Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
Hi, everyone! I took this picture a few weeks ago in Grand Marais, MN, a beautiful little town on Lake Superior. It was a beautiful afternoon, and I got to walk along the lakeshore looking at rocks for a little while before my library presentation. :>) This image makes me think of:
1) a totem pole that comes to life, one animal at a time
2) the song “Witchita Lineman”
3) my friend Michelle Lackner’s book, Finding Hope (Hope is a bear cub)
And here’s my?first draft.
Now 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!
98 Responses
Fossilized roars
Climbing petrified trees
Great bears
leave many footprints
I LOVE those fossilized roars, Amelia. Something about the immediacy and volume of a roar contrasted with the ancientness and silence that fossilized implies makes a great contrast!
I like the petrified tree concept. I’m still in awe of the Petrified Forest.
Love ?fossilized roars?. I think of ?sitting and thinking? about ?what was? when I read that.
(Sorry, left this in the wrong spot before!)
Fossilized roars
Climbing petrified trees
Great bears
leave many footprints
I LOVE those fossilized roars, Amelia. Something about the immediacy and volume of a roar contrasted with the ancientness and silence that fossilized implies makes a great contrast!
I like the petrified tree concept. I’m still in awe of the Petrified Forest.
Love ?fossilized roars?. I think of ?sitting and thinking? about ?what was? when I read that.
(Sorry, left this in the wrong spot before!)
In the vast sea
that is sky,
I perch, survey,
then swim
on air,
free.
–Margaret Simon
Margaret, this is so lovely and surreal. I love when a poet takes an action that belongs one place (like swimming) and puts it somewhere else. It’s like an impressionist painting or something…
Lovely, Margaret
Oh, and they do swim in the sky so gracefully…lovely!
In the vast sea
that is sky,
I perch, survey,
then swim
on air,
free.
–Margaret Simon
Margaret, this is so lovely and surreal. I love when a poet takes an action that belongs one place (like swimming) and puts it somewhere else. It’s like an impressionist painting or something…
Lovely, Margaret
Oh, and they do swim in the sky so gracefully…lovely!
Clouds and waves make for stiff competition for a statue. Good one, Laura! I like the way you think!
Thank you, Linda–and for all you do to encourage creativity!
Clouds and waves make for stiff competition for a statue. Good one, Laura! I like the way you think!
Thank you, Linda–and for all you do to encourage creativity!
how my porridge
climb a tree
godly sea gull
you bring my
porridge back
poem By Jessica Bigi
Hehe–a riff on the Three Bears? Is that Goldy Sea Gull instead of godly? Just want to make sure I’m following your train of thought.
yep the pic made me think of the Tree bears
Jessica, maybe the bear dropped your porridge in order to climb the tree.
Love that Goldy Seagull got away with the bear’s porridge! They’ll steal any food!
how my porridge
climb a tree
godly sea gull
you bring my
porridge back
poem By Jessica Bigi
Hehe–a riff on the Three Bears? Is that Goldy Sea Gull instead of godly? Just want to make sure I’m following your train of thought.
yep the pic made me think of the Tree bears
Jessica, maybe the bear dropped your porridge in order to climb the tree.
Love that Goldy Seagull got away with the bear’s porridge! They’ll steal any food!
Bear
Seagulls are talking,
seagulls are squawking?
there?s a bear at the beach
and he?s bare!
?Kate Coombs
Too funny!
He definitely needs sunscreen, Kate.
Those gossiping seagulls! I love your wordplay here:>)
Bear
Seagulls are talking,
seagulls are squawking?
there?s a bear at the beach
and he?s bare!
?Kate Coombs
Too funny!
He definitely needs sunscreen, Kate.
Those gossiping seagulls! I love your wordplay here:>)
Love your springing sky, Laura. I wanted to write something lovely, but this is what came to mind.
Talk to Me, Bear
My feet are stuck.
I’m skin and bone -
how long before
I turn to stone?
Ellie, I feel your pain. Just remember his name is Hope!
Ellie, that happens to me all the time. Our brains have something different planned:>) This makes me think (despite the title) of long-ago dinosaurs trapped in tarpits and bogs, waiting (well, not really, but you know what I mean) to fossilize. Sigh…
My thoughts exactly! Great rhyme
Love your springing sky, Laura. I wanted to write something lovely, but this is what came to mind.
Talk to Me, Bear
My feet are stuck.
I’m skin and bone -
how long before
I turn to stone?
Ellie, I feel your pain. Just remember his name is Hope!
Ellie, that happens to me all the time. Our brains have something different planned:>) This makes me think (despite the title) of long-ago dinosaurs trapped in tarpits and bogs, waiting (well, not really, but you know what I mean) to fossilize. Sigh…
My thoughts exactly! Great rhyme
Show-Off
Totem dress code
is tone-on-tone
raucous gull
always
stands out
and alone.
Good morning Laura. Koalas and totem poles and a bear named Hope — such warm, fuzzy feelings interrupted by our friend, the seagull.
Martha, what a fun and cohesive blend of fashion and mood. That seagull–always on the fringe (hehe).
There nothing like a raucous soaring gull to contrast with the quiet lumbering of a bear.
Show-Off
Totem dress code
is tone-on-tone
raucous gull
always
stands out
and alone.
Good morning Laura. Koalas and totem poles and a bear named Hope — such warm, fuzzy feelings interrupted by our friend, the seagull.
Martha, what a fun and cohesive blend of fashion and mood. That seagull–always on the fringe (hehe).
There nothing like a raucous soaring gull to contrast with the quiet lumbering of a bear.
I liked your poem, Laura. A statue by the lake. Lovely.
I just kept focusing on that little bear cub.
Mom! Look at me
up this tree!
What should I do?
Where are you?
Help!
Ha Ha! Quick change of feelings- from brave and boastful to Help!
Sweet Pat. Mom is nearby, I’m sure.
Exactly! Mama can’t be far, right?
I liked your poem, Laura. A statue by the lake. Lovely.
I just kept focusing on that little bear cub.
Mom! Look at me
up this tree!
What should I do?
Where are you?
Help!
Ha Ha! Quick change of feelings- from brave and boastful to Help!
Sweet Pat. Mom is nearby, I’m sure.
Exactly! Mama can’t be far, right?
Eye of the Beholder
From perch so high
We say eagle-eye
Not seagull-eye
I wonder why
Ahhh — the “whys” in life. I like your take on the picture.
Ooh love that!
Oooh, this is lovely. A little melancholy, a lot thoughtful.
Nor do we say “Bear eye”! But I guess there’s a reason for that one! Wait, I just looked that up. Bears see as well as we do. Bad eyesight in bears is a myth! Huh! The things you learn!
Eye of the Beholder
From perch so high
We say eagle-eye
Not seagull-eye
I wonder why
Ahhh — the “whys” in life. I like your take on the picture.
Ooh love that!
Oooh, this is lovely. A little melancholy, a lot thoughtful.
Nor do we say “Bear eye”! But I guess there’s a reason for that one! Wait, I just looked that up. Bears see as well as we do. Bad eyesight in bears is a myth! Huh! The things you learn!
I’m King of the Hill!
Not really a hill,
but still-
it’s a thrill!
It’s good to find something positive in our circumstances. Cute Cindy.
Love the excitement!
I’m King of the Hill!
Not really a hill,
but still-
it’s a thrill!
It’s good to find something positive in our circumstances. Cute Cindy.
Love the excitement!
I love yours, Laura. The sky wouldn’t look like it does without the contrast of the rocks 🙂
Who put glue on this tree?
No Maple Syrup for me
Aw, poor bear:>( Love the story those two short lines imply/invite. And thanks!
I love yours, Laura. The sky wouldn’t look like it does without the contrast of the rocks 🙂
Who put glue on this tree?
No Maple Syrup for me
Aw, poor bear:>( Love the story those two short lines imply/invite. And thanks!
Here are a couple tries at it:
Overlooking Points of View
Bear in tree,
counts the caves;
Gull of sea,
watches waves.
Any Pole in a Storm
seeking haven
sea raven
and cave maven
find graven birch perch
overlooking lurching sea.
Donna, I really like both of them. The references to their dwellings comes through in a unique way. I like all of the caves, waves, haven, maven, etc.
Fun–I especially like the tongue-twistery quality of the second one:>)
Here are a couple tries at it:
Overlooking Points of View
Bear in tree,
counts the caves;
Gull of sea,
watches waves.
Any Pole in a Storm
seeking haven
sea raven
and cave maven
find graven birch perch
overlooking lurching sea.
Donna, I really like both of them. The references to their dwellings comes through in a unique way. I like all of the caves, waves, haven, maven, etc.
Fun–I especially like the tongue-twistery quality of the second one:>)
Love “fossilized roars”. I think of “sitting and thinking” about “what was” when I read that.
Love “fossilized roars”. I think of “sitting and thinking” about “what was” when I read that.
A perch, a pole
for bird and bear
where both can share
their public lair
Aw, what a nice thought. It’s like a Starbucks for wildlife:>)
A perch, a pole
for bird and bear
where both can share
their public lair
Aw, what a nice thought. It’s like a Starbucks for wildlife:>)
My computer’s not working, so I don’t know if the comment I just left made it there or not…so pardon the repeat post, if this has already been shared:
Early Riser
Sea mist swirls;
single seagull
seizes a current and rides,
suspended
in a headwind.
? ? 2015, Matt Forrest Esenwine, all rights reserved
The earlier one was awaiting approval (no idea why), but since you reposted, I’ll just let this one be. So sorry to hear of your computer woes–I saw your Comment at Diane’s blog so was surprised to see you here! I’m a big fan of alliteration, so I love this. Especially lines 1, 4, and 5. They feel like time has stopped. Hope your tech issues resolve over the weekend!
My computer’s not working, so I don’t know if the comment I just left made it there or not…so pardon the repeat post, if this has already been shared:
Early Riser
Sea mist swirls;
single seagull
seizes a current and rides,
suspended
in a headwind.
? ? 2015, Matt Forrest Esenwine, all rights reserved
The earlier one was awaiting approval (no idea why), but since you reposted, I’ll just let this one be. So sorry to hear of your computer woes–I saw your Comment at Diane’s blog so was surprised to see you here! I’m a big fan of alliteration, so I love this. Especially lines 1, 4, and 5. They feel like time has stopped. Hope your tech issues resolve over the weekend!
TREETOP THOUGHTS
Perched upon my derriere
Starting at a baby bear
Wishing he wasn’t there.
© Charles Waters 2015 all rights reserved.
TREETOP THOUGHTS
Perched upon my derriere
Starting at a baby bear
Wishing he wasn’t there.
© Charles Waters 2015 all rights reserved.