Reaching Hands [15 words or less poems]

Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines are here)!

Hands on ceiling
Photo: Laura P. Salas

Howdy, 15 Words or Less-ers! I took this picture a couple of years ago at a high school. I was walking down the hall, and these hands were overhead! They make me think of:

  1. what teachers are trying to give us (both physically–books, and metaphorically–the world, etc.)
  2. The Walking Dead
  3. mud baths (that dried paint looks all cakey, like mud)

Here’s my first draft.

Elephant Bath Time

It’s your turn! Have fun and stick to 15 WORDS OR LESS! (Title doesn’t count toward word count:>) If you leave a poem in the comments, and if it’s 15 words or less, I’ll try to respond!

 

36 Responses

    1. I love that “outstretched.” Works in so many ways. I really like the feeling of possibility, of choice, that this brings, Amelia:>)

  1. Everybody’s busy
    with something.
    I like spending time
    on nothing-
    relieving strain
    on my brain.

    1. Cindyb, I’m in love with this, because I need to hear this. Everybody does. That “nothing” time is when so much happens in our brains. Thank you!

  2. We’ll Be Leaders Some Day

    Witting freedom
    coaching the winning ball
    hands that turn
    a million pages
    Gide us

    Poem By Jessica Bigi

    Laura I love the tidal of your poem

    1. Thanks, Jessica–I love the last three lines. I love the image of hands that turn a million pages. This makes me think of every teacher and storytime reader who is shaping the future.

  3. Laura, a unique, timely display of worldly emotion.

    Offerings

    Clamoring hands
    grasp music and poetry
    common ground
    yet world peace
    remains elusive.

    1. I love the use of “clamoring,” Martha. We want so much to find that common ground… I really like your title, too:>) All we can do is offer and offer and offer, right?

  4. Lovely elephant bath cinquain, Laura. Here’s Mine:

    Just Drop It!

    Hands full
    of work
    can’t
    give a hand,
    lend a hand,
    hold a hand.

    1. Another one on the busy-ness theme. The universe is speaking to me. Love those parallel last three lines.

  5. Hope

    Happy hands grab for the brass ring
    Still believing they can do anything.

    1. Hahahaha! I love this, Jen. This should be the theme song for community television whenever it’s playing dance recitals! Love the awww sounds in last two lines…

      1. Oh, thank goodness you laughed! I’m afraid people who don’t know me at all might think it’s cruel. On the contrary: Learning something new is always cause for applause!

        1. I am ALL about laughing at our human-ness, and failure and learning and striving is all part of that! And I know you don’t write mean poems, though I wouldn’t have taken it that way even from a stranger :>)

  6. Thanks for the inspiration, Laura (who knew that you could write a cinquain in 15 words or less?)

    Snowbound–
    woolly hands reach
    for sleds, skates, and snowballs,
    savoring snowflakes that blanket
    and hush

    1. Thanks, Buffy:>) Oh, this is lovely. Those last two lines–sigh. And I can totally see the inspiration for it. Nice!

    1. I love the rhythm of this..so insistent and reminiscent of time marching on endlessly.

        1. Aw, thanks, Sue! And we’re glad you’re back–always welcome whenever you can join in. No pressure, no worries!

  7. Fun picture. I like that it got you thinking about elephant baths! I guess I liked your form too. : )

    Liz

    She plunged
    her hands into
    the waiting rubber gloves
    swept her brow, took a breath, and grabbed
    the sponge.

    1. Oooooooo…surgery? (I hope, as that’s more dramatic than dishes. Hopefully the breath would be a bored sigh if it were dishes, but I could be totally wrong.) I love “plunged”–so decisive!

  8. World turned upside down
    All in confusion
    A common thread
    Now in unison

    Or not

    Anne McKenna

    1. Hi Anne, Great to see you here! Love the extra space before your last line–nice beat. confusion and unison also play so well off each other:>)

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