Hello, and welcome! This is 15 Words or Less Poems, a low-pressure way to wake up your poetry brain (guidelines here), and I’m very glad you’re here, especially on a holiday like today! Happy 4th of July!
This image makes me think of several things:
- canyoning in Scotland (one of my favorite memories of my life!)
- seeing Niagara Falls in person and feeling the mist on my face
- Cookie Monster’s fur after a blow-out at the salon–ha!
And here’s my first draft. I realized it was Oscar the Grouch who is so scruffy/scraggly. This is a second draft. I liked my first draft better, but it was 18 words. :>(
It’s your turn! Have fun and stick to 15 WORDS OR LESS! (Title doesn’t count toward word count.)
23 Responses
Well, I, for one, would love to hear more about canyoning in Scotland! I’m always fascinated by the ideas your images spark for you, Laura. Oscar the Grouch!?! lol This reminded me of some sort of giant cosmic paper shredder.
Transformation
Shred yesterday’s pain
into rivulets
and ribbons
Seek renewal
See the potential
for transformation
Oh, this is lovely, Molly! Those first three lines are especially lovely–in meaning and sound!
wow, love your poem.
poem by Jessica Bigi
Rainy Summer
Mom yellsy’
raining leaky roof
buckets pails mopes
my rubber boost
puddle’s jumping
splashing mud fun
Jessica, I LOVE how different the narrator’s viewpoint is from the mom’s. What a hoot!
Good morning and a safe, happy July 4th one and all. Poor Oscar; “Mama told me there would be days like this.” The Niagara Falls mist sounds wonderful, but my first thought was a combing machine.
Wrapped in Love
Bolls gleaned
baled, blown
carded, combed;
luxurious skeins
transformed
into winter warmth.
Oh, Martha, I love this. My next book with Boyds Mills is called IF YOU WANT TO KNIT SOME MITTENS, and it’s a (fictionalized humorous) account of how wool goes from sheep to hand:>) Your poem feels so extravagant!
Such beautiful word choice!
Loved Oscar’s lament. You should have sneKed you other one in, too. Just hyphenate????!
When I was a kid,my mom let me go play outside in a downpour. I held onto the pillars of our front porch and leaned out so my whole body was under the end of the rain gutter. What a day! My mom was a nurse. She knew we wouldn’t “catch our death”.
Downpour Uproar
Outside
Rain spied!
We sigh.
Spout gushes
Mom shushes
And rushes
All four
Outdoors!
By Donna JT Smith
What fun, Donna! A whole scene in so few words!
I hope everyone is having a Happy Fourth and/or happy day if you aren’t in the US. My family traveled last week and got to see a bit of Canada Day. So, we are home and still in our jammies without a care in the world. It’s gray and steamy…not sure we will go out until fireworks time.
Your Cookie Monster made me giggle. I can only imagine Cookie Monster in the chair under a cape getting a blow out. LOL.
I just played with words…nothing that makes real sense.
Water pages
read left to
rightup to
down
mist on face
Drip
Drop
turn
Sounds like a lovely day, Linda! I like your stream of consciousness musing. I want to try more of this as a way to write my way into a poem. I like a finished poem to make sense, but just letting loose in early drafts and prewriting–that invites the magic in!
“invite the magic in”–love that phrase!
“Rain”
Racing rivulets,
Retreat rapidly,
Rolling refractions,
Rage resplendent,
Resounding rhythms,
Running rampant.
Roughly reflecting,
Reality.
I’m a sucker for alliteration:) I especially like the 3rd stanza, and the whole thing has such an awesome rhythm!
Hi Laura it’s been awhile since I’ve commented on 15 words, but always reading nonetheless. Oscar’s lament is perfect! I just love “A scraggly grouch.” Happy 4th of July!
Grasping strands
Of falling water,
I ascend,
Believing all things are possible.
Hi Jean, great to see you! Your poem puts such a lovely, surreal image in my head of someone literally climbing up a waterfall–beautiful!
Oh, I love this!
Laura, very cute poem.
Haiku by D. Moritz
a sudden shower
we run barefoot on the lawn
raindrops on our tongues
You’ve captured the moment beautifully! I love your final line!
KID MAGNET
Curtain of streamers
at the door,
beckoning entrance:
Come! Explore!
See for yourself,
treasures galore!
I’m listening to some distant rumbles of thunder as I write this. Happy 4th to all!
Summer Storm
Sheets of rain
cleansing air and street
streaming down trunks and leaves
beating summer heat.
Very clever!