Unwashed But Fit

Blitz Poetry is an interesting style of poetry with specific rules. I have written this style of poetry in the past. I thought it might be interesting to play with it again in the cold month of February. The rules make this form of poetry challenging. The rhythm of the poems created using this style depends on word choice and placement. This style of poetry, created by Robert Keim, takes thought and precision. My experience in the past is that it can sometimes feel like you are writing on a fast-moving freight train filled with words. Even the title of the poem is found within the word placement. I call this Blitz poem Unwashed But Fit .

 The rules for writing a Blitz Poem and Unwashed But Fit

A Blitz Poem is 50 lines of short phrases or images

*Line 1- use a short phrase or image

*Line 2-another short phrase or image that uses the same first word as the first word of line 1.

*Lines 3 and 4-short phrase or image that uses the last word of line 2 as the first word of the line.

*Lines 5 and 6, short phrases or images using the last word from line 4 as the first word. Continue until you reach line 48 using the same pattern found in this rule as lines 5 and 6.

*Line 49 will use the first word of line 48

*Line 50 should be the last word of 47

The title should be three words long, using the first word of line 3 followed by a preposition or conjunction and then the first word of line 47.

*There should be no punctuation.

As you can see, there are many rules, but I plan to have fun with this Blitz Poetry style.

Unwashed But Fit

The erection of barriers
Barriers keeping out the unwashed
Unwashed masses trying to get ahead
Unwashed masses trying to keep in step
Step beyond their zip code
Step into a better life
Life that leaves the struggle behind
Life in living color
Color bold and bright
Color barriers to block
Block people from rising
Block those with the ability
Ability to overcome obstacles
Ability to run the race
Race to go the extra mile
Race to outrun the clock
Clock that ticks down the minutes
Clock that defeats us all
All of us run out of time
All of us need a hand
Hand to climb over the wall
Hands to keep us from falling
Falling into despair
Falling without a net
Net to protect the landing
Net to even up the odds
Odds of achieving
Odds on the playing field
Field that moves the starting line
Field where you start uneven
Uneven day and night
Uneven things are never right
Right at gaging character
Right at winning awards
Awards that don’t mean a thing
Awards that bring shame
Shame for the things you don’t know
Shame for the place where you started
Started and out of place
Started thirsty and broken
Broken put fixable
Broken but with a little repair
Repair the inconsistencies.
Repair the invisible parts
Parts that hide deep in the soul
Parts that never seemed to fit
Fit unrealistic expectations
Fit into a broken system
Fit…
Expectations…





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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