Whittled Words – Blitz Poem
Welcome to the weekly series, Whittled Words. A series highlighting the innumerable types and styles of poetry to challenge any creative wordsmith. This week’s selection:
BLITZ POEM
I was intrigued the beauty of the Blitz form while reading it on another poet’s blog. Her variation captured the repetitive nature beautifully. I have included it below, as an example of what can be done with standardized form, a little work, and a ton of creativity. I did a little research, and it looks challenging and fun. It was created by Robert Keim and is a 50-line poem of short phrases and images.
Here are the rules:
- Line 1 should be one short phrase or image (like “build a boat”)
- Line 2 should be another short phrase or image using the same first word as the first word in Line 1 (something like “build a house”)
- Lines 3 and 4 should be short phrases or images using the last word of Line 2 as their first words (so Line 3 might be “house for sale” and Line 4 might be “house for rent”)
- Lines 5 and 6 should be short phrases or images using the last word of Line 4 as their first words, and so on until you’ve made it through 48 lines
- Line 49 should be the last word of Line 48
- Line 50 should be the last word of Line 47
- The title of the poem should be three words long and follow this format: (first word of Line 3) (preposition or conjunction) (first word of line 47)
- There should be no punctuation
There are a lot of rules, but it’s a pretty simple and fun poem to write once you get the hang of it.
Examples of Blitz Poems:
(Blitz Variation)
by Yasmin Khan
Delphinium scented night
Delphinium sparkling bright
Bright, the heliotrope stars
Bright, the frosty tasseled hours
Hours that spell sweet Alyssum
Hours filled with poignant rhythm
Rhythm chiming cosmic tunes
Rhythm, lay of aural runes
Runes that bloom in your eyes
Runes that caress my sighs
Sighs of our rendezvous
Sighs that define I love you
You are the vision in my eye
You are where I want to fly
Fly to where the flowers sway
Fly to where our souls can stay
Stay where your dreams become mine
Stay to let interludes entwine
Entwine
Mine.
GATHERING TO BRIGHT
By Scott A. Saigon
Clouds are gathering
Clouds full grey
Gathering up hopes
Gathering it all
All in chaos
All will fall
Fall bleaching colour
Fall sweeping clean
Clean away summer
Clean away dreams
Dreams turn inward
Dreams of hibernation
Hibernation of spirit
Hibernation of life
Life draws breath
Life will survive
Survive the cold
Survive the barren
Barren the frost
Barren the field
Field of brown
Field of angst
Angst for the future
Angst of regret
Regret for inaction
Regret opportunity lost
Lost in thought
Lost to hope
Hope renews itself
Hope springs anew
Anew the warmth
Anew the spark
Spark of life
Spark of growth
Growth will endure
Growth eternal
Eternal cycle reborn
Eternal hops springs
Spring’s colour revived
Spring’s new promise
Promise me hope
Promise me life
Life asserts
Life awakes
Awakes the colour
Awakes again bright
Bright skies blue
Bright new dreams
Dreams
Blue
WAY OF MIND
By Brad Osborne
Walk the path
Walk the Way
Way to find
Way to mind
Mind your words
Mind your soul
Soul of good
Soul in control
Control your wants
Control your needs
Needs for little
Needs for love
Love yourself
Love the world
World of wonder
World of beauty
Beauty of land
Beauty of nature
Nature in all
Nature as one
One reflected
One connected
Connected peace
Connected hope
Hope for each
Hope for all
All to reach
All to teach
Teach in thought
Teach in actions
Actions speak
Actions lead
Lead your life
Lead your song
Song of spirit
Song of joy
Joy your proof
Joy your light
Light of mind
Light of life
Life of caring
Life of heart
Heart be pure
Heart be strong
Strong of will
Strong of mind
Mind your path
Mind your walk
Walk
Path
I hope you have enjoyed this entry to the series, Whittled Words. I look forward to your comments, and if you dare, maybe share your own Blitz poem. Thanks for reading!
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[…] Blitz Poem– a 50-line poem,and even the title has rules. […]
commonsensiblyspeaking 
that is a lot of rules, but you pulled it off beautifully; yours is the best of the three that you shared!
I will admit that the fifty line requirement made this quite a challenge. Thanks for reading!
Fascinating poetic form
Thank you, beautiful lady! It was a challenge.
These are great examples! I posted a new one this morning:
Three among Infinity
Bad things happen
Bad things come in three
Three horsemen plus one
Three old men
Men and kings
Men with things
Things make the man
Things that weigh
Weigh a man down
Weigh down the day
Day after day
Day in and day out
Out of sorts
Out of reach
Reach down so you can
Reach up
Up to the cliff edge
Up to the light
Light of the noon day sky
Light shoulders after dropping the burden
Burden of grief
Burden better shared
Shared in small pieces
Shared with the trusted
Trusted friend or family
Trusted to not let go
Let go of the tethers
Let go of hope
Hope for an air pocket
Hope with her feathers
Feathers bright and light
Feathers to fly away
Away away away
Away to where you find your peace
Peace within
Peace without
Without shackles
Without stomach clamping fear
Fear of the third thing coming
Fear of the endlessness
Endlessness if threes aren’t the rule
Endlessness of what if
What if we feel after death
What if love isn’t boundless
Boundless as the widest waters
Boundless as infinity
Infinity of spirit
Infinity of light
Light…
Spirit…