My Fifteen-Line Sonnet

My Fifteen-Line Sonnet

by Kelp

His advice was to shorten. Be concise.
No one has attention spans these days.
A single tulip, strategically placed
Has more impact than countless bouquets.

Less is more, less is best, less is what
You want. No need to show ferocity.
So curb your fervor, and get to the point,
Dispense with the verbosity.

But no, this is something I just can’t do.
I will not shortchange my audience
Of all my marvelous thoughts and views,
Of all my purposes, and all my intents.

And so on I prate and prate … and grate,
Extemporate and elaborate,
Until the hour is irremediably late.