If you teach someone how to write, you must do his/her writing as well..

Villanelle: It's all been said said better and bolder before

It's all been said said better and bolder before
Worse now most repeat over and over again
No shibboleths now to test smooth words more hollow

Those who trouble not to delve into sages yore
Make not but weak links in the derivative chain
It's all been said said better and bolder before

Those who toiied without e'en recompense for valour
Toiled for insights ripped out of seething guts in pain
No shibboleths now to test smooth words more hollow

Homer Murasaki Valmiki Boccaccio
Gilgamesh Beowulf Pillow Sei Shonagon
It's all been said said better and bolder before

How much the " creative " writing courses ignore
Those whose suffering wrought talents in deep dungeon
No shibboleths now to test smooth words more hollow

The reign of digital maths spells poiein woe
Business minds now serve as mid-wives during birth-pain
It's all been said said better and bolder before
No shibboleths now to test smooth words more hollow

© T. Wignesan - Paris, 2018