Instructions

​

I shall write, as commanded, only in rhymes
with lines breaking only on nouns, starting
tomorrow.  I shall not enjamb, nor shall I employ
parenthetical elements (you know the ones
I mean) to detract from the elegance of
simple, short and aphoristic grammatical structures

that do not carry from line to line, do not
extend beyond the stipulated word limit allowed for a single line of poetry in order to make it look as you expect it to look
without

exception.

Henceforth, let me draw from
a vernacular acceptable to all poets;
let me run each phrase across your tongue
to give it taste.  

Thank you for shaping the canon
by its shadow, but being too brave
to fire.