A Jig and a Poem [15 words or less poems]

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

Photo: Laura P. Salas

 

15WOLs

Usually, I post pictures I find beautiful or spooky or engaging. This one just makes me smile. When we were in Dublin, we were signed up for the Irish Dance Party at the Temple Bar. It was an afternoon event where we would “learn a bit of Irish dancing” and learn about Irish music. Twenty minutes before start time, we (me, husband, 19yo daughter) were the only people in this huge, empty room. No way were we going to do this by ourselves! How intimidating! But then, about 5 minutes before start time, a huge group of U.S. students on their senior trip poured in. So it was full of 60 high school seniors and us. Lord. But it ended up being a blast! If I were a YA writer, I would’ve gotten tons of material:>) Even though there were all the usual stereotypes/cliques, most of the kids jumped in, had fun, and were good sports. The whole thing ended up being a great memory!

This image makes me think of:

1) square dancing in PE in elementary school
2) dancing at a wedding
3) drum corps, where I could do the moves well but couldn’t remember everything in the right order!

And here’s my?first draft.

Rumble

 

Now it’s your turn! Have fun and stick to 15 WORDS OR LESS!??(Title doesn’t count toward word count:>) If you leave a poem in the comments, and if it’s 15 words or less, I’ll try to respond!

 

62 Responses

  1. Grab a hand
    Spin around
    in a circle
    twist and shout
    Truly what dancing’s about

    What a neat experience! Very cool picture

    1. Thanks, Amelia! We loved it. And it was super fun watching the students (we were split into two big groups for dancing, so half the time you danced, and half the time you watched the other group) do exactly what your poem is. They mostly dove into it with gusto. Love seeing people who don’t care if they are doing it wrong–they just want to have fun!

  2. Grab a hand
    Spin around
    in a circle
    twist and shout
    Truly what dancing’s about

    What a neat experience! Very cool picture

    1. Thanks, Amelia! We loved it. And it was super fun watching the students (we were split into two big groups for dancing, so half the time you danced, and half the time you watched the other group) do exactly what your poem is. They mostly dove into it with gusto. Love seeing people who don’t care if they are doing it wrong–they just want to have fun!

  3. Laura,
    “The wooden earth shakes” I can feel through and through. My husband and I love dancing Cajun and Zydeco. In fact we went to a free concert last night and danced our hearts out. The temp was a warm 90 something, but when everybody sweats it doesn’t matter.

    When I finish my coffee, I’ll come back with a poem.

      1. Dance

        Spinning
        under arm
        you brush hair
        into my eyes.
        I cannot see,
        only feel
        delirious.

        (I’ve grown my bangs out, so often when we are dancing the hair flies over my eyes, but I don’t stop.)

  4. Laura,
    “The wooden earth shakes” I can feel through and through. My husband and I love dancing Cajun and Zydeco. In fact we went to a free concert last night and danced our hearts out. The temp was a warm 90 something, but when everybody sweats it doesn’t matter.

    When I finish my coffee, I’ll come back with a poem.

      1. Dance

        Spinning
        under arm
        you brush hair
        into my eyes.
        I cannot see,
        only feel
        delirious.

        (I’ve grown my bangs out, so often when we are dancing the hair flies over my eyes, but I don’t stop.)

  5. Laura,
    This reminds me of a niece’s wedding and a special slow dance with my hubby, while he was still on oxygen. Touching! There was also some fun line dancing captured on film.

    So glad you got to be a part of this Irish-American dancing fun.

  6. Laura,
    This reminds me of a niece’s wedding and a special slow dance with my hubby, while he was still on oxygen. Touching! There was also some fun line dancing captured on film.

    So glad you got to be a part of this Irish-American dancing fun.

  7. Thanks for sharing more of your Irish experience, even though …

    Wallflower

    I hear the music
    feel the beat
    but alas I’m wearing
    my two left feet

    1. There were many two-left-feet-ers there! My feet are coordinated, but sometimes I feel I’m wearing two left brains, since I can’t keep the steps in order! Your Wallflower should dance anyway:>)

  8. Thanks for sharing more of your Irish experience, even though …

    Wallflower

    I hear the music
    feel the beat
    but alas I’m wearing
    my two left feet

    1. There were many two-left-feet-ers there! My feet are coordinated, but sometimes I feel I’m wearing two left brains, since I can’t keep the steps in order! Your Wallflower should dance anyway:>)

  9. I’m wondering what kind of music was playing

    The Irish Jig
    oy
    spinning
    round
    round
    Trawling left
    trawling right
    spinning
    round
    round
    so
    dizzy
    plop
    oy

    1. Love the motion, Jessica. The “oy” sounds like Yiddish, as in “oy vey,” so it gives this poem an Eastern European feel to it, which is a funny contrast to the Irish jig! It makes me picture a grandmotherly type trying to dance, but getting dizzy and then just sitting (plop) to watch while she rubs her sore ankles.

      The music was being played live on fiddle or any of three or four other instruments by this amazing music grad student. It was fabulous!

  10. I’m wondering what kind of music was playing

    The Irish Jig
    oy
    spinning
    round
    round
    Trawling left
    trawling right
    spinning
    round
    round
    so
    dizzy
    plop
    oy

    1. Love the motion, Jessica. The “oy” sounds like Yiddish, as in “oy vey,” so it gives this poem an Eastern European feel to it, which is a funny contrast to the Irish jig! It makes me picture a grandmotherly type trying to dance, but getting dizzy and then just sitting (plop) to watch while she rubs her sore ankles.

      The music was being played live on fiddle or any of three or four other instruments by this amazing music grad student. It was fabulous!

  11. Laura, love the ominous and magical last 2 lines in combination with the dance scene!

    Dublin Jig

    Leprechauns giggle,
    watching us wiggle
    and pound, oh
    the sound, the way
    we spin round!

    ?Kate Coombs

    1. Thank you, Kate. Apparently, I had an evil fairy under the floor! I love the rhythm of yours, how it feels like it’s gaining momentum.

  12. Laura, love the ominous and magical last 2 lines in combination with the dance scene!

    Dublin Jig

    Leprechauns giggle,
    watching us wiggle
    and pound, oh
    the sound, the way
    we spin round!

    ?Kate Coombs

    1. Thank you, Kate. Apparently, I had an evil fairy under the floor! I love the rhythm of yours, how it feels like it’s gaining momentum.

  13. This was a lot of fun — thanks for the challenge!

    Hands, feet
    meet the beat

    shake, jive
    come alive

    zag, zig
    Irish Jig

    1. Fun, Lori! I especially like “come alive.” Irish dance really gets the blood pumping, so this felt just right:>)

  14. This was a lot of fun — thanks for the challenge!

    Hands, feet
    meet the beat

    shake, jive
    come alive

    zag, zig
    Irish Jig

    1. Fun, Lori! I especially like “come alive.” Irish dance really gets the blood pumping, so this felt just right:>)

  15. Scrabble

    Jig, short but huge reward
    When J lands on triple-letter,
    G on triple-word.

    1. Ooh, I just beat Randy at Scrabble last night. We play 5 or 6 games a week, so this poem is right up my alley!

        1. I don’t play any games on my phone/computer. I LOVE word games, and if I started, I would never get any work done!

          1. I also love word games, especially WORDS with Friends. Currently, I have nine games going with family and friends. I limit myself to playing once in the morning (I am an early bird) and once or twice in the evening before I go to bed. If I’m indulgent with myself, I’ll sit down after lunch and play once with all who have played since the morning round.

  16. Scrabble

    Jig, short but huge reward
    When J lands on triple-letter,
    G on triple-word.

    1. Ooh, I just beat Randy at Scrabble last night. We play 5 or 6 games a week, so this poem is right up my alley!

        1. I don’t play any games on my phone/computer. I LOVE word games, and if I started, I would never get any work done!

          1. I also love word games, especially WORDS with Friends. Currently, I have nine games going with family and friends. I limit myself to playing once in the morning (I am an early bird) and once or twice in the evening before I go to bed. If I’m indulgent with myself, I’ll sit down after lunch and play once with all who have played since the morning round.

  17. Friday night is a street dance in our town all summer.
    It’s almost Friday!

    Street Dance

    Hear the music.
    Feel the beat.
    Keep the rhythm.
    Move your feet.
    On, how sweet!

    1. Oops! I meant to type “h” for “oh,” not “n” for “on.”

  18. Friday night is a street dance in our town all summer.
    It’s almost Friday!

    Street Dance

    Hear the music.
    Feel the beat.
    Keep the rhythm.
    Move your feet.
    On, how sweet!

    1. Oops! I meant to type “h” for “oh,” not “n” for “on.”

Subscribe to Blog via Email

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

Join 2,548 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."