PANTOUMIME

It’s funny how the French appropriate things.
They even took this poem, I presume.
It used to be what a village chief would sing,
and now it’s been bastardized to ‘pantoum.’

They even took this poem, I presume.
It used to be a local form of art.
And now it’s been bastardized to ‘pantoum.’
and tells of trifling matters of the heart.

It used to be a local form of art,
but blood and thunder are no longer good.
And to tell of trifling matters of the heart
is considered a mark of ‘What True Poets Should.’

Blood and thunder are no longer good,
but using others’ forms for agitation
is considered a mark of ‘What True Poets Should’
and, by using these, we cheapen our creation.

Using others’ forms for your agitation,
when they used to be what village chiefs would sing –
by using these, we cheapen our creation.
It’s funny how the French appropriate things.