Eyeborg [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. 

 

Eyeborg
Photo: Laura P. Salas

Here’s another photo from my wanderings of the Smithsonian Gardens. This image makes me think of several things:

  1. a cyborg eyeball–an eyeborg
  2. Journey to the Center of the Earth
  3. Horton Hears a Who

And here’s my first draft.  Usually, I just use the photo as a jumping-off point, and my poem stands alone (at least kind of). But this week, I wrote a renaming poem, so the poem makes no sense at all without the image.

renaming

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

 

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

41 Responses

  1. I enjoyed your poem that bounces this ball from metallic to art, abstract.

    I woke up this morning tired and with a headache. Treating with coffee and a poem:

    There’s a race car driver
    inside my head
    driving me,
    shifting me,
    acceleration force
    alive.

    1. cool idea of that movement inside. I like it. It’s different.…andI get it.

    2. Love that imagery of that driver shifting inside us…it sounds like your driver is giving you a headache this morning. Those gears must have been turning all night!

      1. Thanks Donna. I led a teacher workshop for 4 hours. It went well but I’m paying the price today.

    3. I’m sorry about your headache, but I like the pounding, forming force in the poem. Hope you feel better!

    4. Yes, the race car driver would have a helmet similar to the photo. I like the words shifting and acceleration! Varoom, as my little great-grandson would say.

    5. That headache served your poem well—great take on the eyeball Art Margaret. Hope you are feeling better.

  2. I love the sound of metallic meatball.

    Our sphere
    holds boxes
    Inside, smaller boxes
    of little boxes
    with one
    beating
    heart
    inside

    1. Linda, this is powerful. So many boxes and nestled shapes, but it all comes down to the heart.

    2. I like the idea of this thing having a heart, you draw us in with the many layers of boxes and capture us/reward us with its heart.

  3. For the first time, I read your poem and description before seeing the picture! I had fun trying to figure out what the image would look like…I figured it would be spherical, and not too lyrical. I was right! This is what I saw:

    Mapping

    “Use a push-pin
    Show where we’ve been,”
    said Mom-alien,
    “We’ll return again
    in 3010.”

    by Donna JT Smith

    1. Fantastic! When we were in London last year, in a fish and chips place, there was a map on the wall for this purpose. Now I’m totally picturing an alien mom and kids scarfing down fish and chips and looking for their own planet to pin!

    2. Love “mapping” the places I have been. And what a beautiful globe on which to do so. Great imagery!

  4. What a surprising picture today! I enjoyed the images in your renaming poem, Laura. Here’s mine:

    must’ve been a living ship
    since where the aliens crashed
    new ships began to grow

    1. Oooh, I was listening to a bit of Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds musical (really, I just love the “Forever Autumn” song), and the ending of your poem has that same “voice” to it. Love this idea!

    2. Now there is a good idea for a sci-fi movie, if there is not already one in the making. Who knows, a book first?

  5. After the Orthodontist Appointment

    Encased in metal
    and rubber bands,
    can’t open my mouth.
    I talk with my hands.

  6. Fantastic photo and likewise your poem. I am drawn to the shiny, artsy motorcycle helmets so prevalent in our society today. Thus my first thought, even though I have never wanted to own one. But I do admire the adventuresome spirit that accompanies those who do.

    Bittersweet

    Fancy biker’s helmet
    lures driver’s attention;
    eyes off the road
    possible life’s suspension.

    1. Yikes! So much to distract us these days! On the other hand, isn’t it amazing how almost anything, even a motorcycle helmet, can be a work of art?

  7. poem by Jessina Bigi

    Inviable

    If we hide
    All that we are
    Behind walls
    Becoming reflections
    In puddled-steps
    Nothing is left

    1. Wow. That last line really packs a punch, Jessica. So true–hiding our real selves from others makes us disappear, eventually.

  8. So many choices in your renaming poem such beauty in “Art, abstract.”

    Eye Spy

    I was a spy,
    A metallic orb eye,
    Cloaked in disguise,
    Until my demise.

  9. This looked like a cyborg knee to me, possibly because my brother (in Minneapolis!) is getting a new knee today.

    An Ode to Joints

    Shoulder, elbow
    ankle, knee,
    connect those bones
    inside of me!

    1. Yes! A ball and socket joint (or whatever it’s called). Hope his surgery went well!

  10. I like all the images you drew from this abstract sculpture Laura. It took me in a different direction.

    Depths of Beauty

    Decaying beauty
    shield your eyes—
    Support nature
    a natural beauty
    without disguise.

  11. Thanks for the inspiration today, Laura.

    Ambition

    Geode hides shine
    within ordinary unassuming skin.
    No one knows his secret
    but him.

  12. Reflections of the world
    All rolled into one
    An abstract view
    Of a confused mind

    Anne McKenna

    1. I love the use of view and reflections and rolled into one. Some very clever word choices here, Anne!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

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

Join 2,548 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."