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 Morning Pages.
Structure of a cascade poem and Morning Pages
The lines are represented as ABC.
- The first line ends with line A.
- The second line ends with Line B.
- 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.
Morning Pages And so we meet again In the quiet before my morning pages Before the rest of the world begins Between a dream and sleep This writer will never win Without the words on the page Word Daddy has gone away And so we met again This is not something I can ignore My restless mind will never sleep Away all the words that creep In the quiet before my morning pages. I might collect a great number of sins Wrestling with a plot twist in the dark Searching for the secret spark Before the rest of the world begins The characters always seem to seep, Into my brain without remorse Impossible to chart a course Between a dream and sleep
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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