I wrote this for a poetry class I had a 2:00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.


When writing a sestina, one
Must always remember to
Check over everything at least three
Times, for
Sestinas are quite difficult to write in only five
Or ten minutes. Complex song of sixes

I once wrote a complex song of sixes
I only wrote one
I wrote it and I wrote it five
Times over again, trying desperately to
Fit every line to a mold and make it look natural for
My class. It's Thursdays, before three

Tuesdays too, sometimes before three
They sing complex songs of sixes
I sit in my seat, apprehensive, waiting for
The class to end because I never won
My battles with the song of sixes. Two
'O clock rolls around, I sing a little song of five.

See, I can do limericks, little songs of five.
Those, I have written, and songs of three
The haiku's on a Tuesday afternoon, up until two.
I think I managed to write six
Of those. That might be a song of twelve, but only one
Song of sixes have I ever written for...

What have I ever written for?
Sitting up late until five
In the morning, only to fall to one
Song, the song of three
Twice over again. Yes, it's six
And maybe it's sick, but if I don't get it by two

I think I'll just have to
Skip class today and head to lab at four.
Stupid damn song of sixes.
A friend of mine once wrote five
Of them. My professor wrote three,
But me I have only ever written one

Song of sixes and it is going to end in
Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, One,
Done.