Knowing the rules so you can break them

In Mr. Windham's Creative Writing class, students learn the traditional hallmarks of classic poetry and practice them, and then they are given the freedom to break those rules.

The results are an interesting mix of the traditional and nontraditional, as in this poem by senior Zachary Daigle:

Earth rises out of the Water, like a swan upon a lake

Air covers over the Earth, covering every inch with no mistake

Fire spreads among all, roaring its loud name at rapid speeds

Water douses the Fire, healing the world and feeding the seeds

The burning of a log creates smoke so strong it can cook meats

This very smoke that the atmosphere absorbs and defeats

The release of steam, returning to water as clear as a crystal

And ash which returns to Earth, forming as strong as a pistol

Snip-snap-whoosh. Crackle. Hiss.

Fire lets its presence known, as it swallows any abyss

Rumble. Crunch. Howl.

Earth gives when others need, from humans to bugs to even an owl

Swish. Flutter. Waft.

Air adapts to any scenario, intelligent but its heart is soft

Splish-splash. Spray. Drip.

Water is caring yet full of fear, but there is nothing it will ever skip

These four do often brawl, and claim they are nothing alike

Which is the strongest, toughest, and has the best strike

Who is the most noble, one who towers over the rest

Who prevails among them all, who is simply the best

Only time will tell who is the true victor among them all

Who will rise to the top, and who will plummet and fall

Their differences shine in battle, but their similarities should too

But the conflict never ends, and days without battle is just about few

A battle since Big Bang, a battle since the planet formed

A battle since time showed, a battle that inevitably stormed

The power to destroy, the power to heal

The power to construct, the power to feel

Burning woods, rocky pavement

Splashing puddles, a breezy event

Seen in nature, all vital to spirit and life

Yet they continue to fight, each hand holding a knife

Why can’t they just bond and be civil with one another?

In a way, they are as close as sister and brother