It’s March Madness Poetry time and the Sweet Sixteen poem matchups should be live soon. Visit, read, and vote:>)?
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
I took this picture of a quirky-looking fruit, though I can’t remember where I took it. It was either in my grocery store or in the Bahamas over the holidays! Here’s what the image brings to mind:
1)?Medusa
2)?Arthritic hands
3) Dark Forest tree/banana transformer
And here’s my poem first draft:
Withered Corsage
dusty, brittle bloom
locked in’dance
trapped in time
–by Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
What do you think of when you look at this image? Take any idea and jot down a 15 Words or Less poem. No polish. No pressure. Just fun!
110 Responses
Monkey Medusa
Twisted, entwined
Sprouting from her mind
Medusa’s hair of evil… bananas?
Good morning everyone!!! I wanted to apologize for not being able to respond to you all’s amazing poems- I leave for school at 7 and don’t get back until often 6:30. But all your poems are wonderful so I will try harder. These looked like bananas to me… 🙂
Love the title and that last word that changes the whole flavor of the poem. You made me laugh.
Hahaha. Nice, Amelia!
I like that ‘sprouting from her mind’, scary, but then the turning at the end-fun!
Fun, Amelia! Love that title and the idea. And if you’re able to comment on a few poems, great:>) But don’t stress out about it!
Monkey Medusa is such a great title! And then the poem made me laugh.
Monkey Medusa
Twisted, entwined
Sprouting from her mind
Medusa’s hair of evil… bananas?
Good morning everyone!!! I wanted to apologize for not being able to respond to you all’s amazing poems- I leave for school at 7 and don’t get back until often 6:30. But all your poems are wonderful so I will try harder. These looked like bananas to me… 🙂
Love the title and that last word that changes the whole flavor of the poem. You made me laugh.
Hahaha. Nice, Amelia!
I like that ‘sprouting from her mind’, scary, but then the turning at the end-fun!
Fun, Amelia! Love that title and the idea. And if you’re able to comment on a few poems, great:>) But don’t stress out about it!
Monkey Medusa is such a great title! And then the poem made me laugh.
Staring Down the Maw of Dinner
Do I hafta eat it?
Really?
‘Cuz I’m pretty sure
It wants to eat me!
I love that!!! It is a somewhat scary prospect… 🙂 That gave me a smile.
All it needs is a pair of eyes somewhere. I like the ‘talk’.
Love your ending!
Hahaha–LOVE the title–the maw of dinner. Too funny!
Perfect and funny!
Staring Down the Maw of Dinner
Do I hafta eat it?
Really?
‘Cuz I’m pretty sure
It wants to eat me!
I love that!!! It is a somewhat scary prospect… 🙂 That gave me a smile.
All it needs is a pair of eyes somewhere. I like the ‘talk’.
Love your ending!
Hahaha–LOVE the title–the maw of dinner. Too funny!
Perfect and funny!
Laura, your poem got me to wondering if corsages are still a part of proms nowadays?
The fruit was so intriguing I looked it up and found it is Bushukan, also known as Buddha’s hand!
Produce Section
Ackee,
bushukan,
cherimoya,
durian.
Apple,
banana,
cranberry?
So very
last century.
© Diane Mayr
Isn’t it that the Durian fruit that smells so bad? Clever to put this all together & make a statement, Diane.
Yep, corsages are still there, Diane. And the ties all have to match the girls’ dresses. Love this mini abecedarian. And even the way you don’t have a mundane D, but century echoes the sound of durian. So excellent. And yes! Buddha’s hand. That was half of what intrigued me about the fruit to begin with! I had totally forgotten:>)
Nice job…and thanks for the research!
Laura, your poem got me to wondering if corsages are still a part of proms nowadays?
The fruit was so intriguing I looked it up and found it is Bushukan, also known as Buddha’s hand!
Produce Section
Ackee,
bushukan,
cherimoya,
durian.
Apple,
banana,
cranberry?
So very
last century.
© Diane Mayr
Isn’t it that the Durian fruit that smells so bad? Clever to put this all together & make a statement, Diane.
Yep, corsages are still there, Diane. And the ties all have to match the girls’ dresses. Love this mini abecedarian. And even the way you don’t have a mundane D, but century echoes the sound of durian. So excellent. And yes! Buddha’s hand. That was half of what intrigued me about the fruit to begin with! I had totally forgotten:>)
Nice job…and thanks for the research!
Kindergarten Art
Blue nose,
yellow hands,
green ears,
purple hair,
so why
are the clothes
just gray?
–Kate Coombs
Ha! I’m thinking after painting time this describes both the art and the kindergartner himself or herself:>)
Cute! I’m subbing in kindergarten tomorrow…maybe I’ll see this first hand.…wait, not “maybe”…I’m pretty sure I will. Great job!
I’m subbing in art!!! Up too late for that, but alas no Kinders for me!! Hopefully no purple hair in the plans. Love the world through the eyes of our kids! Your poem speaks to this!!
Kindergarten Art
Blue nose,
yellow hands,
green ears,
purple hair,
so why
are the clothes
just gray?
–Kate Coombs
Ha! I’m thinking after painting time this describes both the art and the kindergartner himself or herself:>)
Cute! I’m subbing in kindergarten tomorrow…maybe I’ll see this first hand.…wait, not “maybe”…I’m pretty sure I will. Great job!
I’m subbing in art!!! Up too late for that, but alas no Kinders for me!! Hopefully no purple hair in the plans. Love the world through the eyes of our kids! Your poem speaks to this!!
Scary corsage! I like that “trapped in time,” Laura. I guess many of us had those corsages hanging up somewhere, dried up-memories!
Opportunity
King Midas? touch transformed
my jester hat to gold.
Boldly, I cartwheeled out.
It?s sold!
So funny! What a great image–a jester cap turned to gold. Love that idea.
How fun! Love this!
Scary corsage! I like that “trapped in time,” Laura. I guess many of us had those corsages hanging up somewhere, dried up-memories!
Opportunity
King Midas? touch transformed
my jester hat to gold.
Boldly, I cartwheeled out.
It?s sold!
So funny! What a great image–a jester cap turned to gold. Love that idea.
How fun! Love this!
Bahama
seahorse,
barracuda,
deep sea creatures
landed
and took fruit!
Succulent
sea-sucking
whirligigs.
Jeanne Poland
Succulent / sea-sucking / whirligigs–that is fabulous, Jeanne!
I’m with Laura.…love the last part especially.
Bahama
seahorse,
barracuda,
deep sea creatures
landed
and took fruit!
Succulent
sea-sucking
whirligigs.
Jeanne Poland
Succulent / sea-sucking / whirligigs–that is fabulous, Jeanne!
I’m with Laura.…love the last part especially.
Laura, Your corsage poem is wonderful. Loved the “trapped in dance”.
Alzheimer?s
thoughts?
yellowed
and brittle;
strangled synapses
outstretch
to claw at
memories.
…shadows.
…fade.
…black.
~Penny Klostermann
Nicely done, Penny.
Beautiful, Penny. Especially love those strangled synapses, claw at memories.
strangled…memories–wow, Penny. This is powerful and stunning.
My aunt just died of Alzheimer’s. Of course her death was a blessing due to no quality of life…but I saw this happen to her.
Oh my. A little too true for someone I know. Really good.
Laura, Your corsage poem is wonderful. Loved the “trapped in dance”.
Alzheimer?s
thoughts?
yellowed
and brittle;
strangled synapses
outstretch
to claw at
memories.
…shadows.
…fade.
…black.
~Penny Klostermann
Nicely done, Penny.
Beautiful, Penny. Especially love those strangled synapses, claw at memories.
strangled…memories–wow, Penny. This is powerful and stunning.
My aunt just died of Alzheimer’s. Of course her death was a blessing due to no quality of life…but I saw this happen to her.
Oh my. A little too true for someone I know. Really good.
Rolling,
grappling,
holding tight,
mass of arms-
Octopus fight!
This is lots of fun…I can see those battling octopi!
I love how concise this is. Wonderful!
Oh…I love this. It reminded me of an octopus, but I couldn’t find the words…and you found 9 perfect ones 🙂
So many images to choose from. An octopus, of course it is! Terrific!
Rolling,
grappling,
holding tight,
mass of arms-
Octopus fight!
This is lots of fun…I can see those battling octopi!
I love how concise this is. Wonderful!
Oh…I love this. It reminded me of an octopus, but I couldn’t find the words…and you found 9 perfect ones 🙂
So many images to choose from. An octopus, of course it is! Terrific!
March Madness
Brain explodes in twelve
directions;
words
tangle and trip,
sputter and stop,
deadline looms.
Love the image of your dried corsage locked in dance, Laura!
Thanks, Buffy! Ooh, this is an all-too real re-enactment of the March Madness experience:>)
Buffy.…you nailed March Madness. Good luck in Round 3. Your poems have been exceptional.
Good luck, Buffy. To add to what Penny said, I have nothing but admiration for the impressive poems all of you participants create.
Terrific, brain explodes in twelve directions. How much I worked on several pieces, would dart from this line and that line!
March Madness
Brain explodes in twelve
directions;
words
tangle and trip,
sputter and stop,
deadline looms.
Love the image of your dried corsage locked in dance, Laura!
Thanks, Buffy! Ooh, this is an all-too real re-enactment of the March Madness experience:>)
Buffy.…you nailed March Madness. Good luck in Round 3. Your poems have been exceptional.
Good luck, Buffy. To add to what Penny said, I have nothing but admiration for the impressive poems all of you participants create.
Terrific, brain explodes in twelve directions. How much I worked on several pieces, would dart from this line and that line!
Twisted golden reeds
Mess with my head.
Maybe I could imagine
Something magical instead
- Anne McKenna.
I like your rhyme! Nice job!
Love your first line, Anne. Describing them as reeds puts such a silky, underwatery picture in my head.
Twisted golden reeds
Mess with my head.
Maybe I could imagine
Something magical instead
- Anne McKenna.
I like your rhyme! Nice job!
Love your first line, Anne. Describing them as reeds puts such a silky, underwatery picture in my head.
A Life Recalled
Mourning fingers,
unfurl in golden light,
like a poem.
Dance along the ivories
reciting Bach.
Janet, this is really lovely. Those mourning fingers with the next line giving the feeling of a plant opening in the morning, creates a beautiful dichotomy in the first two lines. I love this image of this melancholy piano-playing moment…
It’s beautiful, Janet. I love the ‘mourning fingers’.
Thank you, Linda and Laura and Ellie. Very much.
A Life Recalled
Mourning fingers,
unfurl in golden light,
like a poem.
Dance along the ivories
reciting Bach.
Janet, this is really lovely. Those mourning fingers with the next line giving the feeling of a plant opening in the morning, creates a beautiful dichotomy in the first two lines. I love this image of this melancholy piano-playing moment…
It’s beautiful, Janet. I love the ‘mourning fingers’.
Thank you, Linda and Laura and Ellie. Very much.
Thank you for your comments, everyone. These poems were fantastic — from Medusa to neurons to sea creatures to corsages to octopi to Bach, and more. I am in awe. I also learned about some new fruits and a new form, abecedarian, thanks to dmayr’s post and Laura’s comments.
Thank you for your comments, everyone. These poems were fantastic — from Medusa to neurons to sea creatures to corsages to octopi to Bach, and more. I am in awe. I also learned about some new fruits and a new form, abecedarian, thanks to dmayr’s post and Laura’s comments.
Hi Laura,
I couldn’t make up my mind which one I liked more so I posted them both.
Charles
DON’T CHEW KNOW HOW LUCKY I AM
I taste what I touch
Larval seastarts, crabs and such,
No chewing for me.
DON’T CHEW MESS WITH ME
I taste
What I touch, crabs,
Larval seastars and such,
Floating, gloating over an un-
Chewed meal.
© Charles Waters 2013 all rights reserved.
Oooh, don’t mess with my head. Chew-sing (ha) between poems in March Madness Poetry has left me exhausted! But I kinds like the second one better:>)
Hi Laura,
I couldn’t make up my mind which one I liked more so I posted them both.
Charles
DON’T CHEW KNOW HOW LUCKY I AM
I taste what I touch
Larval seastarts, crabs and such,
No chewing for me.
DON’T CHEW MESS WITH ME
I taste
What I touch, crabs,
Larval seastars and such,
Floating, gloating over an un-
Chewed meal.
© Charles Waters 2013 all rights reserved.
Oooh, don’t mess with my head. Chew-sing (ha) between poems in March Madness Poetry has left me exhausted! But I kinds like the second one better:>)
god of starfish
in your ethereal ocean
dance
dance
twist
and dance
over your
creation
(it’s been a while, but is that a buddha’s palm in the photo?)
What a gorgeous praise poem. You had me at god of starfish!
god of starfish
in your ethereal ocean
dance
dance
twist
and dance
over your
creation
(it’s been a while, but is that a buddha’s palm in the photo?)
What a gorgeous praise poem. You had me at god of starfish!