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.
There’s a state office building near our place that has number sculptures out front. Many are on their side or wonky in some way–kind of funny since I think there are some kind of state revenue offices in there!
This image makes me think of several things:
- a song sung by The Count on Sesame Street
- infinity
- picture frame
And here’s my first draft.
It’s your turn! Have fun and stick to 15 WORDS OR LESS! (Title doesn’t count toward word count.)
24 Responses
Good Morning, Laura! fyi, when I go to your website and click on “blog” I don’t see the link to today’s challenge. But, when I click on the link from twitter it takes me right to this page.
To infinity and beyond! Such a fun concept to play with in a short poem. I find myself wanting to rhyme more and more with this challenges. And, I never considered myself a rhymer.
Eight
Great
Pencil circles
elongate
after seven
before nine
Great
Eight
That’s so weird. Not your poem, the missing challenge, I mean. It looks all as usual for me…Will see if other people report the same. Glad you found it, thought! Thanks for the heads-up. Love “elongate!” Isn’t it fun to play with different elements of poetry in such tiny bursts each week? Some months I find myself doing rhyme many weeks in a row. Other times, it’s a mood that’s consistent, or I’m off on an alliteration kick…
Birthday Promise
I’m turning eight.
It clears the slate.
This year will be
a victory!
Trust me!
Wouldn’t it be fun to revisit 8 and that birthday!? Love it.
I really like this idea of even a kid recognizing that a new year is a new chance to reinvent ourselves, be better. Though the last line has me laughing and wondering how successful she will be. Sounds very playful!
Good morning one and all. Wonky is a good word for today Laura. The book The Wonky Donkey immediately comes to mind and brings a smile; then there is the age thing and I think about myself in a few months with a large zero after an eight; then, how much longer should I be driving brought me to my poem. It’s all good though!
Traffic Patterns
Comfy in roundabout
when behind the wheel
then comes the figure eight
nauseous I feel.
That Wonky Donkey video is the best. Hugs to you, Martha, for even thinking about it–the how long you should drive, etc. You are so thoughtful and responsible, and I love your enthusiasm and approach to life and poetry. I want to be like you when I grow up:>) Also, as we’ve recently moved from the suburbs to the city, I am now a really nervous driver. Pedestrians everywhere. One-way streets. It’s nerve-wracking.
Thank you for your sweet reply. I feel your angst. We moved from a little mountain town in western NC to the suburbs of Atlanta. Still living with our daughter and our worldly possessions are in storage. Still searching for our next home.
Pondering forever
Elliptical rotations,
Cosmic trip through time,
Looping to an ending,
Where everything begins.
Ha! These mesmerizing words make me feel the same way I do when I try to wrap my head around the universe, the borders of space, etc. And the time before time began. Sigh. Eventually, I give up and eat cupcakes!
I love the idea of numbers turned on their head. It reminded me of a kid’s imaginary play. Your poem reminded me of a mobiles strip, Laura!
From Eight to Infinity
My box can be a racing car,
a space ship to a distant star!
Yes! A Moebius strip is what I always picture too when I think of the infinity symbol. I love the possibilities in your poem. And your title makes me think not just of possibilities, but of ages. How we could all (adults included) use more of this imagination and playfulness.
I immediately thought of figure skating.
inside edge
to outside edge
endlessly tracing
a figure 8
to skate great
I remember years ago watching on TV as Olympic skaters did their figures. It was like a zen practice! This makes me think of how lost we can get in a repetition of something we love doing.
No Debate It’s.…
(Four plus four) +
(Six and two more) -
(Two four times) =
(Seventeen less nine) =
Eight!
No one said there would be math! 🙂
Just more proof that there are a lot of different ways to get to the right answer!
For some reason on my computer my email link is bringing me to this post but there are no comments but on my phone link I see everything. Something must be glitching somewhere. I love your poem today. When I saw the number 8 I thought of Sesame Street too, but went in a creepier direction. I think Halloween is still fresh on my mind.
Weaving webs,
figure eight,
Eight eyes, eight legs,
I contemplate…
A hostage meal
to masticate.
Maybe because you’re not signed in to something that you are usually signed in on? You’re showing up as Anonymous, so I’m not sure who you are, but whatever account you usually post from, I think you’re signed out of:>)
Hi Laura it’s Jean. Not sure why I’m having trouble, but I’ll keep troubleshooting until I fix it. Thanks!
Lol looks like it’s working now.
And I love this sinister, creepy, spider voice!
poem by Jessica Bigi
Lady Liberty
She with glory
skates her looping
rings of freedom
around our lives
connecting our heart’s
making us one
Boy, I feel like our whole country needs this poem, Jessica. ????