Globes [15 words or less]

Photo: Laura Salas

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

15WOLs

Here’s another pic from my trip to Las Vegas recently. Here are?3 things this photo makes me think of:

1)?SCUBA diving and the bubbles that float up
2)?blowing bubbles at a wedding
3) tiny fish eggs

And here’s my?first draft.

Egg

One small bubble
Life huddles within

Dream of fins, gills
Wiggle, squirm

Burst
into
stream

–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 in New Orleans for IRA, chatting with teachers and teacher educators and reading specialists and having a great time, I hope! I won’t be able to respond to your poems this week, but I hope you’ll have fun writing a quick poem!

148 Responses

  1. Oh, enjoy New Orleans, Laura! Have some beignets!

    Midas

    Midas
    blew bubbles,
    touched them
    one by one.
    They fell
    heavily around
    his daughter?s feet.

    ?Kate Coombs

    1. Nice image. We all need a bit of “Midas touch” from time to time.

  2. Oh, enjoy New Orleans, Laura! Have some beignets!

    Midas

    Midas
    blew bubbles,
    touched them
    one by one.
    They fell
    heavily around
    his daughter?s feet.

    ?Kate Coombs

    1. Nice image. We all need a bit of “Midas touch” from time to time.

  3. It’s been a long time since I had a coke, but a stinging, icy cold, glass bottle on a hot day, is a long-term memory…

    The poem has a 16th word, but not if bottlecap is one word!

    Summer Cola

    Hands thrust
    deep into ice.

    Snap! Bottle-
    cap flies.

    Fizzy bubbles
    filling noses.

    Glug! Gulp!

    Bliss.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.

    1. Yes, they definitely look like bubbles.
      Refreshing fizz.

    2. Ahh, Coke. My weakness (occasionally) and the amber fizz is tempting me as I write!

    3. what a wonderful memory this brings bake as a child the car garage across the street had a 10 cent pop machine I remember the glass bottle’s I would always get seven up some times Cherokee read or cream soda some time the owner just let me have one
      🙂

  4. It’s been a long time since I had a coke, but a stinging, icy cold, glass bottle on a hot day, is a long-term memory…

    The poem has a 16th word, but not if bottlecap is one word!

    Summer Cola

    Hands thrust
    deep into ice.

    Snap! Bottle-
    cap flies.

    Fizzy bubbles
    filling noses.

    Glug! Gulp!

    Bliss.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.

    1. Yes, they definitely look like bubbles.
      Refreshing fizz.

    2. Ahh, Coke. My weakness (occasionally) and the amber fizz is tempting me as I write!

    3. what a wonderful memory this brings bake as a child the car garage across the street had a 10 cent pop machine I remember the glass bottle’s I would always get seven up some times Cherokee read or cream soda some time the owner just let me have one
      🙂

  5. I’ll be in NOLA celebrating Mother’s Day with my daughters. Wish we could get together:(

    You tickle my fancy
    floating on air,
    fizzy, frothy
    bubbles
    in my ice-cold pop!

    1. I see I wasn’t the only one who thought of soda bubbles (ended up writing about something else, though). I love the lightness you portray and you set the stage beautifully with “you tickle my fancy.”

  6. I’ll be in NOLA celebrating Mother’s Day with my daughters. Wish we could get together:(

    You tickle my fancy
    floating on air,
    fizzy, frothy
    bubbles
    in my ice-cold pop!

    1. I see I wasn’t the only one who thought of soda bubbles (ended up writing about something else, though). I love the lightness you portray and you set the stage beautifully with “you tickle my fancy.”

  7. They watch me
    Staring through plate glass windows
    Like cells under a microscope:
    Privacy denied.

    1. Yes, the images could be cells under a microscope, or are they eyeballs looking at cells?
      I was watching Nova last night and saw a shark’s eyeball dissected.
      I actually saw eyeballs when I first looked the picture. But I couldn’t think of a poetic way to express “eyeballs.’ 🙂

    2. reminds me of the pic of a droop of ocean water Laura had on her web page

  8. They watch me
    Staring through plate glass windows
    Like cells under a microscope:
    Privacy denied.

    1. Yes, the images could be cells under a microscope, or are they eyeballs looking at cells?
      I was watching Nova last night and saw a shark’s eyeball dissected.
      I actually saw eyeballs when I first looked the picture. But I couldn’t think of a poetic way to express “eyeballs.’ 🙂

    2. reminds me of the pic of a droop of ocean water Laura had on her web page

  9. I like that idea of huddling, Laura. Have a wonderful time at IRA, wish I could be there!

    I saw something different, wonder where this idea came from?

    The Waiting Ends!

    They appeared that morning
    tiny ships ready to release their cargo.
    Humans held their breath.
    Linda Baie ? All Rights Reserved

    1. Yes, your idea is different, but I like that. I love to see everyone’s take on the picture.
      It’s neat if there are a lot of differences.

  10. I like that idea of huddling, Laura. Have a wonderful time at IRA, wish I could be there!

    I saw something different, wonder where this idea came from?

    The Waiting Ends!

    They appeared that morning
    tiny ships ready to release their cargo.
    Humans held their breath.
    Linda Baie ? All Rights Reserved

    1. Yes, your idea is different, but I like that. I love to see everyone’s take on the picture.
      It’s neat if there are a lot of differences.

  11. It’s an Amber World

    Gem stones,
    planets,
    brewers’ delight;
    waves of grain,
    resin
    shimmer in spring’s light.

    Laura, what a lovely beginning to this day. Safe travels.

    1. Wow! You had a lot of thoughts about the prompt.
      You arranged them nicely in the list.

  12. It’s an Amber World

    Gem stones,
    planets,
    brewers’ delight;
    waves of grain,
    resin
    shimmer in spring’s light.

    Laura, what a lovely beginning to this day. Safe travels.

    1. Wow! You had a lot of thoughts about the prompt.
      You arranged them nicely in the list.

    1. I see that you also saw balloons in the prompt.
      Balloons for celebration!

    2. wonderful for this time of year with weddings and graduations and also hope runs

    1. I see that you also saw balloons in the prompt.
      Balloons for celebration!

    2. wonderful for this time of year with weddings and graduations and also hope runs

  13. Dripping
    like resin from
    ancient trees,
    empty baubles
    glimmer,
    hollowness
    preserved,
    void
    unfilled.

    Have a wonderful time in New Orleans, Laura!

    1. Hm-m‑m. Resin from ancient trees? Jurassic Park revisited?

  14. Dripping
    like resin from
    ancient trees,
    empty baubles
    glimmer,
    hollowness
    preserved,
    void
    unfilled.

    Have a wonderful time in New Orleans, Laura!

    1. Hm-m‑m. Resin from ancient trees? Jurassic Park revisited?

  15. I hope you have a great time, Laura.
    My thoughts on this go back to a funeral I attended of a child in my classroom.
    I know this is frowned on now because of harm to birds, but at the time it was accepted.

    In Memory

    Golden balloons rise,
    release pain,
    hold notes of hope
    and prayers.

      1. I give out an art award at a school each year and three years ago it went to a student that had died a month before it was to given out that was so herbals and so sad

      2. Thanks, Jessica. Yes, it was a terrible tragedy. A first grader — fast growing brain tumor. Diagnosed in November, gone by spring.

        1. my mom is going through cancer right now things aren’t good I couldn’t
          and don’t understand way children have to go through such herbal things
          my student was hit by a train it was so sad and I cried a lot about it they gave the award to his family

          1. Jessica, I’m sorry about your mom. Cancer is a horrible disease no matter what a person’s age.
            That certainly must have been a shock to have a student hit by a train.
            How awful!

    1. Were they imaginary notes, or real, Pat? How wonderful to think about, & I understand about the balloons, but doing this must have helped. I recently attended a child’s funeral & they released doves. I love the idea of the power of “doing” something.

      1. They were imaginary notes, Linda. Imaginary because of poet’s liberty. They were released with thoughts and prayers following her funeral. Notes sounded better in my poem.
        The funeral was attended by family and friends and only a few fellow classmates. She was a first grader, and had only been in school until November. Following her diagnosis, she was quite ill and did not come back to school. So the class was not affected that much, but her teachers were.

  16. I hope you have a great time, Laura.
    My thoughts on this go back to a funeral I attended of a child in my classroom.
    I know this is frowned on now because of harm to birds, but at the time it was accepted.

    In Memory

    Golden balloons rise,
    release pain,
    hold notes of hope
    and prayers.

      1. I give out an art award at a school each year and three years ago it went to a student that had died a month before it was to given out that was so herbals and so sad

      2. Thanks, Jessica. Yes, it was a terrible tragedy. A first grader — fast growing brain tumor. Diagnosed in November, gone by spring.

        1. my mom is going through cancer right now things aren’t good I couldn’t
          and don’t understand way children have to go through such herbal things
          my student was hit by a train it was so sad and I cried a lot about it they gave the award to his family

          1. Jessica, I’m sorry about your mom. Cancer is a horrible disease no matter what a person’s age.
            That certainly must have been a shock to have a student hit by a train.
            How awful!

    1. Were they imaginary notes, or real, Pat? How wonderful to think about, & I understand about the balloons, but doing this must have helped. I recently attended a child’s funeral & they released doves. I love the idea of the power of “doing” something.

      1. They were imaginary notes, Linda. Imaginary because of poet’s liberty. They were released with thoughts and prayers following her funeral. Notes sounded better in my poem.
        The funeral was attended by family and friends and only a few fellow classmates. She was a first grader, and had only been in school until November. Following her diagnosis, she was quite ill and did not come back to school. So the class was not affected that much, but her teachers were.

  17. Laura, I love the image of life bursting from tiny eggs into the stream!

    Summer Night

    we dance
    by the light of fireflies
    swollen in the haze

    ? 2014 Michelle Heidenrich Barnes. All rights reserved.

    1. Blown Glass

      Earth
      sun
      Moon
      Ocean stars
      Calls of life
      Carbine bubbles
      Air floating
      though water
      S P A C E

      .poem by Jessica Bigi

    2. I love the phrase “fireflies swollen in the haze.”
      Nice image.

    3. Oops, Michelle, my comment on your poem went under Jessica’s.

  18. Laura, I love the image of life bursting from tiny eggs into the stream!

    Summer Night

    we dance
    by the light of fireflies
    swollen in the haze

    ? 2014 Michelle Heidenrich Barnes. All rights reserved.

    1. Blown Glass

      Earth
      sun
      Moon
      Ocean stars
      Calls of life
      Carbine bubbles
      Air floating
      though water
      S P A C E

      .poem by Jessica Bigi

    2. I love the phrase “fireflies swollen in the haze.”
      Nice image.

    3. Oops, Michelle, my comment on your poem went under Jessica’s.

  19. Blown glass

    Earth
    sun
    Moon
    Ocean stars
    Calls of life
    Carbine bubbles
    Air floating
    though water
    S P A C E

    .

  20. Blown glass

    Earth
    sun
    Moon
    Ocean stars
    Calls of life
    Carbine bubbles
    Air floating
    though water
    S P A C E

    .

  21. When darkness comes
    The bubbles will glow
    Before our eyes
    A spectacular show

    Magnificent!

    Anne McKenna

  22. When darkness comes
    The bubbles will glow
    Before our eyes
    A spectacular show

    Magnificent!

    Anne McKenna

  23. I love this picture. Can you imagine who ia in charge of keeping it clean? In fact, I can see a whole comedy routine with a clumsy guy trying to clean them without breaking the globes and not wanting someone to see that he’s broken on off its wire.

    DO YOU BELIEVE?
    Gypsy
    crystal
    balls
    dance
    on the
    walls
    Each one
    a dream.
    Believe.

    1. Iove your poem and story i can see a mime acting out what you sad but he would also be shard of high places and the ladder would keep moving

  24. I love this picture. Can you imagine who ia in charge of keeping it clean? In fact, I can see a whole comedy routine with a clumsy guy trying to clean them without breaking the globes and not wanting someone to see that he’s broken on off its wire.

    DO YOU BELIEVE?
    Gypsy
    crystal
    balls
    dance
    on the
    walls
    Each one
    a dream.
    Believe.

    1. Iove your poem and story i can see a mime acting out what you sad but he would also be shard of high places and the ladder would keep moving

  25. Mother’s tears
    Her laughter a
    Million chyming crystals
    Bright sunshine smiles
    Voice full of pray
    I love her my tears fall

  26. Mother’s tears
    Her laughter a
    Million chyming crystals
    Bright sunshine smiles
    Voice full of pray
    I love her my tears fall

  27. NATURE?S BAPTISM
    Beads of rain baptize
    My steamed disposition ?
    First smile since Momma?s passing.

    © Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.

  28. NATURE?S BAPTISM
    Beads of rain baptize
    My steamed disposition ?
    First smile since Momma?s passing.

    © Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

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

Join 2,499 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 FlynnCCRA.W.3CCRA.W.4CCRA.W.5centoschapter bookschoral 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 SweeneyLion of the Skylist poemslittle free librarylive writingLullaby and Kisses Sweetlyricsmadness poetrymargaret simonMarilyn Singermary lee hahnmask poemsMeet My FamilyMelissa StewartMentors for Rentmentor textsmetaphorMichelle Myers LacknerMillbrookMinnesota Book Awardsmoonmy 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)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 poemsrefugeesresearchreviewsrevisionrhyming 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 conferencesYouTubeZap Clap Boomzenozentangle
Show More Show Less

Join Laura's monthly newsletter for eductators

Get three of Laura's favorite poetry activities when you subscribe to "Small Reads."