Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s a pic from our amazing overnight Niagara Falls stop that Randy and I made on our way home from drum corps championships in Rochester, NY. (I shared more pics on my Water board in Pinterest.) Follow Laura’s board Water, Water, All Around on Pinterest.
This image makes me think of: 1) Tub toys (that’s the Canadian version there of the American Maid of the Mist boat–the Maid boats hold 600 people each–just to give you an idea of the scope) 2) a nature disaster movie–specifically, Anaconda, for some reason 3) someone going over in a barrel in a search for a pot of gold And here’s my?first draft:
Sometimes a Leprechaun Deserves Hazard Pay
white oak wooden vessel plunges me and my gold toward the cold Niagara rainbow
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
Now it’s your turn! Have fun and stick to 15 WORDS OR LESS!??(Title doesn’t count toward word count:>)?
110 Responses
Plunging ahead
Over marbled waters
Pausing to decide
Should I brave the falling storm?
What a wonderful picture- I love the rainbow!
I love the positive massage
Loved ” the falling storm”!
Amelia, I love the assurance of choice along life’s bumpy road.
Those marbled waters–wonderful, unique word choice, Amelia!
I also really like the use of “marbled waters.”
Unique and quite descriptive.
Plunging ahead
Over marbled waters
Pausing to decide
Should I brave the falling storm?
What a wonderful picture- I love the rainbow!
I love the positive massage
Loved ” the falling storm”!
Amelia, I love the assurance of choice along life’s bumpy road.
Those marbled waters–wonderful, unique word choice, Amelia!
I also really like the use of “marbled waters.”
Unique and quite descriptive.
Laura your pic brings back wonderful memories I got to go their a few years ago and I was on the bot ride
A Beautiful Dream
do not wacke me
I am swirling bird of colors
flying through
silver raindrop clods
mist rising
rising
I twirl
twirl
I swim
swim
a goldfish
in a bole
of colored sky
poems by Jessica Bigi
I loved especially the beginning which sets the stage:
“Do not wake me.…”
Dreamy!
Jessica, I like the rising mist and colored sky.
Stunning imagery, Jessica!
Your title goes perfectly with your beautiful description.
Laura your pic brings back wonderful memories I got to go their a few years ago and I was on the bot ride
A Beautiful Dream
do not wacke me
I am swirling bird of colors
flying through
silver raindrop clods
mist rising
rising
I twirl
twirl
I swim
swim
a goldfish
in a bole
of colored sky
poems by Jessica Bigi
I loved especially the beginning which sets the stage:
“Do not wake me.…”
Dreamy!
Jessica, I like the rising mist and colored sky.
Stunning imagery, Jessica!
Your title goes perfectly with your beautiful description.
Our cup overflows
Safely we are borne
With rainbow reminder
The sky to adorn.
What a gorgeous photo!
So true Donna. I can’t read that reminder often enough.
What a calming, reassuring poem, Donna.
That word “overflows” certainly goes with this “Falls” picture.
I like that you used “safely”, too, considering how close the boat is to the falls.
Our cup overflows
Safely we are borne
With rainbow reminder
The sky to adorn.
What a gorgeous photo!
So true Donna. I can’t read that reminder often enough.
What a calming, reassuring poem, Donna.
That word “overflows” certainly goes with this “Falls” picture.
I like that you used “safely”, too, considering how close the boat is to the falls.
Life’s Boat
Smooth sailing,
choppy waters along the way;
cling to nature’s lighthouse:
rainbow beacons calmer day.
Stunning picture Laura. The view from above provides lots of food for thought.
I LOVE the comparison of the rainbow to a lighthouse–gorgeous!
love the last line
I like how choppy waters are only part of smooth sailing — a positive outlook.
Wow! Rainbow beacons — I like that.
Good connections with the picture, Martha.
Life’s Boat
Smooth sailing,
choppy waters along the way;
cling to nature’s lighthouse:
rainbow beacons calmer day.
Stunning picture Laura. The view from above provides lots of food for thought.
I LOVE the comparison of the rainbow to a lighthouse–gorgeous!
love the last line
I like how choppy waters are only part of smooth sailing — a positive outlook.
Wow! Rainbow beacons — I like that.
Good connections with the picture, Martha.
One word over! I could eliminate the “oops,” but I like it!
Bathroom Spider
The edge…
oops he falls!
Whirling, whirling
caught in the eddy
sucked in the vortex
gone.
Diane Mayr, all rights reserved
Diane, a perfect image.
You made me laugh. Love how you imagined this scene from the picture.
Awww, why’d you have to go and make me feel bad. I’m fine with spiders outside, but I don’t like them in the house. Those long, spindly legs…And now I feel sorry for them. Shoot. I do love that eddy/vortex/gone.
Ha! I love the humor in this.
Thanks for the chuckle.
One word over! I could eliminate the “oops,” but I like it!
Bathroom Spider
The edge…
oops he falls!
Whirling, whirling
caught in the eddy
sucked in the vortex
gone.
Diane Mayr, all rights reserved
Diane, a perfect image.
You made me laugh. Love how you imagined this scene from the picture.
Awww, why’d you have to go and make me feel bad. I’m fine with spiders outside, but I don’t like them in the house. Those long, spindly legs…And now I feel sorry for them. Shoot. I do love that eddy/vortex/gone.
Ha! I love the humor in this.
Thanks for the chuckle.
Love your title! And definitely Amelia?s ?falling storm.?
Water leaped
over the cliff
and somehow
Water lived.
?Kate Coombs
Kate, we survive in spite of ourselves. Nice analogy.
Ooh, I like the folktale‑y feel of this, Kate.
Water leaped and water lived.
I like your idea for this.
Love your title! And definitely Amelia?s ?falling storm.?
Water leaped
over the cliff
and somehow
Water lived.
?Kate Coombs
Kate, we survive in spite of ourselves. Nice analogy.
Ooh, I like the folktale‑y feel of this, Kate.
Water leaped and water lived.
I like your idea for this.
And if
the water stopped,
the silence
would deafen,
and the cliff-face,
beckon no one.
Yup, cheated with a hyphen. Gorgeous picture!
Ellie, brings back thoughts of seeing pictures of the Falls frozen over. I’ve always said silence is deafening to me; rhyming with beckon was perfect.
The constancy of the noise was so soothing. Like beautiful highway noise! We could hear it inside our hotel room, 29 floors up, windows closed, 1/2–1 mile away from falls. It would feel apocalyptic if the noise suddenly stopped.
Yes, I remember the noise from when we were there.
It’s hard to describe, but I think you have done a good job.
And if
the water stopped,
the silence
would deafen,
and the cliff-face,
beckon no one.
Yup, cheated with a hyphen. Gorgeous picture!
Ellie, brings back thoughts of seeing pictures of the Falls frozen over. I’ve always said silence is deafening to me; rhyming with beckon was perfect.
The constancy of the noise was so soothing. Like beautiful highway noise! We could hear it inside our hotel room, 29 floors up, windows closed, 1/2–1 mile away from falls. It would feel apocalyptic if the noise suddenly stopped.
Yes, I remember the noise from when we were there.
It’s hard to describe, but I think you have done a good job.
What a beautiful picture!
It seems “other-worldly” to me.
Regret
Spirits rise from churning waters,
hover over heavy mist
remembering their fatal fall.
Different approach Pat. I like it — eerie yet calming.
What a beautiful picture!
It seems “other-worldly” to me.
Regret
Spirits rise from churning waters,
hover over heavy mist
remembering their fatal fall.
Different approach Pat. I like it — eerie yet calming.
Love “Niagara rainbow”. And Niagara Falls is on our list of things to see.
I grew up in Colorado and was fascinated by the many waterfalls and how they changed throughout the year.
Waterfall: My Life
Spring: I grow.
Summer: Go with the flow.
Fall: Trickle slow.
Winter: Sleep under snow.
~Penny Parker Klostermann
Genius Penny!
I love the word play in your poem
Great to compare it to your life.
I like that idea.
Oh, I love this!
Love “Niagara rainbow”. And Niagara Falls is on our list of things to see.
I grew up in Colorado and was fascinated by the many waterfalls and how they changed throughout the year.
Waterfall: My Life
Spring: I grow.
Summer: Go with the flow.
Fall: Trickle slow.
Winter: Sleep under snow.
~Penny Parker Klostermann
Genius Penny!
I love the word play in your poem
Great to compare it to your life.
I like that idea.
Oh, I love this!
Mom’s Cancer
I fear words
A rage of waters
That I don’t understand
Beautiful sprite mist rising
I fear knowing I must go on
Jessica Bigi
Sorry about your mom, Jessica.
This poem about a “rage of waters” seems like a good expression of grief.
Powerful and touching.
Mom’s Cancer
I fear words
A rage of waters
That I don’t understand
Beautiful sprite mist rising
I fear knowing I must go on
Jessica Bigi
Sorry about your mom, Jessica.
This poem about a “rage of waters” seems like a good expression of grief.
Powerful and touching.
Hidden in morning mist
swans trumpet on the lake–
specter or storm?
I like the mood you have set with your poem.
What beautiful, eerie imagery…
Hidden in morning mist
swans trumpet on the lake–
specter or storm?
I like the mood you have set with your poem.
What beautiful, eerie imagery…
I have two versions —
Niagara
See the deafening roar of rushing water
mist across mesmerized faces
of her spellbound crowd.
and
Niagara Spray
The deafening roar of rushing water
mists across mesmerized faces
of a well-starched crowd.
(note some irony here– Niagara Falls is very special to me — my MFA Fine Art thesis — abstract expressionism — was on Niagara Falls…)
I love these mesmerized faces. Well-starched is perhaps more unique, but spellbound totally describes us, so I love it more:>) You must have spent lots of time there–lucky you!
Thank you Laura– I did spend a lot of time there as I grew up there — 20 minutes away. And I did a lot of research on the history of the Falls, analyzed impressions the Falls made on famous writers, reading what they wrote about the Falls and its influence — writers like Mark Twain, e.g.. IIs a great subject to delve into — there is so much to learn about the Falls — the manmade control of the water that flows over them, the geological changes over time — a lot to absorb.
FYI –The starched comment was a play on words with reference to Niagara Spray Starch — don’t know if you know of that product — couldn’t resist…
Another fun exercise — thanks.
Aha–no, I haven’t heard of that product. It worked with reference to people in nice dry clothes, some rather dressed up, who then got drenched on the viewing trail, so that’s what I thought of. I love it when there are layers of meaning that work for people who get the allusion AND for people who don’t. Thanks for sharing the background of that!
I have two versions —
Niagara
See the deafening roar of rushing water
mist across mesmerized faces
of her spellbound crowd.
and
Niagara Spray
The deafening roar of rushing water
mists across mesmerized faces
of a well-starched crowd.
(note some irony here– Niagara Falls is very special to me — my MFA Fine Art thesis — abstract expressionism — was on Niagara Falls…)
I love these mesmerized faces. Well-starched is perhaps more unique, but spellbound totally describes us, so I love it more:>) You must have spent lots of time there–lucky you!
Thank you Laura– I did spend a lot of time there as I grew up there — 20 minutes away. And I did a lot of research on the history of the Falls, analyzed impressions the Falls made on famous writers, reading what they wrote about the Falls and its influence — writers like Mark Twain, e.g.. IIs a great subject to delve into — there is so much to learn about the Falls — the manmade control of the water that flows over them, the geological changes over time — a lot to absorb.
FYI –The starched comment was a play on words with reference to Niagara Spray Starch — don’t know if you know of that product — couldn’t resist…
Another fun exercise — thanks.
Aha–no, I haven’t heard of that product. It worked with reference to people in nice dry clothes, some rather dressed up, who then got drenched on the viewing trail, so that’s what I thought of. I love it when there are layers of meaning that work for people who get the allusion AND for people who don’t. Thanks for sharing the background of that!
A promise
in the presence
of the very thing that panics.
Thank you, Perfect Provider.
I love the dichotomy of panic and calm here, Cindyb.
A promise
in the presence
of the very thing that panics.
Thank you, Perfect Provider.
I love the dichotomy of panic and calm here, Cindyb.
Geology
Icy chains discarded
she slips into silk
escapes Ontario
and creates a splash
in Buffalo.
~~Barbara J. Turner
What a sensual poem, Barbara–I love that second line!
Geology
Icy chains discarded
she slips into silk
escapes Ontario
and creates a splash
in Buffalo.
~~Barbara J. Turner
What a sensual poem, Barbara–I love that second line!
THE HONEYMOON CAPITAL
Rainbow arches,
Mountain biking,
Misty splashes,
Nature hiking,
Floral gardens,
Wildlife calls,
Fireworks,
Niagara Falls.
© Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.
THE HONEYMOON CAPITAL
Rainbow arches,
Mountain biking,
Misty splashes,
Nature hiking,
Floral gardens,
Wildlife calls,
Fireworks,
Niagara Falls.
© Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.