The Incredible
Sestina Anthology (Sestina)
Reader,
you hate
sestinas?
Read
these. Take a chance:
show
up, see the show.
Gentle reader,
give them a chance,
redress your hatreds:
read
no more sestinas
if these sestinas
fail to show
how rewarding a read
they are. Reluctant reader,
although you hate
them, is there a slim chance,
a fat chance,
all sestinas
are not hateful?
May we show
you, skeptical reader,
lines worth reading
and rereading?
Not a chance?
Biased readers
disparage the sestina,
delight to show
how hatefully
its hateful
framework shows
through whenever we read
one. Chances
are, sestinas
irritate the mediocre reader.
Whatever. You’ve chanced
to read this entire sestina!
Good show, judicious reader.