Scary Hands [15 words or less poems]

 

File:Scary Hands.jpeg
Photo: Ryan Norris — Ryanjr1 via Wikimedia Commons

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

15WOLs

Usually, I post my own pics, but it’s almost Halloween, and I like this kinda creepy hand picture. This image makes me think of:

1) a scary funhouse
2) a cross between a demon and a bull
3) shadow puppets

And here’s my?first draft.

Camping in Autumn

Wind shrieks

Nylon rustles

Lightning’s flashlight

reveals creatures

hunting

right outside

my tent

–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:>)?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

162 Responses

  1. It’s from the depths
    It’s coming for me
    “What do you WANT??”
    “Bring me candy!!”

    Love “Lightning’s flashlight”- excellent poem, Ms. Salas!! Happy Halloween to everyone 🙂

    1. Thanks, Amelia. I really like how menacing you make this unidentified being sound with “from the depths” and “coming for me.” And then the contrast with the demand for candy:>)

  2. It’s from the depths
    It’s coming for me
    “What do you WANT??”
    “Bring me candy!!”

    Love “Lightning’s flashlight”- excellent poem, Ms. Salas!! Happy Halloween to everyone 🙂

    1. Thanks, Amelia. I really like how menacing you make this unidentified being sound with “from the depths” and “coming for me.” And then the contrast with the demand for candy:>)

  3. Loved your poem. Not big on Halloween, so.…

    Holding Hands

    Together forever
    We’ve traveled so far
    We mirror each other
    A love beyond par

  4. Loved your poem. Not big on Halloween, so.…

    Holding Hands

    Together forever
    We’ve traveled so far
    We mirror each other
    A love beyond par

  5. The Hand-Held Mirror

    I look, I see
    staring back at me
    image of infidelity.
    Chocolate meant for kids.

  6. The Hand-Held Mirror

    I look, I see
    staring back at me
    image of infidelity.
    Chocolate meant for kids.

  7. Queen?sssssss
    frosty breath
    shadows cast
    frozen beneath sea
    a oak tree
    a slipper
    dreaming

    Poem By Jessica Bigi

  8. Queen?sssssss
    frosty breath
    shadows cast
    frozen beneath sea
    a oak tree
    a slipper
    dreaming

    Poem By Jessica Bigi

  9. Sorry, but that photo creeped me out, so, I’ve gone in the opposite direction.

    This Many!

    Too young
    to count,
    too young
    to convincingly mimic,
    the perfect age
    to manipulate
    aunties.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    1. Love your title, Diane. Totally sets the stage for the poem (and brings back memories:>)

  10. Sorry, but that photo creeped me out, so, I’ve gone in the opposite direction.

    This Many!

    Too young
    to count,
    too young
    to convincingly mimic,
    the perfect age
    to manipulate
    aunties.

    Diane Mayr, all rights reserved

    1. Love your title, Diane. Totally sets the stage for the poem (and brings back memories:>)

  11. I’ve missed 15 Words! I always read but never write anymore. I vow to change that! 🙂

    Laura, I like how so often your poems go off in a different direction than your list of three images, like this one does. Just goes to show the meandering thought process that so often goes into writing poetry!

    Appearances

    You see a beast,
    a brute
    who’s flawed.
    Come closer, beauty –
    I’m de-
    clawed.

    1. Aw, that is so lovely, Renee. And welcome back:>) I love the rhyme of flawed and declawed.

  12. I’ve missed 15 Words! I always read but never write anymore. I vow to change that! 🙂

    Laura, I like how so often your poems go off in a different direction than your list of three images, like this one does. Just goes to show the meandering thought process that so often goes into writing poetry!

    Appearances

    You see a beast,
    a brute
    who’s flawed.
    Come closer, beauty –
    I’m de-
    clawed.

    1. Aw, that is so lovely, Renee. And welcome back:>) I love the rhyme of flawed and declawed.

  13. I love “lightning’s flashlight”, have been in a tent with a storm like that-scary! What a picture!

    Anything Can Happen On Halloween!

    Halloween night:
    Imagination morphed
    my hands held tight.
    Monster appeared.
    What a fright!
    Linda Baie ?All Rights Reserved

    1. I love this Linda because it could be from a victim’s pov or a witch’s.

    2. Thanks, Linda! I especially like your second line. EVERYTHING seems to morph on a scary night:>)

  14. I love “lightning’s flashlight”, have been in a tent with a storm like that-scary! What a picture!

    Anything Can Happen On Halloween!

    Halloween night:
    Imagination morphed
    my hands held tight.
    Monster appeared.
    What a fright!
    Linda Baie ?All Rights Reserved

    1. I love this Linda because it could be from a victim’s pov or a witch’s.

    2. Thanks, Linda! I especially like your second line. EVERYTHING seems to morph on a scary night:>)

  15. Fun suspenseful poem, Laura!

    Lucy counted the fingers on the side of the tent.
    “That can’t be human.’
    Run!

  16. Fun suspenseful poem, Laura!

    Lucy counted the fingers on the side of the tent.
    “That can’t be human.’
    Run!

  17. I can’t see the image, so I borrowed some words from others.

    Halloween Night

    Hands tight
    hold a flashlight–
    a beast–
    frosty breath,
    shadows cast.
    Then
    a candy feast.

    1. I love the moment-to-moment flash of images here! And creating a found poem out of the others=brilliant!

  18. I can’t see the image, so I borrowed some words from others.

    Halloween Night

    Hands tight
    hold a flashlight–
    a beast–
    frosty breath,
    shadows cast.
    Then
    a candy feast.

    1. I love the moment-to-moment flash of images here! And creating a found poem out of the others=brilliant!

  19. I sure hope those creatures hunting outside your tent aren’t zombies, Laura!

    OGRE PRINCE

    The crown I wear
    belongs to those who see it
    in their mirrors.

    ? Michelle Heidenrich Barnes. All rights reserved.

    1. Of course they are–what else would they be:>) I’m intrigued by this, Michelle. I love the mood it sets up–is it an allusion to a particular fairy tale?

          1. Ah…makes sense. I avoid those ads at all costs. In fact, I have to read up this w/e to figure out who I’m going to vote for, because I haven’t followed anything.

  20. I sure hope those creatures hunting outside your tent aren’t zombies, Laura!

    OGRE PRINCE

    The crown I wear
    belongs to those who see it
    in their mirrors.

    ? Michelle Heidenrich Barnes. All rights reserved.

    1. Of course they are–what else would they be:>) I’m intrigued by this, Michelle. I love the mood it sets up–is it an allusion to a particular fairy tale?

          1. Ah…makes sense. I avoid those ads at all costs. In fact, I have to read up this w/e to figure out who I’m going to vote for, because I haven’t followed anything.

  21. What a delightfully creepy photo, Laura! And I love the lightning’s flashlight and the horror of your final line.

    Halloween Romance

    Trembling hands
    mask Ogre’s face–
    a stifled growl
    a wild embrace–

    our heartbeats race.

  22. What a delightfully creepy photo, Laura! And I love the lightning’s flashlight and the horror of your final line.

    Halloween Romance

    Trembling hands
    mask Ogre’s face–
    a stifled growl
    a wild embrace–

    our heartbeats race.

  23. BEWARE BEHIND YOU!

    His back is turned,
    he’s unaware
    that I am laughing
    as his hair!

    1. Cindy, don’t you know to NEVER laugh at a monster’s hair (or a teen’s hair). You are just inviting trouble:>)

  24. BEWARE BEHIND YOU!

    His back is turned,
    he’s unaware
    that I am laughing
    as his hair!

    1. Cindy, don’t you know to NEVER laugh at a monster’s hair (or a teen’s hair). You are just inviting trouble:>)

  25. Wow, a bunch of really good ones today, Laura — love yours, with “lightning’s flashlight!” Here’s mine — going off in a different direction again. (And it’s 15, if you count the compound noun as one word!)

    SATAN TO A VISITOR, BEFORE THE DESCENT

    A life of evil,
    and now you?ve died?
    Well, get ready for
    a white-knuckle ride!

    - ? 2014, Matt Forrest Esenwine

    1. It does look like a crinkled leaf I went and looked at the pic again wonderful poem

  26. Wow, a bunch of really good ones today, Laura — love yours, with “lightning’s flashlight!” Here’s mine — going off in a different direction again. (And it’s 15, if you count the compound noun as one word!)

    SATAN TO A VISITOR, BEFORE THE DESCENT

    A life of evil,
    and now you?ve died?
    Well, get ready for
    a white-knuckle ride!

    - ? 2014, Matt Forrest Esenwine

    1. It does look like a crinkled leaf I went and looked at the pic again wonderful poem

  27. Flee demon in the mirror!
    Hiding in our thoughts,
    Getting nearer…

    Heart beating,

    Uncorrupted fear

    Happy Halloween everyone! Some really lovely poems on here.

    1. Welcome, Dalton–wow, you packed a lot into 15 words–the rhythm and sounds of those last three lines feel so much longer (in a good way, I mean). Happy Halloween!

  28. Flee demon in the mirror!
    Hiding in our thoughts,
    Getting nearer…

    Heart beating,

    Uncorrupted fear

    Happy Halloween everyone! Some really lovely poems on here.

    1. Welcome, Dalton–wow, you packed a lot into 15 words–the rhythm and sounds of those last three lines feel so much longer (in a good way, I mean). Happy Halloween!

  29. Fall Sky

    orogeny of leaves
    shadows orang-flamed Cassel’s
    across yellow paper moon
    orang wings how
    orang square teeth
    boooooooo

    poem by Jessica Bigi

  30. Fall Sky

    orogeny of leaves
    shadows orang-flamed Cassel’s
    across yellow paper moon
    orang wings how
    orang square teeth
    boooooooo

    poem by Jessica Bigi

  31. Oops! Forgot yesterday. Lots of lovely, creepy, and not-so-creepy poems here! Note my traditional suspicion of the sinister hand…

    Hands

    Hand on the left,
    hand on the right.
    One made of shadows,
    the other sunlight.

    ?Kate Coombs

    1. Ooh, I had forgotten about left-handedness being considered sinister. What an elegant and slightly spooky poem:>)

  32. Oops! Forgot yesterday. Lots of lovely, creepy, and not-so-creepy poems here! Note my traditional suspicion of the sinister hand…

    Hands

    Hand on the left,
    hand on the right.
    One made of shadows,
    the other sunlight.

    ?Kate Coombs

    1. Ooh, I had forgotten about left-handedness being considered sinister. What an elegant and slightly spooky poem:>)

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