Spin and Winter

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 titled  Spin and Winter.


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 is titled Spin and Winter. Let’s get our spooky scare on right now.

Spin and Winter

High-class problem

High-class spin

Spin a phony perspective

Spin a blatant lie

Lie to the gullible people

Lie until they think it’s truth

Truth swallowed like a bitter pill

Truth designed to trick and deceive

Deceive the working class

Deceive the working poor

Poor in resources

Poor without a voice

Voice of a clown

Voice that stage whispers

Whispers for us to pay

Whispers something about a fair share

Share of the giant tax pot

Share the burden of build back better

Better than what

Better than the current life at the circus

Circus clown

Circus elephants

Elephants to lead out the parade

Elephants to go on stampede

Stampede to roll over the crowd

Stampede to stomp us into the ground

Ground that shakes under the weight

Ground that rolls under our feet

Feet too small to bear the burden

Feet too weary to carry more load

Load of the spin doctor manipulated statistics

Load of the ringmasters distorted directions

Directions and mandates

Directions and whips

Whips and threats

Whips and chains

Chains to trap us on center stage

Chains to display our poverty

Poverty due to empty shelves

Poverty of stagflation

Stagflation of the mind

Stagflation of the soul

Soul craving inspiration

Soul suffering from starvation

Starvation while left languishing

Starvation in the dark winter

Winter of cold and ice

Winter with no heat

heat

ice

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.

Be sure to follow Molly on Twitter!

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Published by henhouselady

I am the author of Saving the Hen House. I didn't know when I started it would turn into a series. I love to ride motorcycles, the blues, my family, and going on adventures. This old hen rocks.

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