Swan Song | a Poem by Rose Ramsden & Illustrative Interpretation by Emily Collyer

Never again will I write of curdled affection,

Or of social commentary gone cold,

Or of life lessons past their due date,

Or regurgitate similes flecked with mould.

Never again will I write formally.

I will not count syllables,

Or map rhymes,

Or follow predetermined lines.

Never again will I write in free verse.

I will not ignore direction signs,

Or have words spill across stanzas,

And I will certainly not have metaphors that meander.

Never again will I write another poem.

I’m done!

What more needs to be said?

I’m pulling up the sheets and going to bed.

ROSE RAMSDEN

EMILY COLLYER