Fall and Ghosts

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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 Fall and Ghosts.

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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 start 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 almost made it. but I came down with COVID. This poem I will call Fall and Ghosts. It’s the first piece of writing I did for almost a month.

Fall and Ghosts

Evidence of change

Evidence of fall

Fall leaves turning

Fall crispness in the air

Air damp and chilly

Air moist with the scent

Scent of autumn leaves

Scent of vegetation decaying

Decaying before winters snow

Decaying to fertilize spring flowers

Flowers sweet and beautiful

Flowers to bring promise of renewal

Renewal of life and beauty

Renewal from a winter weary world

World plagued with cold

World plagues with threats

Threats that the bloom wouldn’t come again

Threats that the sun would no longer shine

Shine down upon humanity

Shine to give us warmth

Warmth in the cold places

Warmth in the dark night

Night without the cricket song

Night without the promise of morning

Morning bright and glistening

Mourning filled with promise of day

Day to seize opportunity

Day filled with potential

Potential to shine

Potential to become

Become my best self

Become freed to explore

Explore the world of fall

Explore the leaves of autumn

Autumn leaves falling from the trees

Autumn leaves crunching on the ground

Ground filled with castoffs

Ground filled with reds, yellows, and golds

Golds glimmering in the treetops

Golds in brilliant shades

Shades of a poet’s inspiration

Shades of trick or treat fantasy

Fantasy of laughter in the night

Fantasy of costume clad characters

Characters dressed like X-Men and Superheroes

Characters dressed like goblins and ghosts

Ghosts from a long-forgotten childhood

Ghosts to play havoc in my dreams

Dreams

Childhood

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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