to kill a poem
before you begin
decide: a masterpiece
an epic important problem
of intention and meaning
decide: an elegant haiku
to be quoted down
the centuries
assign: an emotion
tell people: what you plan
to write about
tell yourself: this
is a poem
insist on the form
before the content squeeze
the cow into the carton
be inflexible about looking
at the world through a haze
of intimate wisdom
be too flexible about
your nonfat milk turning
walk through water, missing
the exit feeling guilty that
the wish of doom
scratches against
the toothy sketchbook paper
on the table
(c) 2014, by Hannah Six
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