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.
A nearby park has what the map describes as a maze–which I think is overstating it a little! But it’s a sort of walking meditation path that is rather soothing. This image makes me think of several things:
- When I can SEE the building I need from the highway but can’t figure out how to get there
- How inefficient and roundabout much of our lives are–is that a bad thing?
- It feels odd to walk just looking at your feet
And here’s my first draft. Gosh, I had fun with this! I started with shortest distance and was off on a philosophical thought about how the shortest distance isn’t always a line because things are complicated–but then wordplay took over:>) As I was writing this draft, I actually couldn’t even remember what the image was of, but that’s ok, because the picture is ALWAYS just the starting point. Then you take it wherever it wants to go.
It’s your turn! Have fun and stick to 15 WORDS OR LESS! (Title doesn’t count toward word count.)
41 Responses
Good morning Laura. I think I might be able to successfully complete this maze! I steer clear of corn and hay bale mazes.
The Sequel
Sleeping Beauty
now wary of apples;
witch, watching from woods
admires perfect “pink” mushrooms.
I love the ominous feel of your sequel.
Thank you Lauren. I just love the many interpretations in the 15 WOL exercises. Pink, poisonous mushrooms certainly jumped out at me.
DON’T DO IT, SB! Remember the apples!
There’s always some new danger, isn’t there? I love that SB is “wary” of apples. Ha!
Fantastic, I love your fairy tale take on this picture. If it’s not apples, it’s pink mushrooms; Sleeping Beauty needs to stay sharp.
Laura, I love your poem, your point and especially your ending. Great picture today too.
Sweet distractions
on unplanned paths
reward those
who dare to wander.
Thanks for your “sweet distractions” to counter my ominous ones!!!!
Wandering leads to wonderful wanderment! Love this reminder.
Isn’t it nice when distractions are a reward and not the enemy? Makes me want to go for a wander today!
Laura I really enjoyed reading your poem. Unplanned paths with a positive ending…I’m ready to wander.
Sorry Lauren I wrote Laura when I meant to write your name.
As a kid I used to make mazes in the snow after a new snow and kids would follow it round and round at recess time. Taught my students to make them too years later. That’s what this reminds me of.
Amazing Recess
Happily trudging
Shuffling snow
Winding a puzzle path
To and fro
This also reminds me of the empty summer playgrounds here, waiting for kids to come back to play.
Gone for Now
Round the school’s playground
Chasing and calls
These are the phantoms
Of their winter footfalls
What fun for your students making snow paths. Love that idea.
I bet the kids loved it and I bet it was tiring too. 🙂
I would have loved your snow mazes when I was little and lived up north. Your second poem captures that eerie feeling of an empty playground.
Love these two different moods. And those phantom footfalls!
Donna these are great! I love playing in the snow with my kids, but a snow maze sounds awesome.
Love these Donna. Very clever!
Fun poem, Laura. I like “Survivors: strength”
LIGHTING THE WAY
Fairy footprints
in the park,
shimmer pink
to light the dark.
Love the fairy footprints!
I love this!
Ooh. I feel a need to watch a wonderful, magical children’s movie of some kind! Love the “fairy footprints.”
A fun rhyme to say. Great image.
Pink, fairy footprints to light the way, how fun!
poem By Jessica Bigi
Steps of Faith
Perhaps our lives
steppingstones
for other to follow
teaching
connecting
careering
one another
across the world
What a beautiful thought, Jessica. Lovely poem.
Love the idea of our own lives as stepping stones for others!
This is a beautiful concept, and so nicely written.
Love all that wordplay today, Laura!
slippery rocks test
bare feet, backbone, and balance
crossing the creek
I love this. I’m horrible on crossing creeks. The rocks always win and my backside always ends up wet.
Love your second line. Where I live, a slip in a creek might feel nice on a hot day like today.
Thanks! What delicious alliteration!
This is so visual; I really enjoyed reading this!
I enjoyed your poem, especially the ending. The picture put me in mind of a flattened corn field. Here’s my little ditty.
Crop Circle
Said they’d be back
A short trip ’round the sun
I’m still sitting here
Waiting
Love that last line and the friendly feel of your poem for a topic often presented as scary.
Thanks, Rebecca. Hahaha–hope your mystery alien friends return soon!
I think those aliens might be afraid to come back. I like your last line.
Laura I read your poem at work yesterday, but was too busy to post, so I’m posting today. That picture really caught my attention, and I like how you just let it inspire your poem’s path. Since I’m a nurse by trade, the maze picture took a bit of a medical journey.
Healthcare’s Path
Symptoms, diagnosis, disease,
Opinions, GP’s, Expertise.
Deductibles, Bills, ill at ease,
Medical Maze Runner squeeze.
Isn’t this the truth. I have a daughter with a chronic health condition, and sometimes it feels like life is one big healthcare plan. Nice rhyming–love ill at ease!
Fun wordplay with your poem Laura! I was taken by the pink in the image.
Magical markers,
minimal path,
break the pattern
you can go anywhere
even to Saturn!