Ode to Matches

This is yet another poem I wrote for my Creative Writing class. We had to write this one in the style of Pablo Neruda, who wrote in a very distinct way. He used short lines, dividing the lines and stanzas however he felt. He tended to give human characteristics to objects, like calling an artichoke a warrior. For mine, I also compared matches to warriors.

A simple box,

Red top,

Small,

Holding

A secret

Inside.

Open it up,

Reach into its heart,

Pull out a

Flimsy little stick.

Red topped

Little warriors

Meet your

Fingertips,

Ready to help

In your

War

Against the

Darkness.

Warriors,

Every single one of them.

Wearing their

Red helmets,

Prepared to

Fight off your enemies,

Whether they be

The dark,

Thecold,

The winter.

Strike its head,

And it

Raises

Its weapons,

Angry,

Firey

Balls

Of light,

Eager to help

Its bigger,

Older

Bretheren—

The torch,

The fireplace—

In their

War

Against the

Dark.