insert elevated word here

insert hook-worthy line here

expand on it with some sort of stellar description

followed by a trio of adjectives that maybe you've heard of

add in some political turmoil in the form of a metaphor

pull back and sugarcoat, sugarcoat, sugarcoat

repeat with increased intensity

laugh in propaganda-favored language

snicker in despair

then add a dash of hope so the reader doesn't ditch completely

step back from the keyboard and go MIA since you lost the point of the poem

maybe do some laundry

the cat's been nagging for food in the dog's bowl because, go communism, or whatever

settle back into the office chair they advertised was good for your back even though it makes you shift often

start writing some words in an order that more or less makes sense

get distracted

open and close the same news apps again and again until your phone overheats and drains of battery and forces you to put it down

type a line or two and feel inadequate

self-criticize how your poetry is shorter than the rest, lacks fragrant adjectives and complex words that mean bigger things

that mean bigger things

that open like pandora's box on an opportunist day

then git like a demon on a day of destruction and cause internal mayhem because what writer doesn't love selling their soul for a few pennies

sell your soul for a few pennies

write poetry that means nothing yet isn't meaningless

bask in comments half backed, half thought, half AI bot

say "thanks" with a different emoji for each commentor so they don't think you copied and pasted

then cross post on another platform under a different header image (we know you do it) because why not make four pennies off the same words instead of two

close your laptop for the forty-seventh time since starting this damn poem and call it a night

even though you hate writing at night, you know that the guilt and finances of the day have finally caught up

save changes

and save your change

post and hope for the best, because maybe, just maybe, this one might bring it home