Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here are the roots of a cool tree in the Bahamas–I think this was at a beach in Freeport. Here’s what this image?makes me think of:
1)?Knotted shoelaces
2) Mermaid hair
3) Medusa
And here’s my poem first draft:
The Last Mermaid
washed up
on beach,
scales dulled,
tail still,
hair tangle of’salt, stoneextinct
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
What do you think of when you look at this picture? Take any quick idea and jot down a 15 Words or Less poem. It doesn’t have to rhyme or describe this picture. It’s just about whatever you think of when you look at it.
138 Responses
plunging darkness, forcing our way through
anchored fast that our creations
may reach the sky
(while i should probably know what my own poems are about, i am torn between whether or not this is about writing or children. or both.)
I like the forcefulness of this and the last two lines especially.
Wow. Powerful.
What a vivid way to express that usually someone or something is behind the scenes, working hard, putting in time, staying grounded, in order for someone or something else (a story, a poem, a child, a spouse) to fly high and big. I almost always know what my poems are about, which can get boring. I’m always so excited when something comes out that’s at least slightly open to interpretation! (anchored fast is my favorite phrase)
thanks! when ‘anchored fast’ spilled out i paused and admired it a bit myself. it isn’t often i feel the sudden magic of words that happen along.
in the spirit of these exercises i try to do them as quickly as possible. i look at the photo until something starts brewing, then jump down to the comment box and hustle the feeling into words before it flits.
confession time: i don’t read your intro or your poem if possible before writing mine. i really want the response to be raw and immediate. that said, i loved that you went into mermaid territory. i didn’t see it myself until afterward, but now i can almost see nothing else.
LOVE that you admit to pausing and admiring briefly. It really is magic when a phrase comes out that is more than we expected.
I am so glad you try to do them quickly–that is definitely the idea. Some people confess to spending more time, revising, etc. But really it’s not supposed to be effort-ful or anxiety-provoking. Look for a minute, then spill. That’s it.
Thanks for the kind words. And I’m glad you don’t read my post first. I do it and list a few thoughts to help people start seeing other things in the image, but I’d really rather NOT influence the words of people who are comfortable just taking off from the image. THAT’s def the way to go. I always enjoy the poems you come up with–it’s a treat to read them.
plunging darkness, forcing our way through
anchored fast that our creations
may reach the sky
(while i should probably know what my own poems are about, i am torn between whether or not this is about writing or children. or both.)
I like the forcefulness of this and the last two lines especially.
Wow. Powerful.
What a vivid way to express that usually someone or something is behind the scenes, working hard, putting in time, staying grounded, in order for someone or something else (a story, a poem, a child, a spouse) to fly high and big. I almost always know what my poems are about, which can get boring. I’m always so excited when something comes out that’s at least slightly open to interpretation! (anchored fast is my favorite phrase)
thanks! when ‘anchored fast’ spilled out i paused and admired it a bit myself. it isn’t often i feel the sudden magic of words that happen along.
in the spirit of these exercises i try to do them as quickly as possible. i look at the photo until something starts brewing, then jump down to the comment box and hustle the feeling into words before it flits.
confession time: i don’t read your intro or your poem if possible before writing mine. i really want the response to be raw and immediate. that said, i loved that you went into mermaid territory. i didn’t see it myself until afterward, but now i can almost see nothing else.
LOVE that you admit to pausing and admiring briefly. It really is magic when a phrase comes out that is more than we expected.
I am so glad you try to do them quickly–that is definitely the idea. Some people confess to spending more time, revising, etc. But really it’s not supposed to be effort-ful or anxiety-provoking. Look for a minute, then spill. That’s it.
Thanks for the kind words. And I’m glad you don’t read my post first. I do it and list a few thoughts to help people start seeing other things in the image, but I’d really rather NOT influence the words of people who are comfortable just taking off from the image. THAT’s def the way to go. I always enjoy the poems you come up with–it’s a treat to read them.
WAR BEACH
Fingers snatched
this foaming shore,
bodies borne
then sucked to sea.
Powerful images in so few words.
Such a mournful poem… it gave me goosebumps.
Oh! So I know the title is War Beach, but I was picturing the tsunami. Great f words and or sounds. Really strong, concrete scene!
The tsunami would work, but I was thinking Normandy Beach. I get, as Janelle put it, mournful when I think of such things. I see today’s photo inspired lots of gloomy thoughts!
WAR BEACH
Fingers snatched
this foaming shore,
bodies borne
then sucked to sea.
Powerful images in so few words.
Such a mournful poem… it gave me goosebumps.
Oh! So I know the title is War Beach, but I was picturing the tsunami. Great f words and or sounds. Really strong, concrete scene!
The tsunami would work, but I was thinking Normandy Beach. I get, as Janelle put it, mournful when I think of such things. I see today’s photo inspired lots of gloomy thoughts!
Brittle and dry
Heaving one last sigh
Hair drying in sky
Goodbye, sea. Goodbye.
I really liked your idea, Ms. Salas! Good picture!
So sad. I like the second line best and enjoyed your rhyme.
The second line is my favorite, too. I like the wistfulness of the poem and the rhymes.
Thanks, Amelia. I love the sensory words–I could feel the brittleness and hear the sigh. Is this a person or some otherworldly creature speaking this poem?
Brittle and dry
Heaving one last sigh
Hair drying in sky
Goodbye, sea. Goodbye.
I really liked your idea, Ms. Salas! Good picture!
So sad. I like the second line best and enjoyed your rhyme.
The second line is my favorite, too. I like the wistfulness of the poem and the rhymes.
Thanks, Amelia. I love the sensory words–I could feel the brittleness and hear the sigh. Is this a person or some otherworldly creature speaking this poem?
Wow, some things to think about with these early poems! Not so much with mine! 😉
French class…
she spends the hour lost
in split ends
© Diane Mayr
Ha! Love it!
That’s funny… it reminds me of my high school days… 🙂
Love this: setting, action, mood, all in 10 words. It’s totally teen!
how many girls in how many classes did i witness this… totally unnoticed.
Wonderful to see that connection to other kinds of hair.
Wow, some things to think about with these early poems! Not so much with mine! 😉
French class…
she spends the hour lost
in split ends
© Diane Mayr
Ha! Love it!
That’s funny… it reminds me of my high school days… 🙂
Love this: setting, action, mood, all in 10 words. It’s totally teen!
how many girls in how many classes did i witness this… totally unnoticed.
Wonderful to see that connection to other kinds of hair.
No Return
nerves
shot
spent
shattered
frazzled
frayed
fizzled
wearied
writhing
worming
to the abyss
?.unraveled
~Penny Klostermann
Now I see a pile of overwhelmed neurons. Love your list of descriptions!
Yep, I’ve been there. Love all your word choices!
Great, creative image! I especially love “worming” and “writhing.” Unraveled would also make a great title…
No Return
nerves
shot
spent
shattered
frazzled
frayed
fizzled
wearied
writhing
worming
to the abyss
?.unraveled
~Penny Klostermann
Now I see a pile of overwhelmed neurons. Love your list of descriptions!
Yep, I’ve been there. Love all your word choices!
Great, creative image! I especially love “worming” and “writhing.” Unraveled would also make a great title…
Knobby fingers
knotted together
knead the ground
to sneak inside.
Oh, I love this image! (And all the kn words!)
Wow, how often do you see kn alliteration? Never, that’s how often! And love the comparison to hands.
It sounds like the beginning of a story-good imagination!
Knobby fingers
knotted together
knead the ground
to sneak inside.
Oh, I love this image! (And all the kn words!)
Wow, how often do you see kn alliteration? Never, that’s how often! And love the comparison to hands.
It sounds like the beginning of a story-good imagination!
No
I can?t grasp
what you?re saying,
a tangle of gnarled roots
reaching for water.
?Kate Coombs (Book Aunt)
I hear futility and sorrow in your words.
I especially like your last two lines ~ great description!
So hopeless…and I love the simple, final-feeling title.
there’s something about the phrase “reaching for water” that sticks with me. i picture hands grabbing and gaining no purchase, and that only makes what comes before more wrenching
I like the word, ‘grasp’. Implies such need, & roots do have such need.
No
I can?t grasp
what you?re saying,
a tangle of gnarled roots
reaching for water.
?Kate Coombs (Book Aunt)
I hear futility and sorrow in your words.
I especially like your last two lines ~ great description!
So hopeless…and I love the simple, final-feeling title.
there’s something about the phrase “reaching for water” that sticks with me. i picture hands grabbing and gaining no purchase, and that only makes what comes before more wrenching
I like the word, ‘grasp’. Implies such need, & roots do have such need.
I like the forcefulness of this and the last two lines especially.
This doesn’t belong here. Sorry.
I like the forcefulness of this and the last two lines especially.
This doesn’t belong here. Sorry.
Why do orchid roots lift up?
A snake dance toward the sky
swallowing air.
Like us.
Jeanne Poland
I’m sitting here beside my orchid plant and nodding my head. 🙂
Wow–there’s a lot of image/thought in these few short words, Jeanne. The combo of the words “orchid” and “snake” have me picturing beautiful, exotic scenes. I love that you compare the orchid to things as disparate as a snake and a person.
Why do orchid roots lift up?
A snake dance toward the sky
swallowing air.
Like us.
Jeanne Poland
I’m sitting here beside my orchid plant and nodding my head. 🙂
Wow–there’s a lot of image/thought in these few short words, Jeanne. The combo of the words “orchid” and “snake” have me picturing beautiful, exotic scenes. I love that you compare the orchid to things as disparate as a snake and a person.
Some really deep, powerful poems here. Looks like you picked a good pic! Here’s my offering:
THE WAITING
Like desicated shreds
of root
stretched across
desert
barreness,
in futility
of hope
I lie.
-Matt Forrest Esenwine
And yours is powerful, too–I especially like the sounds of desiccated shreds.
I really like “desiccated shreds”, too — tragic image.
We’re kind of downers today, aren’t we? But beautiful downers! I love the image of roots stretched over desert, like a barren net. And then that line “of hope.” Very interesting, since you could have just said in futility/I lie. I can interpret the last three lines several different ways. It’s a little mysterious and lovely.
Some really deep, powerful poems here. Looks like you picked a good pic! Here’s my offering:
THE WAITING
Like desicated shreds
of root
stretched across
desert
barreness,
in futility
of hope
I lie.
-Matt Forrest Esenwine
And yours is powerful, too–I especially like the sounds of desiccated shreds.
I really like “desiccated shreds”, too — tragic image.
We’re kind of downers today, aren’t we? But beautiful downers! I love the image of roots stretched over desert, like a barren net. And then that line “of hope.” Very interesting, since you could have just said in futility/I lie. I can interpret the last three lines several different ways. It’s a little mysterious and lovely.
Heart-breaking image, Laura.
ROOTS
“Reach for the stars”,
they say.
I reach for the earth–
digging deep,
growing strong.
~ Janelle (Blue Sky, Big Dreams)
Like the way you’ve taken a cliche and turned it upside down, especially the “digging deep.”
What a great twist, Janelle. This feels like a poem lifted right out of a novel in verse, because the character feels strong and I feel like she/he has a whole story that I want to discover.
i, too, thought it sounded like an excerpt of something bigger… and that makes me want more!
Like the others say, good connection with the ‘reach for the stars’.
Thank you, everyone! 🙂
Heart-breaking image, Laura.
ROOTS
“Reach for the stars”,
they say.
I reach for the earth–
digging deep,
growing strong.
~ Janelle (Blue Sky, Big Dreams)
Like the way you’ve taken a cliche and turned it upside down, especially the “digging deep.”
What a great twist, Janelle. This feels like a poem lifted right out of a novel in verse, because the character feels strong and I feel like she/he has a whole story that I want to discover.
i, too, thought it sounded like an excerpt of something bigger… and that makes me want more!
Like the others say, good connection with the ‘reach for the stars’.
Thank you, everyone! 🙂
Fossil tracks
timeworn trails
stories etched in stone:
spilling secrets
of ancient
souls.
Love your mermaid, Laura, especially the tangle of salt, stone. I’ve been writing about dinosaurs, so I saw tracks in this image. It’s amazing what we know (or presume we know) from tracks left millions of years ago!
Oooh, haunting words. Love it!
This is lovely, Buffy! The idea that these ancient tracks spill secrets…beautiful!
I like the ‘fossil tracks’, great with the picture!
Fossil tracks
timeworn trails
stories etched in stone:
spilling secrets
of ancient
souls.
Love your mermaid, Laura, especially the tangle of salt, stone. I’ve been writing about dinosaurs, so I saw tracks in this image. It’s amazing what we know (or presume we know) from tracks left millions of years ago!
Oooh, haunting words. Love it!
This is lovely, Buffy! The idea that these ancient tracks spill secrets…beautiful!
I like the ‘fossil tracks’, great with the picture!
Love yours, Laura! What a great picture.
Sweep away the sand
sweep away the stones
but leave the sea alone
or
sink
(yikes that’s a bit creepy!)
Thanks, Catherine. Ooh, I love the ominous tone here and the parallelism of the first two lines. And ALL my 15WOL poems lately have been real downers. Even though that hasn’t been my mood. It’s always kind of puzzling to see what comes out!
Versatile imaginations lol.
I like the loneliness of your poem, Catherine, but guess it is a little creepy too. “leave the sea alone”. Guess many would take that as a rule lately.
Love yours, Laura! What a great picture.
Sweep away the sand
sweep away the stones
but leave the sea alone
or
sink
(yikes that’s a bit creepy!)
Thanks, Catherine. Ooh, I love the ominous tone here and the parallelism of the first two lines. And ALL my 15WOL poems lately have been real downers. Even though that hasn’t been my mood. It’s always kind of puzzling to see what comes out!
Versatile imaginations lol.
I like the loneliness of your poem, Catherine, but guess it is a little creepy too. “leave the sea alone”. Guess many would take that as a rule lately.
TOUGH LUCK
My hair cascades down
Like a follicle waterfall.
Up top?
Bare as an infants belly.
© Charles Waters 2013 all rights reserved.
Great metaphor. And follicle waterfall? Love it!
TOUGH LUCK
My hair cascades down
Like a follicle waterfall.
Up top?
Bare as an infants belly.
© Charles Waters 2013 all rights reserved.
Great metaphor. And follicle waterfall? Love it!
It’s been a long day, but couldn’t miss this one, Laura. I love the photo! Your poem surprised me a lot; I didn’t think of mermaid hair at all. It’s beautiful, but sad. Here’s mine, more realism, I guess.
Scraggly, stringy,
tangled and worn,
roots of trees
seeking air,
sipping moisture
anywhere.
Thanks, Linda. I don’t know why my poems lately have had so much gloom and doom in them:>) This is super–love the first two lines especially, which give me mood and image and texture.
It’s been a long day, but couldn’t miss this one, Laura. I love the photo! Your poem surprised me a lot; I didn’t think of mermaid hair at all. It’s beautiful, but sad. Here’s mine, more realism, I guess.
Scraggly, stringy,
tangled and worn,
roots of trees
seeking air,
sipping moisture
anywhere.
Thanks, Linda. I don’t know why my poems lately have had so much gloom and doom in them:>) This is super–love the first two lines especially, which give me mood and image and texture.
Sweet Brrrrr of Youth
I walked blindly into winter
without warm boots
or gloves,
too lazy to change
seasons
-Pamela Ross
Send this one out, Pamela. It’s fantastic. And the title! Seriously. Submit it.
Laura, when we meet I am going to kiss your feet. There. I said it. I mean it. {{{}}}
Thanks for the morning love. Wrote this 30 minutes ago. Will smile for rest of day.
xoxo Pamela
Sweet Brrrrr of Youth
I walked blindly into winter
without warm boots
or gloves,
too lazy to change
seasons
-Pamela Ross
Send this one out, Pamela. It’s fantastic. And the title! Seriously. Submit it.
Laura, when we meet I am going to kiss your feet. There. I said it. I mean it. {{{}}}
Thanks for the morning love. Wrote this 30 minutes ago. Will smile for rest of day.
xoxo Pamela
Roots
they scratch the earth
like gnarled hands–
knots of blood
and bone–
withered,
greedy,
torn.
I like this! My week was time crunched and I didn’t get anything posted, but this is where my thinking was going. Don’t think I can top yours!
Thanks, Cindyb!
Roots
they scratch the earth
like gnarled hands–
knots of blood
and bone–
withered,
greedy,
torn.
I like this! My week was time crunched and I didn’t get anything posted, but this is where my thinking was going. Don’t think I can top yours!
Thanks, Cindyb!
Some rich and wonderful poetry here. I like the activity, too. I’ll have to try this one with my students. It’s the end of the day and a long week, so my brain is fried. Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed everyone’s poems.
Some rich and wonderful poetry here. I like the activity, too. I’ll have to try this one with my students. It’s the end of the day and a long week, so my brain is fried. Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed everyone’s poems.