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.
In Duluth a couple weeks ago, we went to the Lake Superior Marine Museum like we always do. I snapped a few pictures, including this one. My husband and I and our niece and nephew hopped into Lake Superior for a few minutes (40 degrees year-round) that week. Brrrr. But fun!
But just this week in Duluth, a girl and her father died swimming in the Lake. There were riptide warnings and 5- to 7‑foot waves right near shore. Never underestimate the power of Lake Superior. Thinking about these experiences and having just read two fantastic middle grade novels (Maybe a Fox and The Notations of Cooper Cameron) that both somehow incorporate drowning or a fear of drowning, water is on my mind.
This image makes me think of several things:
- Cheerios cereal everywhere when my kids were little
- Lifesavers Storybooks in Christmas stockings
- How is it that I have NEVER thought about why Lifesavers candies are called that? I literally never made the connection before.
And here’s my first draft. I was going to do a list poem of different kinds of lifesavers, some serious, some humorous, but then it turned into a Can Be… poem and stayed on the more serious side. I don’t write about politics, but my anxieties are coming out in my poems anyway.
It’s your turn! Have fun and stick to 15 WORDS OR LESS! (Title doesn’t count toward word count.)
63 Responses
I like the rhyme in the last syllables.….and of course, I’m going right to philosophical.
A Life Saver Can Be
You
Me or Us
In the right place
At the right time
to protect–
trust
You, Me or Us — lovely. I like how in your poem, you don’t have to be extraordinary to help.
This is lovely, Linda. My poems are tending toward the philosophical lately, too. I set out to be concrete, but my concerns about society right now seem to be creeping in. I love the simplicity of your poem.
Anyyone! Yes!
Anyone…good grief! How can it NOT correct the right mistakes??
I like the you, me, or us too.
Linda, slow and steady, just as the candy melts in our mouth, so are each one of us, going about our daily lives, at the ready, whenever and wherever. Love the simple admonition.
I don’t think I ever made the name connection either, Laura. Isn’t that funny? We can go all our lives knowing and not knowing something at the same time. Love yours and Linda’s Can Be poems of hope in our society. I need these hopeful words.
On Monday, I shared a Nelson Mandela quote about fear and courage with my students. I am thinking about fear, courage, lifesavers. Who will be our lifesaver?
Fear changes nothing.
When you are drowning,
only a lifesaver
will do.
Beautiful.…and true. Have a good day today!
I love that this poem is a challenge. Even though it doesn’t directly ask the reader, it does ask it subtly: will you be a lifesaver?
“Fear changes nothing”. Worry is a poor way to spend time! Love this.
Love this!
So true Margaret. I happened upon the same quote by Nelson Mandela over the weekend. Courage over fear, I hope to remember that.
I love these. Funny how a simple “life saver” feels so appropriate right now.
Mine is 16 words, and literally came from my heart.
If my heart has a hole in its center
Is it a lifesaver?
Or needs one?
Love this, Beth! Perhaps both things are true…
Beth, I love how you took this simple fact about a lifesaver having a hole in the middle and made it into a personal poem. We all need help, but we can all give help to. I love this!
A heart with a hole in it knows the need for being a lifesaver. Nice.
I like this idea! I think both are true. Perhaps the holes in our hearts give us the experience and empathy to bouy up those around us.
Beth I really like your perspective on this one.
Such a good question at the end! I want to give you a hug
Laura, three words in your poem speak volumes; welcome, unselfish and compassion …if only! Sanity comes from the little kindnesses that we witness, more often than we may realize. I witnessed an act of compassion in a local eatery a few days ago, awesome!
Supplication
Life saver
its lifeline attached
extended to all
without exception.
Such a comforting poem and powerful last line.
Thanks, Martha. All those little acts of compassion means so much. I love your last line especially.
Love this!
Martha your life line extended to all without exception is quite powerful!
I can honesty say with out me writing my poems I might not have made it thought life
poetry Savers
with each scribble of
words I never quite
understudied
the safety net of lines
that were untangling
to save my life
This is wonderful, Jessica. I love where you took this image. Great word choices–scribble, untangling–help deliver your message about the overarching importance of poetry and words in your world.
Jessica, this is so beautiful. I love that poetry is so good at making other people see things, but the best thing of all is what it does for the person who’s writing it. Your poem captures that beautifully.
I always love the heart in your poems, Jessica!
Lovely, Jessica–I love the image of poetry as safety lines untangling.
I couldn’t agree more!
The untangling of lines to save you…how beautiful Jessica.
Awesome Jessica.
I’m hopeful that there are many lifesavers out there. I kept thinking of that old lifesaver ad when a simple wintergreen lifesaver could banish despair. It’s a bit more complicated than that, isn’t it?
If not flung
into perilous waters,
life preservers
collect dust.
Without deliberate action,
we drown.
Wonderful inspiration.
Molly, this is so true. When I was at that museum, I also took a picture of a life vest that definitely looked like it had been in the water more than once. And I thought about how that meant it had done its duty. It had probably saved lives. A life preserver on a wall is good for nothing if we don’t use it. Wonderful poem!
I love this! Thank you for sharing.
Would be nice if they didn’t HAVE to be used, but nice to know they weren’t left to gather dust when they could have been used.
You have reminded me of my “intentions” that I seem to never get around to; they are dust-covered for sure.
I love the kindness and gentle rhymes in your poem, Laura.
Your cold swim inspired my poem. I had to leave out the shivering and the way chilled skin turns red.
Cold Water Swim Equals Wading
ten toes
two shins
two knees
two thighs
fingertips skimming
feet numb
climbing out
Hehe–cold water swimming does indeed equal wading, for the most part. I love the simple rhythm of your first several lines. When you get into shockingly cold water, it feels like your brain can only process very short facts like that. So it really captures the experience for me:)
Once you are numb enough (heh-heh), you can swim! We mostly wade here in Maine ocean waters. It’s hard to be that numb.
Your short lines are effectively chattering!
Lauren you may have left out shivering and red skin but I could feel that reading your poem…brrr!
Did some digging. Fascinating history of the man who invented the candy, and his son.
Dissolved
No lifesaver
To save
The son,
A poet
Who left The Bridge
Behind
Donna Smith
I love this and it made me go and learn a bit of history.
So sad and fascinating. I would look into this more.
Wow Donna how sad, I’ll have to read the history.
Donna, thank you for the inspiration to “check it out.” Who knew!
Wow. This is so haunting, and a surreal mix of fact, fiction, and mood. Fabulous.
I enjoyed your poem, Laura. I especially liked the idea of the potential to be a world changer through simply acts. Here’s what I came up with:
Savor the moments
Arms encircling like big O’s
Give rest to the weary.
Nice thought to “give rest to the weary”.
That is so lovely, Rebecca. It feels so peaceful and reassuring.
It’s hard not to go philosophical these days! Thanks for the delicious reminder of those lifesaver books. My mom did not go for candy gifts, so I treasured the lifesaver book she gave me one Chanukah. I think I made the connection in swim class.
Lessons Learned in Senior Lifesaver Class
Toss buoy,
Reach with pole, towel, hand…
You can’t help others if you’re drowning.
I was never trained in lifesaving but I do remember being told what to do and the reminder that you can’t save someone else if YOU are drowning! Nice reminder!
Excellent point.
So true!
We in turn got those Lifesaver books for both are girls for their stockings every year for I think 20 years. Aw, tradition. I love this take on the idea, Buffy, that you have to take care of yourselves to help others. The old oxygen bag on the airplane analogy is getting worn, so this makes it fresh again.
Forgive me for going overboard!
Baby, save me!
All I need
is you
to toss me
that ring
of sweetness.
Ha–overboard indeed, Liz. Send it to your sweetheart 🙂
Hahaha. Thank you for this laugh, Elizabeth. It was nice to have somebody go in a fun instead of a serious direction. We sure could all use that. Love the voice here!
Laura I love the writing that your life preserver photo has inspired…indeed a philosophical perspective. Mine was inspired by a case last night at work.
Eleventh hour delivery.
Scissors snip
set you free.
My life slips precariously…
Lifesavers, toss your line to me!
Thanks, Jean. Wow, this is dramatic. I especially love the scissors snip line. Very nice!
OH, my! that hurts just reading it!