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 Wind and Play.
The rules for writing a Blitz Poem and Wind and Play
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.
Wind and Play Naked trees dancing Dancing in the wind Wind that makes branches bend Wind that makes branches sway Sway like arms in motion Sway like ballerinas Ballerinas performing a dance Ballerinas on a stage Stage in a crowded room Stage to steal your glance Glance toward the tired dancers Glance toward the tiny squirrel Squirrel hidden in the nest Squirrel filled with rage Rage about the rocking motion Rage to be tossed from its home Home among the branches Home and comfortable in the storm Storm that rages with thunder Storm with threatening clouds Clouds dark with danger Clouds that hold deadly moisture Moisture let loose from the sky Moisture falls from clouds so gray Gray and gloomy Gray and dismal Dismal and cold Dismal so turn the page Page of a book Page of a calendar Calendar marking another year Calendar sending a message Message about how time flies Message about the passing days Days that fly away Days left until spring Spring when the birds sing Spring when the leaves grow Grow to cover the naked trees Grow to catch the southern breeze Breeze that makes us warm Breeze that makes us feel strong Strong and unbendable Strong to bask in the sun Sun that warms us every day Sun that allows us to play Play in the shade of a tall tree Play games without alarm Play… Tree….
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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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