Jeweled Fish [15 Words or Less]

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.  Happy first week of school for all your northern teachers!

Jeweled Fish
Photo: Laura P. Salas

While visiting my older daughter in La Crosse, WI, over the summer, I loved looking at the various heron statues in all different themes. If I remember correctly, this is a close-up of one tiny part of one statue.

This image makes me think of several things:

  1. the gaudy jewelry my mom loved to wear
  2. when they serve an entire fish on a plate at a restaurant–makes me squeamish
  3. The Rainbow Fish

Having gone kayaking and canoeing and stand-up paddleboarding several times this summer with a parks program, I’m gonna run with rainbow fish.

kayaking over a rainbow

 

It’s your turn! Have fun and stick to 15 WORDS OR LESS! (Title doesn’t count toward word count.)

 

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

43 Responses

  1. ohhhhhh, I wish for a kyak day! I miss summer so much already.

    September days
    fish jump and flip
    nipping buttons of color
    from skies
    bluer than blue

    1. Love- buttons of color. Never thought of insects in that light! (Although- maybe they were eating dragonflies.)

  2. Loved your poem, Laura, a lovely image.

    FISHING TRIP REALITIES

    Shimmery, sparkling,
    just like in the book,
    except that this fish
    hung on a hook.

    1. And THAT is why I have never liked fishing! Great juxtaposition of fantasy and reality:>)

  3. Loved your take on rainbows and treasure! I’ve never kayaked but have canoed. It’s such a peaceful way to be out on the water. Last time I was in a canoe was when I taught on LaCrosse!

    A heron knows
    Watch, jab, close,
    So yummy!
    Glows of fin
    And scales within
    Its tummy!

    1. That’s too funny, Donna. Both the poem and the coincidence! I love those glows of fin, and also the opening line. I think Joyce Sidman did a poem challenge at Today’s Little Ditty that revolved around the secret knowledge things have, and this put me in mind of that.

  4. Laura, your verse is as beautiful as the “model” for the picture. I immediately thought of my grandmother who loved to fish. She made sure that each of her ten grandchildren made a trip with her to the river with her to catch our first fish, for food only she would say. The mention of your mother’s jewelry prompted my poem. I can envision Grandma wearing a jeweled fish.

    A Tribute to Grandma

    Her passion
    we were always told
    a river bank
    with worm and pole.

    RIP

    1. Hooray, you were able to comment this week! This is lovely–I really like how my photo and brainstorming reminded you of a real-life person when put together. I love how you save the surprise for the ending. Not that grandmas don’t fish, but the language of the title and first three lines makes me expect something pastoral, and then that plain-spoken final line gives me a chuckle. Lovely memory!

      1. Thank you Laura. I, too, was happy to be able to comment this week. Still had to wait for moderation. One of these days … ! (Sorry for the redundant “with her.”) Grandma was born in 1892 and lived to be 104. Not a day passes without a memory, in some small way, of her.

    2. Martha this is a great tribute to your Grandmother. I love the idea that she took each of you to the river to learn how to fish. Such great memories to have!

      1. Thank you Jean. So many memories of her. She would love to be able to participate in 15 WOL.

  5. Laura that jeweled fish is absolutely lovely, as is your poem today! My son and his Great Uncle just went deep sea fishing in the Long Island Sound, and caught 28 Blue fish! I was up to my elbows filleting fish. That is the inspiration for my poem today.

    Dinner

    Out on sea
    it was you
    vs.
    me…
    I won.

    1. Just realized a typo. This is what happens when your rushing on the first day back to school lol. My poem should read

      Out at sea
      it was you
      vs.
      me…
      I won.

  6. Thank you for your very kind words at YDP on Sept 1, Laura. That was a fun one. Today’s fish on a plate made me cringe.

    Not my wish-
    a whole fish.
    Disturbing dinner dish!

  7. I love the glimmer and shimmer, Laura! I thought of kayaking, too:

    Tumbling Pebbles

    Pebbles, smooth and sun dappled,

    tumble beneath the rippling water

    and cartwheel down the river.

    1. Cartwheel down the river is pure joy, Tara! I also love the place and bl sounds throughout.

  8. Love the focus on each part: scales, fins, and tails forming a treasure. This reminded me of my brief venture into glass fusing:

    Mosaic Morning

    Shards of glass
    cut, broken
    discarded scraps

    painstakingly arranged
    color by color
    growing new dreams

    1. Thanks, Buffy. Oh I love the feeling of inspiration and healing in this. I mean, I get that it’s about making art, but that’s healing too, right?

  9. Good morning! That fish is the sort of beautiful thing I end up buying and trying to find a place for in my house. How big is it?

    Spell

    Stone by stone,
    wish by wish,
    blue by blue,
    bones of fish.

    —Kate Coombs

    1. This does sound exactly like a spell or an enchantment, Kate! Beautiful! it was part of a larger statue but I just assumed in for a close-up of this. I can’t actually remember how big it was. I think it was probably less than a foot long…

  10. I like the lively rhythm in your poem Laura, and so succinct!

    Though I wrote this early this morning the day slipped away from me …

    RAINBOW MEMORIES

    Fish pebbles left behind
    once shimmered
    and shined.

    Reminiscent rainbow fins
    sailing through
    ocean’s winds.

    Michelle Kogan

    1. Thanks! Ooh, this second stanza is one of the best things you’ve shared here, Michelle. So fresh and musical!

  11. poem by
    Jessica Bigi

    A Lesson In Art

    bullions of years
    I’ve Swam
    in blueish shad
    on walls
    of imagination

    1. Jessica, I’m thinking that shad was meant to be shade, but because a Shad is a kind of fish, isn’t it? So if it is a typo, it’s still kind of works out perfectly. I love serendipity!

      1. the pic mad me think of anchant cave drawings I hadent know that was also a name of a fish

Subscribe to Blog via Email

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

Join 2,547 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 FlynnccbcCCRA.W.3CCRA.W.4CCRA.W.5centoschapter booksCharles Waterschoral 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 SweeneyLine Leads the WayLion of the Skylist poemslittle free librarylive writingLullaby and Kisses Sweetlyricsmadness poetrymagnipoemsmargaret simonMarilyn Singermary lee hahnmask poemsMatt Forrest EsenwineMeet My FamilyMelissa StewartMentors for Rentmentor textsmetaphorMichelle Myers LacknerMillbrookMinnesota Book Awardsmoneymoonmy 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)National Poetry Month 2024 (magnipoems)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 poemsrefugeesresearchreview copiesreviewsrevisionrhyming 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 conferencesYouTubeZapZap Clap Boomzenozentangle
Show More Show Less

Discover more from Laura Purdie Salas

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Join Laura's monthly newsletter for eductators

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