Symbol Analysis
Okay, here we go with our free mini-lecture, entitled "How to Write a Super-Conventional (and Probably Pretty Lame) Poem in Two Easy Steps." Everyone taking notes out there? Good. Ahem… step 1: make sure that you have plenty of rhymes in your poem. Folks tend to like that kind of stuff. Maybe if you're writing about your cat, you might also want to mention where he's sitting (may we suggest "a mat"?). That's enough about form, now how about some content. Step 2: insert a rose. Seriously—every poem that's ever been written (practically) has a rose in it. So, yeah, just make sure yours has a rose in it, and you too can write clichéd and meaningless poetry, just like our man Petit here.
- Line 8: Roses are ready-made symbols of the passage of time. Want to write a poem about how time flies? Then put a rose in it, then make the rose wilt. Voila—instant poetry cliché.
- Line 9: Conveniently enough, wilted roses are also useful for symbolizing the fading of love. Be sure to use these liberally in your poetry if you're into repeating the exact same moves made by… oh we don't know… every poet who has ever written a poem. Why be original when this old symbol is just lying around, ready to be used?