I decided to live dangerously in October. It’s a scary month, so I’m going to explore a form of poetry with stringent rules that moves at a rapid-fire pace. I’m going to write blitz poetry. This unusual style, developed by Robert Keim, has set rules using connecting phrases to create a 50-line verse I titled Glide Unless Ride.
Line 1 is a short phrase or image. Line 2 is another short phrase or image using the same first word as line 1. Lines 3 and 4 starts with the same word used as the last word of line 2. Then, lines 5 and 6 use the last word of line 4. This pattern is followed until line 48. Line 49 uses the last word in 48. Line 50 begins with the last word in line 47. The title is three words long. The title format is the first word of line 3, a preposition or conjunction, and the first word of 47. You can’t use any punctuation. Luckily, these poems don’t need to rhyme. This poetic adventure will either be a lot of fun or leave me frustrated. I will call this Blitz poem Glide Unless Ride. Let’s get our spooky scare on right now.
Glide Unless Ride
Abide in the shelter
Abide away from the storm
Storm and the danger
Storm away in the manger
Manger where the Savior
Manger was born
Born to be broken
Born to be a token
Token of salvation
Token given to the nation
Nation of people
Nation unaware of his birth
Birth of freedom
Birth free from shame
Shame of our actions
Shame of our reactions
Reactions and emotions
Reactions to our stress
Stress for the future
Stress from the past
Past indiscretions
Past mistakes
Mistakes we long to forget
Mistakes we let ride
Ride on a Darkhorse
Ride down country roads
Roads
Darkhorse
Who is Molly Shea?
Molly Shea is an accomplished fictional short story writer from Indiana who writes short stories and novels about a fictional town called Tecumseh. To read more of her short stories and adventures, click here.
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Wow, what an innovative format. There’s a unique rhythm to it. At least I feel this way.
Thank you.