Tree Eyes [15 words or less]

Photo: Laura Purdie Salas

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

15WOLs

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

    1. 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.

    1. 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.

  1. 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!”

    1. Wow Donna, your Muse was definitely on duty this morning. All three are great; birchlings especially.

  2. 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!”

    1. Wow Donna, your Muse was definitely on duty this morning. All three are great; birchlings especially.

  3. 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

    1. Don’t you just hate that feeling of “being watched” — I like!

  4. 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

    1. Don’t you just hate that feeling of “being watched” — I like!

  5. 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?

    1. I love how you saw the Egyptian look and made this have a humorous ending!

      1. Thank you Janet. Those Egyptian eyes were first and foremost in my brain this morning.

  6. 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?

    1. I love how you saw the Egyptian look and made this have a humorous ending!

      1. Thank you Janet. Those Egyptian eyes were first and foremost in my brain this morning.

  7. 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

    1. 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.

  8. 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

    1. 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.

    1. 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

    2. 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.

      1. 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.

    1. 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

    2. 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.

      1. 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.

  9. 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

    1. ? 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!

    2. 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?

      1. 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.

  10. 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

    1. ? 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!

    2. 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?

      1. 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.

  11. 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!

  12. 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!

  13. She climbed the tree
    She leaped
    From branch to branch
    They watch, askance

    Lovely picture!

    1. 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.

  14. She climbed the tree
    She leaped
    From branch to branch
    They watch, askance

    Lovely picture!

    1. 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.

    1. 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!

    1. 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!

  15. The things seen
    You will not know
    Alas I am a tree

    Does it show?

    Anne McKenna

  16. The things seen
    You will not know
    Alas I am a tree

    Does it show?

    Anne McKenna

  17. 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

    1. Love how you have told a humorous story in 15 words. Your words “sing”, too.

  18. 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

    1. Love how you have told a humorous story in 15 words. Your words “sing”, too.

    1. Hi Jane,

      I love your “speak no evil” tree and poem! Cute!
      JanetClare aka Janet F. 🙂

    1. Hi Jane,

      I love your “speak no evil” tree and poem! Cute!
      JanetClare aka Janet F. 🙂

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