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.”

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