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 glad you’re here.
While Randy and I were walking Jack last week, we walked right by these mallards at the lake. Jack was happily oblivious, as he was busy sniffing animal poo or something.
This image makes me think of:
- students (doing great, just above the danger zone, or (gulp) in danger of drowning)
- three’s a crowd
- an animal teeter-totter
And here’s my first draft. I had trouble getting my bigger thought into 15 words this week. I was thinking about how much of life is luck or random chance. The duck that’s the eater of the fish one minute is the prey of the gator the next. I couldn’t quite make it work, but I do like the concept. Might come back to it later.
Please note: My husband, Randy, is having a medical procedure today, and I’m with him at the medical center. I may or may not be able to respond, depending on how the day is going and what online access is like. But poem it up anyway, ok? :>)
It’s your turn! Have fun and stick to 15 WORDS OR LESS! (Title doesn’t count toward word count)
18 Responses
Mine is a bit trite — ok, a lot trite! — but it’s what popped into my head:
One duck, two ducks, three ducks, four…
each caught a breadcrumb,
and each wants more!
- © Matt Forrest Esenwine
I don’t think trite is the right word. More like adorable nursery rhyme! I can imagine this as part of a larger anthology of animal nursery rhymes.
Greedy little ducks:>)
I feel like that last duck is getting left behind—or is he just too cool to join in? In honor of Father’s Day I’ve made him the dad.
Look, Dad!
Ride a boat
that’s made of log.
Quack, quack—
come help us
find a frog!
—Kate Coombs
Another great use of rhyme. Not sure I can play this game. A friend of mine posted a picture of a heron with a frog in its mouth. Your poem would fit well with that image too.
I hate that picture–at least, there’s a picture I’ve seen where the frog is staring out from the heron’s mouth, death inevitable. Ugh…
I adore that boat made of log. So playful!
I’m trying to get back to Thursday’s challenges, have missed too many! This time, thinking of Sunday coming up, and the time I spent watching my son and son-in-law with their kids at the beach.
Hurrah for Dads
who watch and cheer
while kids take leaps
into unknown waters.
Linda Baie ©All Rights Reserved
Your trip looked WONderful, Linda. I so enjoyed the FB pics! Great poem–my husband is terrific at this, too. I like how much your poem gathers into so few lines.
Thanks, Laura. It was a marvelous trip and time with all the family! Hope your “sales” are going well!
Good morning Laura. My daughter had a procedure on Tuesday and I am still out of town with her. Best to Randy.
Awwww Mom!!!!
Current ‘s calm
water’s clear
please take your foot
off the log
ya hear!
Healthy wishes to your daughter, Martha! So lucky to have you there with her. Randy’s procedure is this afternoon, and my mom just got out of her ablation surgery down in Florida. Whew.
Love the title and last line especially of this. I can totally hear the voices!
Walking the plank was my second thought or simultaneous with noticing the tessellation effect used on the photo… I went with Tessellations.…
Poly-gone
On Polygonal Pond
Mallards marching on a log,
Tessalations tickling toes,
Spy a polygonalwog…
Poly-gone!
This poem just feels like so much fun, Donna! Thank you for just diving in (hehe) and wallowing in words.
Teetering, teetering, on the brink-
Wrong move: you sink!
(It can happen in a blink.)
Eek! Love the off-balance rhythm:>)
poem by Jessica Bigi
webbed feet
nesting eggs under
our pines
bread crumbling
from fingers
quack ‑quack
Pilgrimage: Roslyn Pond, 1990s
I remember
Leaning over wooden railings,
Watching ducks swish in water,
wishing dreams
were true.
-Pamela Ross