Hoofing It [15 words or less]

The horses at this Fourth of July parade had better pedicures than me.
Photo: Laura Purdie Salas

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

15WOLs

Happy Thursday, and if you’re visiting as a result of Mary Lee Hahn’s kind shoutout at nErDcamp MI, welcome! We love having new people drop by and give this a try–or use it with their students, even if they never post. On the Fourth, my husband and I helped out Minnesota Brass Drum and Bugle Corps?at two parades, and I snapped this glittery hoof at one of them.?This image makes me think of:

1)’dogs in silly outfits, like bridal gowns
2)?wonder whether a horse would be proud or embarrassed by this hooficure
3) glittery hoofprints that might be left behind

And here’s my?first draft:

My feet flash like fireworks!
Sparks explode each time
they strike the street!

–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:>)?

P.S. I’m at summer school today, working with students on their Can Be… books! I will try to stop by and comment on each poem, but it might take me an extra day or two!

138 Responses

    1. I see, now, that you had the same idea I did about dancing and sprinkling glitter.
      I always post before I read other people’s poems.
      I like your words “shine and shimmer.”

    1. I see, now, that you had the same idea I did about dancing and sprinkling glitter.
      I always post before I read other people’s poems.
      I like your words “shine and shimmer.”

    1. Interesting, Donna–I’ve only seen rime used in the context of rime ice, so this gave me a new meaning/image. On the other hand, it’s gearing up for State Fair time here in Minnesota, where the star attraction is always food, especially _________________ (insert anything there) on a stick. So your title gave me pause! :>)

    1. Interesting, Donna–I’ve only seen rime used in the context of rime ice, so this gave me a new meaning/image. On the other hand, it’s gearing up for State Fair time here in Minnesota, where the star attraction is always food, especially _________________ (insert anything there) on a stick. So your title gave me pause! :>)

  1. I see dogs leaving the groomer’s with nails polished, why not horses. I wonder about the effects for animals who lick/chew their feet. Still, the picture prompts fun reactions.

    An Equine Dilemma

    Agitated, humiliated,
    what’s a mare to do;
    I neighed my request
    for Carolina blue.

    1. I guess when you said “Carolina Blue” you should not have “nayed” it! The neighs and nays must have gotten mixed up! Hi-ho, Silver!

      1. Thanks Donna. Didn’t mean it to be a nay but “neigh” as in horse talk. Maybe a whinnied would have been clearer, that would be close to a “whine” of agitation.

      2. Sorry, should be “Hi-yo, Silver!” After posting I researched how to spell it (Hi or Heigh), and opened up a can of worms — “Hi-ho” or “Hi-yo”? Found out that it was “Hi-yo, Silver!” by downloading an old comic book and installing a comic book reader. It was written there as “Hi-yo!, not ho. For over 50 years I’ve believed that it was “Hi-ho”. Never too old to learn, I guess. “Hi-yo, Silver-hair!”

    2. Really, do people get their dogs’ nails painted? I love this, thought of the horse’s feelings, too when I wrote.

    3. Dogs get their nails polished? REally? I had no idea! Hehe–love the voice of this. Poor horse!

  2. I see dogs leaving the groomer’s with nails polished, why not horses. I wonder about the effects for animals who lick/chew their feet. Still, the picture prompts fun reactions.

    An Equine Dilemma

    Agitated, humiliated,
    what’s a mare to do;
    I neighed my request
    for Carolina blue.

    1. I guess when you said “Carolina Blue” you should not have “nayed” it! The neighs and nays must have gotten mixed up! Hi-ho, Silver!

      1. Thanks Donna. Didn’t mean it to be a nay but “neigh” as in horse talk. Maybe a whinnied would have been clearer, that would be close to a “whine” of agitation.

      2. Sorry, should be “Hi-yo, Silver!” After posting I researched how to spell it (Hi or Heigh), and opened up a can of worms — “Hi-ho” or “Hi-yo”? Found out that it was “Hi-yo, Silver!” by downloading an old comic book and installing a comic book reader. It was written there as “Hi-yo!, not ho. For over 50 years I’ve believed that it was “Hi-ho”. Never too old to learn, I guess. “Hi-yo, Silver-hair!”

    2. Really, do people get their dogs’ nails painted? I love this, thought of the horse’s feelings, too when I wrote.

    3. Dogs get their nails polished? REally? I had no idea! Hehe–love the voice of this. Poor horse!

  3. Oh, I like that Laura! And the others–off to a good start today!

    Dance

    Feet tap hard,
    feet twist strong,
    feet make silver
    of a song.

    ?Kate Coombs

  4. Oh, I like that Laura! And the others–off to a good start today!

    Dance

    Feet tap hard,
    feet twist strong,
    feet make silver
    of a song.

    ?Kate Coombs

    1. Maybe it’s just what I’m going through right now
      But the glitter in your poem reminds me of the
      Memories we build with thows we love become sparking glitter in our lives making our days brighter Than You

    2. I’m loving how several of you have poem-ed about celebrating life and spreading joy–aka glitter:>)

    1. Maybe it’s just what I’m going through right now
      But the glitter in your poem reminds me of the
      Memories we build with thows we love become sparking glitter in our lives making our days brighter Than You

    2. I’m loving how several of you have poem-ed about celebrating life and spreading joy–aka glitter:>)

    1. This has such a timeless feel to it, like an age-old but still so appealing nursery rhyme.

    1. This has such a timeless feel to it, like an age-old but still so appealing nursery rhyme.

  5. Laura I love your poem an the pic today
    And I like all the poems today

    Rat-ta-tat

    Tap

    Jingle

    Jangle

    Fly sparks of

    July’s tambourines

    Marching

    Down

    5th ave

    Poem by Jessica Bigi

    1. I like that “marching down” effect in the form of your poem.

  6. Laura I love your poem an the pic today
    And I like all the poems today

    Rat-ta-tat

    Tap

    Jingle

    Jangle

    Fly sparks of

    July’s tambourines

    Marching

    Down

    5th ave

    Poem by Jessica Bigi

    1. I like that “marching down” effect in the form of your poem.

  7. This made me think of our Friday night street dances outside in the summer.
    Especially this past Friday, the 4th.

    We’re dancing to the beat,
    silver sneakers on our feet,
    sprinkling glitter on the street.

    1. Does your block do this, Pat? I would LOVE to live somewhere where everyone goes outside and dance on Friday nights. Love that last line.

      1. Not my block, my town! Hendersonville NC has Music on Main Street every Friday night, June through August. There is also a street dance on Monday night where there is Appalachian music, clogging and square dancing. They have started Rhythm and Blues night on the third Thursday of the month. Great little town! (I sound like I’m from the Chamber of Commerce. Ha!)

        1. Fun! When I was in Chicago for ALA last summer, they had public dancing every week in the big park on the Mile, there. Such great energy!

  8. This made me think of our Friday night street dances outside in the summer.
    Especially this past Friday, the 4th.

    We’re dancing to the beat,
    silver sneakers on our feet,
    sprinkling glitter on the street.

    1. Does your block do this, Pat? I would LOVE to live somewhere where everyone goes outside and dance on Friday nights. Love that last line.

      1. Not my block, my town! Hendersonville NC has Music on Main Street every Friday night, June through August. There is also a street dance on Monday night where there is Appalachian music, clogging and square dancing. They have started Rhythm and Blues night on the third Thursday of the month. Great little town! (I sound like I’m from the Chamber of Commerce. Ha!)

        1. Fun! When I was in Chicago for ALA last summer, they had public dancing every week in the big park on the Mile, there. Such great energy!

  9. I haven’t written in a while-what a lot of glitter in these poems. I like your “flash” & “explode” Laura!

    Sparkly clip-clop,
    pedicured toes!
    Even a horse
    wants a princess pose
    Linda Baie ? All Rights Reserved

  10. I haven’t written in a while-what a lot of glitter in these poems. I like your “flash” & “explode” Laura!

    Sparkly clip-clop,
    pedicured toes!
    Even a horse
    wants a princess pose
    Linda Baie ? All Rights Reserved

    1. I sense a new My Little Pony set coming: The Pony Prom. I’m not even a super squealy girly-girl, but somehow little ponies happily twirling makes me smile!

    1. I sense a new My Little Pony set coming: The Pony Prom. I’m not even a super squealy girly-girl, but somehow little ponies happily twirling makes me smile!

    1. I like how this writing prompt works each week because we all find different things from our own look out perch. Love that glitter of stars appeared for you today.

    2. All most like the horse is running trough the night sky leaving star foot prints wonderful 🙂 I like this group also and how we all see diffrent things in the pic

    1. I like how this writing prompt works each week because we all find different things from our own look out perch. Love that glitter of stars appeared for you today.

    2. All most like the horse is running trough the night sky leaving star foot prints wonderful 🙂 I like this group also and how we all see diffrent things in the pic

  11. Today
    I dipped,
    I dabbed,
    I danced,
    I dazzled.
    Tomorrow
    I’ll deny it.

  12. Today
    I dipped,
    I dabbed,
    I danced,
    I dazzled.
    Tomorrow
    I’ll deny it.

  13. 4TH OF JULY PARADE (YOU GO GIRL)
    Horse hoofs clop down
    Cobblestone streets like
    Supermodel stilettos click
    On the catwalk.

    © Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.

  14. 4TH OF JULY PARADE (YOU GO GIRL)
    Horse hoofs clop down
    Cobblestone streets like
    Supermodel stilettos click
    On the catwalk.

    © Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.

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