ANYONE CAN WRITE A POEM

SOMETIMES IF YOU’RE NOT A DUNCE
YOU’LL WRITE A POEM ALL AT ONCE

BUT GENERALLY, TO MAKE A RHYME
YOU MUST WORK IT OUT IN LONGER TIME

WHEN ASKED FOR A POEM OF CERTAIN CONTENT
YOU STRAIN YOUR BRAIN TO WRITE WHAT THEY MEANT

THOUGH IT IS SOMEWHAT SPECULATIVE
TRY, YOU MAY BECOME CREATIVE

AS YOU DO THIS, THOUGHT EXPEND
ON HOW IT WILL BEGIN AND END

AND, IF YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN
PLAN THE SEQUENCE, IN BETWEEN

THEN THINK OF THOUGHTS THAT MIGHT PERTAIN
AND WRITE THEM DOWN SO THEY‘LL REMAIN

AS YOU PROGRESS THROUGH THE DAY
IF AN IDEA COMES YOUR WAY

WRITE IT IN YOUR LITTLE BOOK
SO IT WILL BE THERE WHEN YOU LOOK

IF AN IDEA COMES THAT’S RIGHT
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
SIT UP IN BED. TURN ON THE LIGHT

GET IT RECORDED, HEED THIS WARNING
OR YOU’LL NOT HAVE IT IN THE MORNING

AND AS YOU DO THIS, TAKE THE TIME
TO MAKE YOUR NOTEBOOK ENTRIES RHYME

YOUR NOTEBOOK SOON HAS SEVERAL PAGES
OF RHYME IDEAS FOR POEM’S STAGES

YOUR SUCCESS DEPENDS ON WHETHER
YOU CAN PUT IT ALL TOGETHER

SO ANYONE CAN MAKE A RHYME
PUT TOGETHER A PIECE AT A TIME

THEN IF YOU’RE THE PROUD POSSESSOR
OF A MODERN WORD PROCESSOR

TYPE IT DOWN AND SORT IT OUT
THAT’S WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT

THOUGH NOW YOU HAVE A DECENT RHYME
TO EDIT IT WILL TAKE MORE TIME

TO IMPROVE IT AS YOU MAY
TO MAKE IT EASIER TO SAY

FOR IT SHOULD HAVE A SWINGING GAIT
TO WHICH THE LISTENER CAN RELATE

NOW IF YOU HAVE DONE IT RIGHT
YOU ARE READY TO RECITE

BUT EVEN THOUGH YOU THINK YOU’RE THROUGH
IF AN IDEA COMES THAT’S NEW

FIND A PLACE TO WORK IT IN
TO WASTE AN IDEA IS A SIN

THE WORD PROCESSOR, AS WE HAVE FOUND
LETS YOU MOVE THE STUFF AROUND

SO IF YOU HAVE A USE FOR IT
YOU CAN USUALLY MAKE IT FIT

THOUGH TALENT’S FINE, IT ISN’T NEEDED
IF THIS PROCESS YOU HAVE HEEDED,
YOU WILL FIND THAT YOU’VE SUCCEEDED

YOU’VE MADE A POEM ON YOUR OWN
AND YOU’VE DONE IT ALL ALONE

AND THOUGH NOW THE POEM’S FINISHED
AND YOUR INTEREST HAS DIMINISHED

EVEN IF SOME TIME HAS PAST
SINCE YOU HAVE READ THIS POEM LAST

MAYBE YOU CAN SAY IT BETTER
IF YOU CHANGE A WORD OR LETTER

IF IT WILL IMPROVE IT, CHANGE IT
DON’T HESITATE TO RE ARRANGE IT

YOU MAY FIND, FROM TIME TO TIME
YOU’LL THINK OF SOMETHING THAT WILL RHYME

THOUGH IT’S LATE, GO ON AND USE IT
OTHERWISE YOU’RE SURE TO LOSE IT

REGARD IT AS, I HAVE JUST SAID IT
IT IS NOT TO LATE, TO EDIT

PS
p=. AS I WENT THROUGH ALL THESE STAGES
THIS LITTLE POEM USED TEN PAGES

IN MY LITTLE POCKET BOOK
WHERE I, FOR POEM IDEAS LOOK

SO

ANYONE CAN WRITE A POEM, THOUGH SHORT OF INSPIRATION
IF THEY CAN, AVOID FRUSTRATION
AND JUST POUR ON, THE PERSPIRATION