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 Lock But Eye.
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 Lock But Eye . Let’s get our spooky scare on right now.
Lock But Eye
Forgot the key
Forgot the lock
Lock the door
Lock and look back
Back to the lock
Back to the door
Door won’t open
Door not like before
Before the lock
Before the forgotten key
Key left on the table
Key so important
Important to turn the lock
Important to let us inside
Inside to escape the heat
Inside out of the weather
Weather so hot for early fall
Weather to make us sweat
Sweat running down our faces
Sweat in the October heat
Heat bringing back memories of july
Heat to make us wonder why
Why the keys are still on the table
Why the credit card won’t work
Work in the lock
Work so unstable
Unstable Rooster sighs
Unstable husband in retreat
Retreat to the porch bench
Retreat with cell phone in hand
Hand with fingers
Hand that dials
Dials the son-in-law
Dials for spare key
Key for locked door
Key to grant us access
Access to our air conditioner
Access to our pink house
House on a busy street corner
House in the hood
Hood that I know
Hood where I grow
Grow words on my computer
Grow fragments of speech
Speech that turns into poems
Speech that is sometimes good
Good to the ear
Good for the eye
Eye to see
Eye to find the key
Key
See
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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Fantastic, fun poem! This looks frightening to attempt! Definitely not easy to write it. You’re doing just great! 💕
Thank you.
Dealing with keys and locks to get outside and then again to get inside. Our weather in Pennsylvania is hot and humid, when we should be having a chill and crisp October.