Peacock [15 Words or Less]

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. 

 Here’s another photo from our trip to Cyprus. This lovely gent lives at the same camel park as the camel I shared a couple of weeks ago.

Photo: Laura P. Salas

This image makes me think of several things:

  1. that song “The Night Has a Thousand Eyes”
  2. the peacocks that lived near my house when I was a kid
  3. shutters (the sound the feathers made, a gentle clattering sound, reminded me of shutters opening and closing)

And here’s my first draft. Did you know a group of peacocks is called a muster?

 

It’s your turn! Have fun and stick to 15 WORDS OR LESS! (Title doesn’t count toward word count.)

NOTE: We moved on Monday, and I likely still don’t have a workspace, wi-fi, or my sanity. I will read every poem but likely won’t be able to comment.

 

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19 Responses

  1. RING BEARER GOING DOWN THE AISLE

    The eyes see.
    They’re watching me.
    I toe the line.
    It will be fine.

  2. As usual Laura, your first draft is “right on.” Happy to hear you are in your new home with possibly less stress, or at least a more tolerable one. Our sign went in the yard yesterday and already a scheduled showing which means we’re now boarding the roller coaster. Beauty at its best with this photo.

    The Marriage of Mr. Roy G. Biv

    He struts
    he’s proud
    he’s loud
    colors scream
    he preens
    simple reason
    ’tis the season.
    .

  3. Laura, I love your inspired word choices and the sounds of your poem. It’s a delight to read aloud! This picture arrived at a funny time for me. I just finished reading a fascinating non-fiction book called “The Feather Thief” which details a monumental museum bird skin heist and among other things, the history of harvesting bird feathers for fly-fishing ties and fashion. The book has brewed all sorts of thoughts about how man’s need (greed?) to possess natural beauty often destroys it. Sadly, this isn’t just history–In 2013 a designer for Burberry created a trench coat made of peacock feathers. It sold for about 22,000 pounds!

    Feather Harvest

    Peacock preens in
    courtship display
    catches man’s
    covetous eye
    Death
    not birth
    ensues

    M. Hogan ©2018

    (Feel free to edit my commentary—I fear I got a bit carried away with the backstory to my response!)

    1. I love hearing backstories to poems, Molly, so no editing needed. And I learn things, too:) I think there was a picture book in the last few years about the history of bird feathers on hats and such, but the title is totally escaping me right now. I love the lines catches man’s covetous eye.

  4. Sixty-four colors
    a box of crayolas?
    or my feathers
    school supplies
    for imaginative eyes

    Laura, I love the idea of a color battle.…great short poem. I’m just dibbling and running today. Where did summer go?

  5. What a gorgeous picture, Laura. Great action in your poem.

    A mighty burden,
    mine, to lift
    these showy feathers.
    No date? I’m miffed.

  6. Laura,
    I love your word play in your poem. We have a tourist stop near me, Jefferson Island, where there are many peacocks.

    Peacock Show

    Tourist stopper
    Colorful fan topper
    Island fashion proper

  7. Laura this peacock is so beautiful. I loved your poem, especially “a blustering muster of peacocks.” Congrats on your new home.

    Peacock, Peahen, Peafowl we.
    Pheasant, feathered family.
    Crimson, golden, shaded hue,
    Iridescent tail eyes blue.

  8. Hope youyr move went wail

    poem by Jessica Bigi

    Why are My
    Feathers Blue?

    With all these eyes
    I unlikely will fined
    Eyeglasses
    I’ll need a
    Hundred &
    Ninety pairs

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