Photo: Laura Purdie Salas
Wake up your poetry brains with 15 Words or Less (guidelines here)!
OK, I’m aware I have done too many tree pictures for 15 Words or Less, and I’ve sworn off them. But…but I had to share this! I went for a walk Sunday morning with my daughter and came across this cool tree. It’s a walk I’ve taken many times before, but I’ve never noticed this! The image makes me think of:
1)?totem poles
2)?a spy hiding in a tree
3) a sketch pad from a college art class
And here’s my?first draft:
Eye Spy
The tree watches me,
unblinking.
Does it see my
black thumb?
My dark heart?
–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:>)
110 Responses
I don’t walk
that block
because a tree
sees me.
Hark!
Did it bark?
Cute! Love it!
Great response!
Haha. Fun poem to wake up to!
I love the cleaver word play at the end
Oh, the scary tree at work.…barking. Reminds me of a scene in the Wizard of Oz that is rarely done in the play version. Creepy old trees pulling at the companions. Could it be some creature in disguise? Your poem gets me in that mysterious mood.
fun!!
I don’t walk
that block
because a tree
sees me.
Hark!
Did it bark?
Cute! Love it!
Great response!
Haha. Fun poem to wake up to!
I love the cleaver word play at the end
Oh, the scary tree at work.…barking. Reminds me of a scene in the Wizard of Oz that is rarely done in the play version. Creepy old trees pulling at the companions. Could it be some creature in disguise? Your poem gets me in that mysterious mood.
fun!!
What a great picture!
I came up with three today.
Eyes in the Back of Her Head
This tree’s a momma
You may have discerned
Watching her birchlings
However she’s turned!
Or
Corner of Oak and Pine
The lights aren’t working!
How will we know
When to stop
or when to go?
Or
Artist in the Wood
Surveys the scene
Dips brush in hue
Triumphantly proclaims,
“My eyes are on you!”
Wow Donna, your Muse was definitely on duty this morning. All three are great; birchlings especially.
I rely like your third poem
Those are all great and imaginative!
What a great picture!
I came up with three today.
Eyes in the Back of Her Head
This tree’s a momma
You may have discerned
Watching her birchlings
However she’s turned!
Or
Corner of Oak and Pine
The lights aren’t working!
How will we know
When to stop
or when to go?
Or
Artist in the Wood
Surveys the scene
Dips brush in hue
Triumphantly proclaims,
“My eyes are on you!”
Wow Donna, your Muse was definitely on duty this morning. All three are great; birchlings especially.
I rely like your third poem
Those are all great and imaginative!
Her Nose in a Book
The walk across
the backyard truly
becomes a trip.
Only trees watch,
still she blushes.
Diane Mayr, all rights reserved
Don’t you just hate that feeling of “being watched” — I like!
I like the tietle and last line
oh, gosh, I’ve lived that. 🙂 Thanks!
Her Nose in a Book
The walk across
the backyard truly
becomes a trip.
Only trees watch,
still she blushes.
Diane Mayr, all rights reserved
Don’t you just hate that feeling of “being watched” — I like!
I like the tietle and last line
oh, gosh, I’ve lived that. 🙂 Thanks!
Quite a striking photo Laura. I just finished reading “Song of Achilles” for discussion at book club tomorrow and am still in mythology, Gods and Goddess mode. Although I did see a perfect watering can in the top part of the photo and “raining tears down …” came to mind. Maybe another time.
Ode to the Stars
Infamous eyes
immortalized:
Audrey, Liz, Sophia
in tree; or
Antony, Cleopatra and
baby made three?
I love how you saw the Egyptian look and made this have a humorous ending!
Thank you Janet. Those Egyptian eyes were first and foremost in my brain this morning.
Egyptian eyes–so they are! Perfect
Quite a striking photo Laura. I just finished reading “Song of Achilles” for discussion at book club tomorrow and am still in mythology, Gods and Goddess mode. Although I did see a perfect watering can in the top part of the photo and “raining tears down …” came to mind. Maybe another time.
Ode to the Stars
Infamous eyes
immortalized:
Audrey, Liz, Sophia
in tree; or
Antony, Cleopatra and
baby made three?
I love how you saw the Egyptian look and made this have a humorous ending!
Thank you Janet. Those Egyptian eyes were first and foremost in my brain this morning.
Egyptian eyes–so they are! Perfect
Love this photo, Laura! Also the images of “black thumb and dark heart”. Conjurs up just a bit of evil!
BEWARE!
A tree
with three
wide, wise eyes
serves the woods
as watchman.
Andria W. Rosenbaum/all rights reserved
Well, if I was the big bad wolf and I came upon this watchman I might not have followed ol’ Goldilocks to grandmother’s!! The tree on guard duty gives pause! I like you alliteration, Andria.
Yes, beware, indeed!
Love this photo, Laura! Also the images of “black thumb and dark heart”. Conjurs up just a bit of evil!
BEWARE!
A tree
with three
wide, wise eyes
serves the woods
as watchman.
Andria W. Rosenbaum/all rights reserved
Well, if I was the big bad wolf and I came upon this watchman I might not have followed ol’ Goldilocks to grandmother’s!! The tree on guard duty gives pause! I like you alliteration, Andria.
Yes, beware, indeed!
Tree
Tree tires of sleeping,
opens an eye.
Next he will walk,
next he will fly.
?Kate Coombs
Ooh, I like this! Why stop with just seeing? Keep growing, going!
Makes me think think of a fall tree hows leaves soon fly through winds and also a weeping Willow
How her branches sway as if they wear yawing waking from a winters sleep into spring
I love you poem
I love how your tree is coming to life with eyes and feet and wings. I am looking out my window now at the other side of a little cove/harbor in Maine and what gives it its splendor are the array of trees. Just thinking about tree blight (like the EAB Emerald Ash Bohrer and the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid) makes me so sad. Your poem reminds me of The Giving Tree in a way. So regal and knowing. The EAB has gotten lots of press, but not so the HWA. That is going to destroy all the hemlocks in the Northeast and I pray that we can do something to stop it. THe HWA has already destroyed a lot in the Great Smokey Mountains. The vista will change. And watersheds will be harmed. Trees do so much for us and we take them for granted I fear.
Oh yes, Janet. And the bark beetle is destroying thousands of acres of forests in the northern (central and western) United States and southern Canada. Heartbreaking.
Oh, how wonderful! A tree uprooted in a good sense.
Thanks, you guys!
Tree
Tree tires of sleeping,
opens an eye.
Next he will walk,
next he will fly.
?Kate Coombs
Ooh, I like this! Why stop with just seeing? Keep growing, going!
Makes me think think of a fall tree hows leaves soon fly through winds and also a weeping Willow
How her branches sway as if they wear yawing waking from a winters sleep into spring
I love you poem
I love how your tree is coming to life with eyes and feet and wings. I am looking out my window now at the other side of a little cove/harbor in Maine and what gives it its splendor are the array of trees. Just thinking about tree blight (like the EAB Emerald Ash Bohrer and the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid) makes me so sad. Your poem reminds me of The Giving Tree in a way. So regal and knowing. The EAB has gotten lots of press, but not so the HWA. That is going to destroy all the hemlocks in the Northeast and I pray that we can do something to stop it. THe HWA has already destroyed a lot in the Great Smokey Mountains. The vista will change. And watersheds will be harmed. Trees do so much for us and we take them for granted I fear.
Oh yes, Janet. And the bark beetle is destroying thousands of acres of forests in the northern (central and western) United States and southern Canada. Heartbreaking.
Oh, how wonderful! A tree uprooted in a good sense.
Thanks, you guys!
I rely like all the poems today
How’s eyes
Owls eyes
Squeals eyes
Black masked eyes
Stair form a tree
How’s branches
Write stars across
Paper sky
Poem by Jessica Bigi
? I think you must have written this on your phone or iPad and the auto-correct took over!
Is it this?
“Whose eyes?
Owl’s eyes
Squirrel’s eyes
Black-masked eyes
Stare from a tree
Whose branches
Write stars across
Paper sky”
Just trying to piece it together. No of fence! Whoops! See my iPad just fixed offense for me! Thanks, iPad!
thank you 🙂
this is what I meant to say
?Whose eyes?
Owl?s eyes
Squirrel?s eyes
Black-masked eyes
Stare from a tree
Whose branches
Write stars across
Paper sky?
I like how the animal eyes connect to the tree’s “eyes” and the stars in a paper sky. All those stars, like angels watching from on high. Sending us twinkles of stardust smiles. I like your poem and the title works well, Jessica.
A multi-eyed look! I also like the writing stars across the paper sky.
I rely like all the poems today
How’s eyes
Owls eyes
Squeals eyes
Black masked eyes
Stair form a tree
How’s branches
Write stars across
Paper sky
Poem by Jessica Bigi
? I think you must have written this on your phone or iPad and the auto-correct took over!
Is it this?
“Whose eyes?
Owl’s eyes
Squirrel’s eyes
Black-masked eyes
Stare from a tree
Whose branches
Write stars across
Paper sky”
Just trying to piece it together. No of fence! Whoops! See my iPad just fixed offense for me! Thanks, iPad!
thank you 🙂
this is what I meant to say
?Whose eyes?
Owl?s eyes
Squirrel?s eyes
Black-masked eyes
Stare from a tree
Whose branches
Write stars across
Paper sky?
I like how the animal eyes connect to the tree’s “eyes” and the stars in a paper sky. All those stars, like angels watching from on high. Sending us twinkles of stardust smiles. I like your poem and the title works well, Jessica.
A multi-eyed look! I also like the writing stars across the paper sky.
First Solo On Point
Filled with pride
Costume ready.
Make-up, check.
Toe-shoes tied.
Eyes upon me,
Poised to glide.
* Making a goal to write more here. I really love this place, Laura and friends!
Eyes upon me, a nice scene capturing the emotion of a debut
First Solo On Point
Filled with pride
Costume ready.
Make-up, check.
Toe-shoes tied.
Eyes upon me,
Poised to glide.
* Making a goal to write more here. I really love this place, Laura and friends!
Eyes upon me, a nice scene capturing the emotion of a debut
She climbed the tree
She leaped
From branch to branch
They watch, askance
Lovely picture!
All those pesky squirrels leaping about or birds hopping, racing and have a great time. The staid tree, so straight and proper.…you got me with “askance”. Loved your poem, Amelia.
ah, the daring young woman on the flying tree branches. I can see it
She climbed the tree
She leaped
From branch to branch
They watch, askance
Lovely picture!
All those pesky squirrels leaping about or birds hopping, racing and have a great time. The staid tree, so straight and proper.…you got me with “askance”. Loved your poem, Amelia.
ah, the daring young woman on the flying tree branches. I can see it
Tree Trunk Eyes
Always open
looking beyond
through
unmoving
staring still
Does she see me?
–Margaret Simon
This makes me think of people who sort of speak to you, but you know their minds are elsewhere…their eyes give them away. They are looking through, and beyond you. I always try to get kids to see the importance of eye contact and caring. Like your poem, Margaret!
I like how the tree “eyes” make you feel self-conscious
Tree Trunk Eyes
Always open
looking beyond
through
unmoving
staring still
Does she see me?
–Margaret Simon
This makes me think of people who sort of speak to you, but you know their minds are elsewhere…their eyes give them away. They are looking through, and beyond you. I always try to get kids to see the importance of eye contact and caring. Like your poem, Margaret!
I like how the tree “eyes” make you feel self-conscious
In the Forest
Three-eyed
totem pole
towers over me,
Tree-eyed
bushy troll
grumbles as I flee.
Run! 🙂 That’s a short fairy tale in itself
In the Forest
Three-eyed
totem pole
towers over me,
Tree-eyed
bushy troll
grumbles as I flee.
Run! 🙂 That’s a short fairy tale in itself
The things seen
You will not know
Alas I am a tree
Does it show?
Anne McKenna
yes, it does show! But neat to wonder –who’s in there?
The things seen
You will not know
Alas I am a tree
Does it show?
Anne McKenna
yes, it does show! But neat to wonder –who’s in there?
Ladies’ Night at the Local Watering Hole
A look.
A blink.
A quick, coy
wink.
A mutter.
A stutter.
Heart’s all
aflutter.
~~Barbara J. Turner
How cute. I like.
I like it, too!
Very cute; well done!
Love how you have told a humorous story in 15 words. Your words “sing”, too.
Ladies’ Night at the Local Watering Hole
A look.
A blink.
A quick, coy
wink.
A mutter.
A stutter.
Heart’s all
aflutter.
~~Barbara J. Turner
How cute. I like.
I like it, too!
Very cute; well done!
Love how you have told a humorous story in 15 words. Your words “sing”, too.
Silent Witness
They went thataway.
I saw, cannot say.
They were here a spell.
I cannot tell.
Hi Jane,
I love your “speak no evil” tree and poem! Cute!
JanetClare aka Janet F. 🙂
Silent Witness
They went thataway.
I saw, cannot say.
They were here a spell.
I cannot tell.
Hi Jane,
I love your “speak no evil” tree and poem! Cute!
JanetClare aka Janet F. 🙂
FRIEND
Only hollow trees can see
How taunts at school are hurting me.
© Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.
FRIEND
Only hollow trees can see
How taunts at school are hurting me.
© Charles Waters 2014 all rights reserved.