Braiding Hair

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 Braiding Hair.

Structure of a cascade poem and Braiding Hair

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.

Braiding Hair

Late Saturday morning the two sisters
Watching cartoons on the television
Performing with patience the hair braiding 
Ritual of diligence and quiet contentment

The oldest is the specialized twister
Weaving hair with hands of precision
In a style she saw on U-tube
Late Saturday morning the two sisters

The youngest I should mention
Has a sensitive head
And would rather be in bed instead of
Watching cartoons on the television

It didn’t take much persuading.
For older sister to convince the younger
Her hair was a hot mess and stated into 
Performing with patience the hair braiding 

There wasn’t much chance of advancement.
For the youngest who was told not to move
While the oldest got into the grove trapped in a
Ritual of diligence and quiet contentment

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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