Riddle-Ku! [don’t shoot]

Riddle-ku (National Poetry Month 2014)

 

Riddle-Ku of the Day

?
?
Oh, no! Don’t shoot me!
I like to gather, not hurt?
pigtails, papers?please?
–Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved
?

HINT 1:

 

rubber_band_sq_z_500

?

 

HINT 2:

 

rubber_band_sq_500

?

 

.aLL

Photos by Laura Purdie Salas

TITLE (AND ANSWER):

RUBBER BAND

 

[Educators, please click here to see a roundup of the entire month’s riddle-ku and also to get suggestions for using these riddle-ku with your students.]

UPDATE: My riddle-ku are now available in Kindle and paperback as Riddle-ku: Haiku for Very Close Reading (along with tons of great auxiliary materials for teachers), part of the 30 PAINLESS CLASSROOM POEMS series.

riddle-ku-FINAL-kindle
Riddle-ku: Book 2 in the 30 Painless Classroom Poems series

 

Hi, 15 Words or Less community! I’m home and looking forward to reading your poem drafts!

36 Responses

  1. Red, orange, blue
    I wanna hug you!
    Green, purple, white
    I’ll always hold on tight!

    I love the tone of your poem, Mrs. Salas! Very cute 🙂

    1. I like this voice–so super-enthusiastic, which fits a rubber band somehow! And thanks:>)

  2. Red, orange, blue
    I wanna hug you!
    Green, purple, white
    I’ll always hold on tight!

    I love the tone of your poem, Mrs. Salas! Very cute 🙂

    1. I like this voice–so super-enthusiastic, which fits a rubber band somehow! And thanks:>)

  3. Pastel “Oh” Rings

    My uses are many,
    I love what I do;
    choose a color
    special to you.

    Love the pictures associated with today’s Riddle-Ku. Is the blue one shown on a doll’s hair?

    1. Yep, it is. A knockoff American Girl doll–the old toys in the basement do come in handy occasionally:>) This makes me think of how kids get to choose their rubber band colors on their braces now. Maddie had a purple/pink smile one month, then orange and yellow the next, etc.

  4. Pastel “Oh” Rings

    My uses are many,
    I love what I do;
    choose a color
    special to you.

    Love the pictures associated with today’s Riddle-Ku. Is the blue one shown on a doll’s hair?

    1. Yep, it is. A knockoff American Girl doll–the old toys in the basement do come in handy occasionally:>) This makes me think of how kids get to choose their rubber band colors on their braces now. Maddie had a purple/pink smile one month, then orange and yellow the next, etc.

  5. Rubber bands are so pretty today. In my youth, a rubber band only came in tan.

    The Mind

    Like a rubber band
    it needs to stretch.
    Enough to embrace,
    but not to break.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    1. Makes me think of the phrasing when we say someone “snapped.” Lovely 3rd line.

  6. Rubber bands are so pretty today. In my youth, a rubber band only came in tan.

    The Mind

    Like a rubber band
    it needs to stretch.
    Enough to embrace,
    but not to break.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    1. Makes me think of the phrasing when we say someone “snapped.” Lovely 3rd line.

    1. Ha! Wonderful wordplay…and I ask myself this same question on some days…

    1. Ha! Wonderful wordplay…and I ask myself this same question on some days…

  7. After the Orthodontist Appointment

    “Metal mouth,
    tinsel grin,
    rubber-banded
    to your chin!”
    Awkward stare?
    Bracing glare?
    A wide-eyed reply?

    (Is rubber-banded legal, or am I again a hyphenating cheat? I cut this down from 20 words but couldn’t pare any more.)

    I’m really enjoying your riddle-ku series, Laura!

    1. Thanks, Buffy! I’ll cut you some slack on rubber-banded. Love your first four lines especially. Reminds me of those sore, after-appointment days…

  8. After the Orthodontist Appointment

    “Metal mouth,
    tinsel grin,
    rubber-banded
    to your chin!”
    Awkward stare?
    Bracing glare?
    A wide-eyed reply?

    (Is rubber-banded legal, or am I again a hyphenating cheat? I cut this down from 20 words but couldn’t pare any more.)

    I’m really enjoying your riddle-ku series, Laura!

    1. Thanks, Buffy! I’ll cut you some slack on rubber-banded. Love your first four lines especially. Reminds me of those sore, after-appointment days…

  9. My colors Stretch
    Across worlds
    Hand circle hand circle
    Weaving bracelets of
    Hope and pace

    By Jessica Bigi

    I like your poem Laura

      1. thanks for sharing this this is so wonderful I had never heard of this group 🙂

  10. My colors Stretch
    Across worlds
    Hand circle hand circle
    Weaving bracelets of
    Hope and pace

    By Jessica Bigi

    I like your poem Laura

      1. thanks for sharing this this is so wonderful I had never heard of this group 🙂

  11. Sadly Not Made of Rubber

    Stretched thin.
    Pulled this way and that.
    Tension building
    till I snap.

    The riddle-ku series has been fun.
    I see others thought of breaking point. I was remembering my working Mom days.

  12. Sadly Not Made of Rubber

    Stretched thin.
    Pulled this way and that.
    Tension building
    till I snap.

    The riddle-ku series has been fun.
    I see others thought of breaking point. I was remembering my working Mom days.

  13. RIDDLE-KU
    Elastic rings cinch
    Waterfalls of strands smoothing
    Each to perfection.

    CLASS ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON
    Eyelids
    Drowning,
    Elastic flick
    Ricochets off
    Forehead,
    Best friend
    Smirks
    Across the
    Aisle.

    © Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.

  14. RIDDLE-KU
    Elastic rings cinch
    Waterfalls of strands smoothing
    Each to perfection.

    CLASS ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON
    Eyelids
    Drowning,
    Elastic flick
    Ricochets off
    Forehead,
    Best friend
    Smirks
    Across the
    Aisle.

    © Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.

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