INSTANT POEM — JUST ADD WORDS

This poem isn’t finished yet It’s just an early draft, It’s not the genuine article, The rhyming’s under par. I haven’t yet established What I’m trying to do. Don’t ask me where it’s going; I haven’t got a clue. It’s still a work in progress And littered with mistakes, I’m chucking paint at the canvas To see if anything takes. I could tackle some obscure subject Like the life-cycle of the gnat, Something something something ... And something that rhymes with that. Or lift a line from someone else Like a filthy, rotten cheater, Or go for something different Like a subtle change of metre, senorita. But it gets a bit complicated With asymmetric rhymes, And this is a bit of a rush job So I haven’t got the time. Stick with the tried and tested, Don’t go on too long, Follow the usual formula, Then you can’t go wrong. Set the scene, develop the theme, Take it to an absurd extreme, Aim for a crescendo then Link it all back to the beginning again. Don’t forget the punchline Damned if I can think of one, Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb, That’s it. Finished. Done.

G. Bell, Botley, Hants.