1. Thirty Eight Lines 2. 3. I count the lines, there are thirty eight. 4. Top line title, one line blank, start on number three. 5. A long way to go, thirty three below 6. and the words just won’t flow free. 7. Seventh line now, how many left, 8. my aim is thirty eight. 9. If I fill just ten, one past nine, 10. then my score will hardly rate. 11. It’s getting late, my mind is slow, 12. I’m not even half way there. 13. Thirteen gone, lots more to go, 14. words are becoming rare. 15. Struggle on with fifteen gone, 16. at sixteen, going great. 17. Five minute break, second wind, 18. now on ten plus eight. 19. It’s damned hard work this poetry, 20. the plaudits are so few. 21. One more to go, not much to show, 22. then I’m down to twenty two. 23. Determined now to reach the end, 24. have I tried out all the tricks. 25. At twenty five, should I take a dive, 26. and finish on twenty six. 27. I can’t stop now, I won’t stop now, 28. down to twenty eight. 29. Only nine lines left, on twenty nine, 30. and prospects looking great. 31. What can I say about thirty one, 32. that hasn’t been said before. 33. Too late now, I’m on thirty three, 34. no, I’m on thirty four. 35. At thirty five, almost there, 36. next, the penultimate. 37. One more to go, the one below, 38. AT LAST, on thirty eight.