Apology and Explanation:

Not so long ago, before I had read much poetry, I was a rhymer. Though I have not moved to the extremity of John Milton's camp, I've come to realize that, in my poetry, at least, rhyme often contorted what I meant. Because of that, my more recent endeavors have been unrhymed (now I just let love of euphony contort my poetry), but I've found that I do miss one thing that rhyme helped me put into my poetry--a strong, driving rhythm.

It was because of my fondess of rhythm that I invented the poetic form for these three poems. I wanted something highly repetative, since rhythm is all about repetition, but not quite regular, so I invented a type of acrostic. It started with an acrostic phrase, and then each horizontal line of that acrostic had to be the same for each individual letter (that is, every line that starts with "O" is identical). From there, I took each word of the acrostic as a stanza and focused on weaving some sort of rhyme scheme into it while keeping a rough iambic meter.

Which brings me to these three poems. Each of them is a failure in its own way, but they all have little rhythmic/rhyming areas that provide a tiny bit of redemption. The poems themselves were not written just for the rhythmic effects, but are constrained by the rules of the form, and I know it. I just don't quite believe that they are complete trash, so I'll submit them here before the candid world and see what comes of them.

It always seems I come this far to slip.

It always seems I come this far to slip.

A day undoes a month of walls;
Moments cause blocks to fall.

Or ever did I want to walk this way?
Ransom my pride for trinkets to display?
Unless I fix this mess today…
A day undoes a month of walls.
Like death to self, this pride will fall.

To one’s own self be true, I hear,
Have I a self to thus adhere?
Even now, I hate the mirror.

Ransom my pride for trinkets to display?
Unless I fix this mess today…
It always seems I come this far to slip
Notice I cannot right this ship
Or ever did I want to walk this way?
Unless I fix this mess today…
Someone free my tenacious grip

For a hollow heart so full of halls,
A day undoes a month of walls.
Cool eyes meet my gaze still clear;
Even now, I hate the mirror.

It always seems I come this far to slip.
Someone free my tenacious grip.

Moments cause blocks to fall.
It always seems I come this far to slip.
Notice how I cannot right this ship.
Even now, I hate the mirror.

Beauty isn’t all, my dear.
Unless I try to fix this mess today…
To one’s own self be true, I hear,

It always seems I come this far to slip.

Which way to the fashion mall?
It always seems I come this far to slip.
Like death to self, this pride will fall,
Like death to self, this pride will fall.

Beauty isn’t all, my dear.
Even now, I hate the mirror.

Ransom my pride for trinkets to display?
Even now, I hate the mirror.
Don’t say it is as it appears.
Even now, I hate the mirror.
Even now, I hate the mirror.
Moments cause blocks to fall
Even now, I hate the mirror.
Don’t say it is as it appears.