Wallpaper

It’s time for me to switch my poetic styles this month. The winter is dragging on, and I wanted to jazz things up a bit. I came across the Bop Poetry style and thought it sounded interesting. Afaa Michael Weaver created this style at an African American poetry retreat at Cave Canem. I love the simplicity of this verse style because the rules are very simple. There is no thyme structure, and the stanzas are unmetered. I call this Bop Poem Wallpaper.

 The simple rules of Bop Poetry and Wallpaper

The poem is three stanzas long.

The first stanza is six lines long and lays out a problem.

The second stanza is eight lines long and explores or expands the problem.

The third stanza is six lines long and gives a solution or failed attempt at resolution of the problem,

There is a short refrain between the stanzas.

I think this style will be fun to explore. You are welcome to join me while I explore this poetic style. I’m not certain if I can pull off this switch. It is challenging to come up with a new poem every day. I hope you have as much fun reading these attempts as I am writing them now if I can only capture the laid-back feel of the Bop in Wallpaper .

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Wallpaper

“The yellowed wallpaper
Needs to go.” I said.
“You have a point, 
But it is such a hassle.”
Rooster always needs
To do easy things.

I am not saying he is a lazy man. He’s the kind of guy who is resistant to Manual labor.

He likes to play it safe.
When it comes to home improvement
And he always stops at putting up trim.
There are only so many hours in a day
And he would rather go out and play.
I can’t say that I blame him
I should probably confess
I don’t like to live in the mess.

I am not saying he is a lazy man. He’s the kind of guy who is resistant to manual labor.

“Since wallpaper can cause so much stress.
I have a brilliant idea.
We can hire someone 
Who knows what they are doing.”
Rooster goes to work scraping.
Did I mention he is cheap, cheap, cheap?

I am not saying he is a lazy man. He’s the kind of guy who is resistant to manual labor.

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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