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Sestina: Transitive Cheating

2006-04-05

Category: poetry
I?ve been tasked to write a sestina, however
The task is daunting, nevertheless
My confidence says I can do it, yet
I may have to cheat a little, as it were.
The task will be completed, still
It may be unethical, so it is said.

The skill of a wordsmith, so it is said
Rest on saying things well, however
Getting done at all is good. Still
I would prefer to do a good job, nevertheless
The job will be done, as it were,
Though it shows no mastery yet.

I?ve chosen words that will do the trick, yet
The words aren?t proper words, it can be said
They are mostly modifiers, as it were
That could end almost any line, however
They add nothing. Nevertheless
Words they are still.

I feel like I?m cheating still
I should do a different poem, yet
I?ve met the requirements, nevertheless
And Cs get degrees, so it is said.
That doesn?t assuage my conscience, however
And I?m embarrassed by this poem, as it were.

I should come up with a new subject, as it were
And write a new poem because there is time still
But I can?t be assured of the composition?s completion, however
And I need something to turn in and yet
It would be better to turn in good work, it is said
I must turn in something, nevertheless.

The sestina form is hard, nevertheless
It?s been done by others before, as it were
The challenge is the fun part, so it is said
And I?m usually up for a challenge but still
My time is limited too much these days, yet
My ego insists I do well, however

Time is short nevertheless I will complete this still
Cheating it is, as it were, but slightly, yet
A poem in the hand, so it is said, and so forth, however.


Please note, a Sestina is a formal type of poem structure that relies on a repeated pattern of the words on the ends of the lines in a specific order. You can find out more by clicking here.


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