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 Wild And Real.
The rules for writing a Blitz Poem and Wild And Real
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.
Wild And Real Sunshine in February February wet and wild Wild with wind and snow Wild with winter’s weather menagerie Menagerie filled with tigers and bears Menagerie of cold and snow Snow that lingers until spring Snow that makes me shiver Shiver in the depths of my soul Shiver with winter cares Cares that take their toll Cares ran off by the sun Sun that reminds me to be free Sun that shines down from the sky Sky filled with brilliant light Sky shining a beautiful blue Blue to color of a crystal sea Blue the color of my lover’s eyes Eyes that sparkle in the night Eyes that drive away the pain Pain of loneliness and despair Pain that causes me to quiver Quiver in the howling wind Quiver where the rivers flow Flow fast and free Flow and make me quake Quake with remembrance Quake with fear Fear of danger in the cold Fear of growing very old Old without a better view Old in cruel winter Winter in of our discontent Winter with no spring in sight Sight of sunshine on a better day Sight of ice melting Melting under the sun Melting into a steady flow Flow into the river Flow into the sea Sea of shadows Sea of doubt Doubt that spring is here Doubt that the thaw is near Near enough to feel Near enough to be real Real on this February day Real and winter’s gone away Real… Day….
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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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Hey, great title! The poem’s been left out, though. Better review! 😆
Wow.
Thanks for this. Anita
Thank you.
Spectacular. I’ve never written one.
Wowed me. 👏
Thank you.