Tree [15 words or less]

Photo: Laura Salas

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

15WOLs

One last pic from Vegas! Here are?3 things this photo makes me think of:

1)?the evil trees in various tales, like Wizard of Oz
2)?bonsai trees
3) blown glass–I love individual pieces, but when I go in a tourist store full of blown glass, I get overwhelmed by it and feel an urge to hear the shattering of glass

And here’s my?first draft, which has nothing to do with ANY of my above 3 ideas.

Coat Tree

Take your clothes
off
me!

I’m slipping splinters
into your coat.

Watch your
hands later…

–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:>)??

I’m just getting home from?IRA in New Orleans–delayed flight and very late arrival.?Drooly, panicked dog to pick up this morning, a million emails to reply to, and a library presentation tonight to prepare for…ack!?I won’t be able to make comments this week, but please add your poem if you’d like to share!?

88 Responses

  1. Hesperides Golden Apples

    Twisted wickedly
    Thorns bursting from this tree
    guarding for eternity
    These are all for me!!!

    This made me think about the greek myth about the golden apples with the dragon guarding them… don’t know why. Very cool picture!

    1. Amelia, I like the idea of thorns in a positive role as protector.

  2. Hesperides Golden Apples

    Twisted wickedly
    Thorns bursting from this tree
    guarding for eternity
    These are all for me!!!

    This made me think about the greek myth about the golden apples with the dragon guarding them… don’t know why. Very cool picture!

    1. Amelia, I like the idea of thorns in a positive role as protector.

  3. This morning as I ponder this image, birds are calling and the sun is rising, so I’m writing from where I sit.

    Birds call
    across the morning,
    Full moon hides
    in a cloud,
    The bare branch
    waits.

    –Margaret Simon

    1. A wonderful visual. The full moon has been awesome and the bird calls more pronounced.

  4. This morning as I ponder this image, birds are calling and the sun is rising, so I’m writing from where I sit.

    Birds call
    across the morning,
    Full moon hides
    in a cloud,
    The bare branch
    waits.

    –Margaret Simon

    1. A wonderful visual. The full moon has been awesome and the bird calls more pronounced.

  5. Sun-ray fingers
    Black ink
    Cool dust
    Petrified branches
    Panted across
    Rain-droop puddles

    By Jessica Bigi

    1. I like the idea of “black ink” branches across those rain drop puddles.

  6. Sun-ray fingers
    Black ink
    Cool dust
    Petrified branches
    Panted across
    Rain-droop puddles

    By Jessica Bigi

    1. I like the idea of “black ink” branches across those rain drop puddles.

  7. Winter Residue — Spring Makeover

    Her ebony branches
    washed clean
    await green
    ruffles and flourishes
    shouting, “I’m alive.”

    I liked the view of the amber glass once more; yet, at the same time, the contrast with the tree is compelling. We’ll miss your comments.

  8. Winter Residue — Spring Makeover

    Her ebony branches
    washed clean
    await green
    ruffles and flourishes
    shouting, “I’m alive.”

    I liked the view of the amber glass once more; yet, at the same time, the contrast with the tree is compelling. We’ll miss your comments.

  9. MALL TREE

    Where
    is
    air?
    Bird’s song?
    Sun’s heat?

    Imprisoned,
    rooted
    with-
    in
    concrete.

    Andria W. Rosenbaum/ all right reserved

    1. The last part of your poem makes think how amazing it is that trees can grow on rocky hills and mountain sides I live around both

    2. I like your idea. A mall tree, rooted in concrete, missing all the good things other trees have. Nicely done.

  10. MALL TREE

    Where
    is
    air?
    Bird’s song?
    Sun’s heat?

    Imprisoned,
    rooted
    with-
    in
    concrete.

    Andria W. Rosenbaum/ all right reserved

    1. The last part of your poem makes think how amazing it is that trees can grow on rocky hills and mountain sides I live around both

    2. I like your idea. A mall tree, rooted in concrete, missing all the good things other trees have. Nicely done.

  11. Love the vengeful clothes tree, Laura!

    The Dead Tree

    Its outside
    burnished
    by mighty
    elements,
    now stands
    helpless
    against
    the tyranny
    of the small.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    1. Makes me think of the fallen trees not far from me the ones root looks like orange yellow flamming flower almost like a painting

  12. Love the vengeful clothes tree, Laura!

    The Dead Tree

    Its outside
    burnished
    by mighty
    elements,
    now stands
    helpless
    against
    the tyranny
    of the small.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    1. Makes me think of the fallen trees not far from me the ones root looks like orange yellow flamming flower almost like a painting

  13. Martha, yours is so cheerful! I had the opposite reaction.

    Tree

    The glass tree
    never grows.
    It lost leaves
    it never had.
    Tree black
    as sorrow.

    ?Kate Coombs

    1. I like this and the mood it brings. Poor glass tree, losing leaves it never had.
      Terrific idea.

  14. Martha, yours is so cheerful! I had the opposite reaction.

    Tree

    The glass tree
    never grows.
    It lost leaves
    it never had.
    Tree black
    as sorrow.

    ?Kate Coombs

    1. I like this and the mood it brings. Poor glass tree, losing leaves it never had.
      Terrific idea.

    1. Yes. Gray ash, as ingredient in glass, causing such a black color — color of sorrow.
      Nicely expressed.

    1. Yes. Gray ash, as ingredient in glass, causing such a black color — color of sorrow.
      Nicely expressed.

  15. Yes, Laura, I can see that those branches look like coat hooks.

    Bare Naked

    Lush with summery greenery,
    colorful in fall,
    now my twisted branches
    are exposed to all.

  16. Yes, Laura, I can see that those branches look like coat hooks.

    Bare Naked

    Lush with summery greenery,
    colorful in fall,
    now my twisted branches
    are exposed to all.

  17. Morning rush.
    Mom grabs the brush.
    We scream and shout
    those tangles out!

    1. Cindy, I love this! Reminds me of my granddaughters and their long hair.
      Also I like your rhythm and rhyme. Perfect!

  18. Morning rush.
    Mom grabs the brush.
    We scream and shout
    those tangles out!

    1. Cindy, I love this! Reminds me of my granddaughters and their long hair.
      Also I like your rhythm and rhyme. Perfect!

    1. This is wonderful I could see this a short clip before
      A cartoon move 🙂

    1. This is wonderful I could see this a short clip before
      A cartoon move 🙂

  19. A Bad Day

    Busy ant
    Ambles, scrambles
    clambers onto
    branches brambled
    stumbles, fumbles
    rumble-tumbles
    fossilized in
    golden amber.

    ~~Barbara J. Turner

    1. I like the last 2 lines and the sound of the stumbling tumbling it is very difrent

    2. Way to use assonance, rhyme, and internal rhyme! And “fossilized” becomes an extra-great word to sound in between all those other more similar-sounding words. Plus it’s just a nice little mini-tragedy.

  20. A Bad Day

    Busy ant
    Ambles, scrambles
    clambers onto
    branches brambled
    stumbles, fumbles
    rumble-tumbles
    fossilized in
    golden amber.

    ~~Barbara J. Turner

    1. I like the last 2 lines and the sound of the stumbling tumbling it is very difrent

    2. Way to use assonance, rhyme, and internal rhyme! And “fossilized” becomes an extra-great word to sound in between all those other more similar-sounding words. Plus it’s just a nice little mini-tragedy.

  21. Guardian of the Forest

    Raising it’s branch
    to it’s head,
    the blackened tree sighed.
    And why are you here?

  22. Guardian of the Forest

    Raising it’s branch
    to it’s head,
    the blackened tree sighed.
    And why are you here?

  23. Laura,
    Just finally had a chance to read the post, before I head to bed…here’s what I quickly came up with:

    REBIRTH

    Forest fire tree
    sooty, burned and black.
    but soon will proudly be
    slowly sprouting back.

    - ? 2014, Matt Forrest Esenwine

  24. Laura,
    Just finally had a chance to read the post, before I head to bed…here’s what I quickly came up with:

    REBIRTH

    Forest fire tree
    sooty, burned and black.
    but soon will proudly be
    slowly sprouting back.

    - ? 2014, Matt Forrest Esenwine

  25. Black blood
    Running through
    my veins
    Blue is my heart
    Beating strongly
    through all adversity

    Anne McKenna

  26. Black blood
    Running through
    my veins
    Blue is my heart
    Beating strongly
    through all adversity

    Anne McKenna

  27. TREE STORY
    From seeds to sapling
    To chipped, faded glory,
    I?m still standing tall ?
    That?s my story.

    © Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.

  28. TREE STORY
    From seeds to sapling
    To chipped, faded glory,
    I?m still standing tall ?
    That?s my story.

    © Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.

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