Blank Verse

​

To write in blank verse isn’t very hard —
in fact it’s quite the opposite, a trip
through five iambs without the need to rhyme,
a natural progression of the beat.

​

The easiest of meters in the tongue
of Milton, Pope and Shakespeare – just a few
who didn’t think it tricky to contrive
da dum times five in ev’ry single line.

​

No need to overcomplicate this scheme,
it’s not the cryptic crossword in The Times,
just pentametric plainness, row on row —
remember though, there can’t be any rhymes.

​

oh bugger