?
I create frosted image.
© Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.
SNOWMAN
Gazing at earth?s bleached ceiling,
Flapping limbs like newly arrived infants ?
I create frosted image.
© Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.