Reading Salinger

Udit Bhatia invented cascade poetry in 2007. This relatively new style of poetry got its name because it should flow down the page in a waterfall effect. The poem’s structure is simple and relies on the refrain to create the cascading rhythm. The magic of these poems centers around the refrain. The unmetered poems vary in theme depending on the poet’s desire. The only rule used when writing a cascade is that all the lines in the first paragraph are repeated at the ends of every stanza that follows. I will call this cascade poem Reading Salinger.

Structure of a cascade poem and Reading Salinger

The lines are represented as ABC.

1. The first line ends with line A.
2. The second line ends with Line B.
3. The third line ends with line C.

I had written this form of poetry before and had fun with it. I plan to start the month of March using this style. The length of the stanza can vary. There is no rule about sticking to three lines. The thing to remember is that the longer the stanza, the more complicated the poem.

Reading Salinger

The wind’s voice howls outside my door
Freshly baked bread aroma in the air
Cool Coltrane jazz playing on the radio,
While I read Salinger on a cold winter night.

The chill settles down into my core
And I have been here so many times before,
These old bones shouldn’t care.
The wind’s voice howls outside my door.

This late winter snow seems so unfair
A wonderful moment to sometimes share
A tasty meal and warm fire glow
Freshly baked bread aroma in the air.

I can’t think of a better time for it to snow
There is nowhere better for me to go
I might as well not put up a fight
Cool Coltrane jazz playing on the radio.

This time at home is my delight
Tender moments when dreams take flight
Soaring to a place where I’d never go
While I read Salinger on a cold winter night.

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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