This Is A Poem

I’m going to write a poem

I’m going to make it snappy

It’s going to be a jolly jape

That makes its readers happy.

I always start with short lines

They’re better – it’s been tested,

And an ABCB rhyme scheme

To keep them interested.

And then I make lines longer

And the rhyming becomes stronger

And they hunger for a pause

Of course I’ll punctuate the verse

But first, the verse idea has got to go

For this, dear reader, is harder and deeper

And verses are needed no more.

Furthermore, the lack of a split

Is a handy addition; it helps me to fit

More of it on the page, which is really

Really good.

Especially if you’re going to print it out.

In fact, you could say that I’ve done you a favour

I’ve given you one more spare piece of printer paper

Than I would have done had I continued

With the stanza break

But those are minor logistical technicalities

That don’t really require elaboration

In fact, it doesn’t really have any place

In this poem

But I thought it looked quirky

And professional

To include enjambment

At random

Intervals. And the illusion

Of a train of thought

That this poem resembles

Works better when the text

Isn’t broken up by stanzas

But it could be argued

That I’m just not trying any more

And I’m just typing words

Which poses

The question

At what point does intelligent

Esperimental poetry

Become structureless

Pointless

Drivel?