The Gardener

I wanted to find some interesting styles of poetry for 2022. Metered poetry has always been a challenge for me. I discovered I subconsciously avoided the challenge of dabbling in this particular writing pattern. This year I decided to spread my wings and fly into the face of the storm. I stumbled across the Aquarian by accident and thought it might be interesting to play with this metered style during the last part of January and the entire month of February. This I will call  The Gardener.

I am discovering this style of poetry is harder than it first appeared. You only have to develop fourteen syllables for each stanza, but sometimes you want to write more. Plus, I find the constant counting of the syllables distracting. I also have to fight the urge to create rhythms. These short poems have gotten darker, and I am not sure why. Maybe it’s caused by the dark winter or all the conflicting messages we get these days. There is one thing for sure. They are filled with a touch of sadness.

About the Aquarian

Maris Mazz created this metered style of poetry.

Each stanza has lines of 2/4/6/2 syllables. They can have any number of stanzas creating multiples of 4 lines. They aren’t supposed to rhythm at all.

I will call this one The Gardener

The Gardener

She kills
Every green thing her
Hands touch trying to make
Grow strong

Green things
Seem to know she
Knows nothing about soil
Mixture

Forgets
About all of the 
Watering or she does
Too much

When she
Remembers to
Add liquid moisture or
Plant food

Lilies
Run for cover
And violets cringe and
Roses

Sway in
The air beside
As kitchen rusty door
Swings shut

Carrots
Hide beneath the
Soil with the potatoes
Secure


From her
Evil gardeners
Hands, bringing death to all
Growing 

In her 
Field of dirt and
Stone shrines dedicated
To plants

Lettuce
Cauliflower
Broccoli must all take
Chances


In this 
Dance of green death
Toxic finger sometimes 
Linger

Over
Unmarked graves
Of the victims she did
Betray

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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