Day 14. For today’s Two-for-Tuesday prompt:
- Write a sonnet or other traditional form poem. I specifically mention the sonnet, because it’s day 14 and the sonnet traditionally has 14 lines. But any other traditional form (villanelle, triolet, sestina, etc.) would work as well.
- Write an anti-sonnet or other traditional form poem. If you’re anti-form, good news! You can vent about it in a poem–or just write a poem that attacks form and structure of any kind (even beyond poetics). Anarchy poems?
His and hers: a crime in two parts
I.
It’s not that hard to fit inside a box
Pretend, my dear, you’re playing hide-and-seek
(Though silly games are mainly for the weak)
Give in to rules, to schedules and to clocks
Obey the form and always sort my socks
You must behave, I like my women meek
No anarchy or other forms of cheek
Remember, please, what happened to Guy Fawkes
What are you doing with that dagger dear?
Did you think to cut my wisdom from your life?
You’re cute but let me help you understand
You’re clearly not as strong as you appear
You belong to me, my property, my wife
Oh! I am stabbed, this isn’t what I planned!
II.
Watching your bitter smug
slip away
with your blood
into the gutter,
I remember the beatings,
the belittling, all the little
stings and strings
you used to hold me
tightly,
too tightly.
I imagine Guy Fawkes
believed in himself
at least once before he died,
neck broken
like his plans, and I know
they’ll come for me, I know
I’ll hang, but at least “my dear”
I’ll finally swing
free.