Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Here’s a pic I took when we were in New Orleans in May for the International Reading Association conference. I loved the architecture there. This image makes me think of:
1) a swan at night
2) Faberge egg
3) fancy fonts
And here’s my?first draft.
Swan at Midnight
Black lake ripples
Feathered moon
tucks its beak into night,
pulses with dark’s heartbeat
–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:>)?
122 Responses
Here’s mine and I had to look the word up again because I never can remember how to spell.
SCHERENSCHNITTE
It’s scissor cuts,
sharpen your scissors
for paper silhouettes
with symetry in design.
I love the 3 line
Didn’t know it had a name! That’s a fun word to say.
I love all the /s/ sounds and the /t/s, too. Gives your poem long curves and sharp bites that echo the art form you’re talking about (which I admire but don’t know how to pronounce!).
Joy, your take on this is perfect. I now know a new word and its definition. Thanks.
Here’s mine and I had to look the word up again because I never can remember how to spell.
SCHERENSCHNITTE
It’s scissor cuts,
sharpen your scissors
for paper silhouettes
with symetry in design.
I love the 3 line
Didn’t know it had a name! That’s a fun word to say.
I love all the /s/ sounds and the /t/s, too. Gives your poem long curves and sharp bites that echo the art form you’re talking about (which I admire but don’t know how to pronounce!).
Joy, your take on this is perfect. I now know a new word and its definition. Thanks.
Twists, curves
And
Swoops, swirls
And
Locks, bolts
And
Gates of Night
The one swirl looked like an ‘and’ sign to me and… this is what came out! Lovely picture 🙂
I love how your swirl and loop their way through your poem
how your words
Ampersand! (I did know what that’s called.) I like your interpretation of that picture!
Wow, I like how you’ve used this refrain of And. Usually “and” is filler and adds nothing, but it works here somehow. And that last line is impactful and surprising–something metaphoric after all the concrete details. Lovely, unusual poem today, Amelia!
Amelia, I’m happy you were able to work with the &! Very nice.
I like this a lot, Amelia! Have you considered putting ampersands in place of your And’s to see how it looks? The And’s look good, so just a thought.
Love these images built with ands.
Twists, curves
And
Swoops, swirls
And
Locks, bolts
And
Gates of Night
The one swirl looked like an ‘and’ sign to me and… this is what came out! Lovely picture 🙂
I love how your swirl and loop their way through your poem
how your words
Ampersand! (I did know what that’s called.) I like your interpretation of that picture!
Wow, I like how you’ve used this refrain of And. Usually “and” is filler and adds nothing, but it works here somehow. And that last line is impactful and surprising–something metaphoric after all the concrete details. Lovely, unusual poem today, Amelia!
Amelia, I’m happy you were able to work with the &! Very nice.
I like this a lot, Amelia! Have you considered putting ampersands in place of your And’s to see how it looks? The And’s look good, so just a thought.
Love these images built with ands.
Promises
all forgotten words
frozen admits
moon ’ sky and green-blue see
breath of whispers
clouds
Poem By Jessica Bigi
the pic reminds me of the writing on a hottest cupcake
Laura I love your poem I love the first 3 lines
hostess cupcake
I love how ethereal your poem feels, Jessica. Lovely! I wasn’t sure about line 2–is “admits” the word you were going for?
Amidst
Ahhhh–got it!
I had to look up ethereal learned a new word today 🙂
Jessica, amidst works well. I like the Hostess cupcake thought.
Promises
all forgotten words
frozen admits
moon ’ sky and green-blue see
breath of whispers
clouds
Poem By Jessica Bigi
the pic reminds me of the writing on a hottest cupcake
Laura I love your poem I love the first 3 lines
hostess cupcake
I love how ethereal your poem feels, Jessica. Lovely! I wasn’t sure about line 2–is “admits” the word you were going for?
Amidst
Ahhhh–got it!
I had to look up ethereal learned a new word today 🙂
Jessica, amidst works well. I like the Hostess cupcake thought.
At first light,
scary sight!
Icy curls,
frosty swirls,
Winter’s nigh.
Sigh.…
I especially love lines 3 and 4!
Love the last 3 lines makes me think of a frost window
Cindy, the image you paint is just around the corner. Nice poem, even if it means we’re close to winter whites.
“icy curls,” I see them now, glistening.
At first light,
scary sight!
Icy curls,
frosty swirls,
Winter’s nigh.
Sigh.…
I especially love lines 3 and 4!
Love the last 3 lines makes me think of a frost window
Cindy, the image you paint is just around the corner. Nice poem, even if it means we’re close to winter whites.
“icy curls,” I see them now, glistening.
Sleepy duckling
sees reflection
in moonlit water
drifts into dreamland
safe and secure in numbers.
Sweet picture Laura. I love “feathered moon” and “dark’s heartbeat.”
I like line 1–3‑4 reading this almost seams like a dream
Thanks, Martha. Love the pastoral scene you paint here. Definitely a feeling of cozy safety.
Sleepy duckling
sees reflection
in moonlit water
drifts into dreamland
safe and secure in numbers.
Sweet picture Laura. I love “feathered moon” and “dark’s heartbeat.”
I like line 1–3‑4 reading this almost seams like a dream
Thanks, Martha. Love the pastoral scene you paint here. Definitely a feeling of cozy safety.
I love your poem about the swan, Laura. Beautiful! Really sets a midnight mood.
I saw ocean waves, but then I saw leaves, so here goes:
Sudden breeze
brings blizzard
of leaves.
Reds, yellows,
autumn browns,
swirl, twirl,
tumble down.
Very nice Pat. A white pallet leaves the perfect backdrop for whatever colors the eye can see.
Pat, Martha again. Wrong “palette” in my first response.
I like blizzard of leaves
Ooh, I didn’t see leaves at all. Nice! I also like the hint of winter in blizzard.
I love your poem about the swan, Laura. Beautiful! Really sets a midnight mood.
I saw ocean waves, but then I saw leaves, so here goes:
Sudden breeze
brings blizzard
of leaves.
Reds, yellows,
autumn browns,
swirl, twirl,
tumble down.
Very nice Pat. A white pallet leaves the perfect backdrop for whatever colors the eye can see.
Pat, Martha again. Wrong “palette” in my first response.
I like blizzard of leaves
Ooh, I didn’t see leaves at all. Nice! I also like the hint of winter in blizzard.
Laura, that second image in your poem is really something! I like how this image is such a great jumping-off point for everyone.
Strong
Strong
can curl,
whirl, swirl,
and yet hold
tight, still
and white.
?Kate Coombs
I like how your word sound as I read this
Very nice Kate and you have a keen eye to pick up on the “jumping-off point.”
The rhyme of whirl, curl, swirl then white and tight makes your poem a delight to read aloud.
Laura, that second image in your poem is really something! I like how this image is such a great jumping-off point for everyone.
Strong
Strong
can curl,
whirl, swirl,
and yet hold
tight, still
and white.
?Kate Coombs
I like how your word sound as I read this
Very nice Kate and you have a keen eye to pick up on the “jumping-off point.”
The rhyme of whirl, curl, swirl then white and tight makes your poem a delight to read aloud.
The Letter
Loops and lifts,
curls of cursive,
cast me backward
into time.
Andria W. Rosenbaum/all rights reserved
Andria, I like the “c” sounds — curls, cursive, cast … It reads like the picture looks.
Yes! That scrollwork evokes another era, doesn’t it? So does your poem. Love the choice of “cast.”
The Letter
Loops and lifts,
curls of cursive,
cast me backward
into time.
Andria W. Rosenbaum/all rights reserved
Andria, I like the “c” sounds — curls, cursive, cast … It reads like the picture looks.
Yes! That scrollwork evokes another era, doesn’t it? So does your poem. Love the choice of “cast.”
What struck me is the thick layers of paint! Here’s a haiku for today:
restoration
layer by layer her past
unmasked
Diane Mayr, all rights reserved
Wonderful! I can see the paint peeling away.
Love this one, Diane–the peeling off of layers revealing the true self and the original art.
I didn’t see the layers. Like that the past is unmasked. What is hiding in those layers?
You do so well at joining the literal and metaphorical, Diane. I really like those last two words together.
What struck me is the thick layers of paint! Here’s a haiku for today:
restoration
layer by layer her past
unmasked
Diane Mayr, all rights reserved
Wonderful! I can see the paint peeling away.
Love this one, Diane–the peeling off of layers revealing the true self and the original art.
I didn’t see the layers. Like that the past is unmasked. What is hiding in those layers?
You do so well at joining the literal and metaphorical, Diane. I really like those last two words together.
Love the image of a “feathered moon” Laura. I can see the curved swan’s neck tucked into it’s wing. Lovely.
Thank you, Andria!
Love the image of a “feathered moon” Laura. I can see the curved swan’s neck tucked into it’s wing. Lovely.
Thank you, Andria!
Wow–I love your poem this week, Laura, especially the feathered moon tucking its beak into night. Once I noticed your swans in the scroll I also saw deer at the heart of them.
Trapped inside
the body of a graceless swan,
a fleet-footed deer bounds
across imaginary meadows.
I like how the swan turns into a deer
Thanks, Buffy. Your choice of “graceless” is so unexpected, since I usually think of swans as the epitome of grace. This really made me stop and think and picture a swan on land, waddling around…
Wow–I love your poem this week, Laura, especially the feathered moon tucking its beak into night. Once I noticed your swans in the scroll I also saw deer at the heart of them.
Trapped inside
the body of a graceless swan,
a fleet-footed deer bounds
across imaginary meadows.
I like how the swan turns into a deer
Thanks, Buffy. Your choice of “graceless” is so unexpected, since I usually think of swans as the epitome of grace. This really made me stop and think and picture a swan on land, waddling around…
My gifted students again are loving this site. We wrote poems this morning and want to share them with you all. One of my students saw a swan in the design and planted that image in our heads. (Coincidentally, we also read a poem by Kate Coombs today and were excited to see her here.)
Beauty in Darkness
A black pond
holds a graceful swan
reflecting its beauty
in its darkness.
–Vannisa
Waves
hiding a nest
of majestic swans
trapped with loneliness
and secrecy.
–Tyler
Elegant swan swoon
bowing to his excellence
silhouette of night
laced in a masterpiece.
–Margaret Simon
Yay–another poetry party! Love the dark beauty, the idea of being trapped with loneliness, and the silhouette being laced in. What wonderful images!
My gifted students again are loving this site. We wrote poems this morning and want to share them with you all. One of my students saw a swan in the design and planted that image in our heads. (Coincidentally, we also read a poem by Kate Coombs today and were excited to see her here.)
Beauty in Darkness
A black pond
holds a graceful swan
reflecting its beauty
in its darkness.
–Vannisa
Waves
hiding a nest
of majestic swans
trapped with loneliness
and secrecy.
–Tyler
Elegant swan swoon
bowing to his excellence
silhouette of night
laced in a masterpiece.
–Margaret Simon
Yay–another poetry party! Love the dark beauty, the idea of being trapped with loneliness, and the silhouette being laced in. What wonderful images!
What a nice collection of poems here today 🙂
Laura,
I looove that swan poem. Your language is a perfect visual!
Margaret,
Your students poems are amazing!!
Here’s mine:
A Writer?s Life
I spy white
I want to write
I don?t hold back
ca-clack, ca-clack.
?Penny Parker Klostermann
Thanks, Penny. I was happy with my swan/moon image–the rest of it pry needs more work. But it has a kernel…
This poem took me back to my Selectric II typewriter! I love the idea that we see white and immediately know it needs filling:>)
What a nice collection of poems here today 🙂
Laura,
I looove that swan poem. Your language is a perfect visual!
Margaret,
Your students poems are amazing!!
Here’s mine:
A Writer?s Life
I spy white
I want to write
I don?t hold back
ca-clack, ca-clack.
?Penny Parker Klostermann
Thanks, Penny. I was happy with my swan/moon image–the rest of it pry needs more work. But it has a kernel…
This poem took me back to my Selectric II typewriter! I love the idea that we see white and immediately know it needs filling:>)
Degas Pencil
Charcoal slippers
Scratchy lines of ruffle
Turning- turning- spinning
Arm lines of wings fluttering freely
Flowing Lines tiptoe-tiptoe-stepping across canvas
Leaping ?leaping twilling-twilling
Charcoal slippers step forward
Flowing lines tilt their heads and bow
poem By Jessica Bigi
Degas Pencil
Charcoal slippers
Scratchy lines of ruffle
Turning- turning- spinning
Arm lines of wings fluttering freely
Flowing Lines tiptoe-tiptoe-stepping across canvas
Leaping ?leaping twilling-twilling
Charcoal slippers step forward
Flowing lines tilt their heads and bow
poem By Jessica Bigi
Old Soul
Gilded gingerbread
Graceful arc-
Victorian curlicue
on a bench
in the park.
I love this
This is lovely–I especially like the word curlicue in here:>)
I really liked the unexpected turn from the “romantic” to the pragmatic! Great poem!
Old Soul
Gilded gingerbread
Graceful arc-
Victorian curlicue
on a bench
in the park.
I love this
This is lovely–I especially like the word curlicue in here:>)
I really liked the unexpected turn from the “romantic” to the pragmatic! Great poem!
GOTHIC FENCE
Jagged rods,
Jutted designs,
A contortionist
Sense of care,
Signifying to all ?
Beware.
© Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.
That contortionist sens of care is wonderful!
GOTHIC FENCE
Jagged rods,
Jutted designs,
A contortionist
Sense of care,
Signifying to all ?
Beware.
© Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.
That contortionist sens of care is wonderful!