Metric Angst

[Leanne]

I want to write a gothic poem
in iambic pentacles
although a foot has been chewed off
by something black with tentacles

Tear me a dactyl now, take me and teach me how
I shall be broken by devilish rhymes
make me a sacrifice, wake me up, treat me nice
I have lived through this pain thousands of times

Take my head and mount it as your
trochee, beating down the thunder
rising from my harried heartbeat
once a rock to shelter under

With a sly anapaest you must fail rhythm tests
while your brain seeks a regular beat
ev’ry stumble, ev’ry tumble, ev’ry small erratic rumble
all comes back to those same fucking feet!