Cascade, a form created by Udit Bhatia, is all about receptiveness, but in a smooth cascading way like a waterfall. The poem does not have any rhyme scheme; therefore, the layout is simple. Say the first verse has three lines. Line one of verse one becomes the last line of verse two. To follow in suit, the second line of verse one becomes the last line of verse three. The third line of verse one now becomes the last line of verse four, the last stanza of the poem. See the structure example below:

a/b/c, d/e/A, f/g/B, h/i/C

To make the Cascade an even longer poem, use more lines in verse one. For example, if verse one has 6 lines, the poem must have seven stanzas so that each line of verse one is reused as a refrain in each following stanza (a cascading effect).

Example

I laugh hard at the poor butcher,
With scarlet hands and crimson eyes,
He smiles as he cuts away.

They gather around him everyday,
"unholy killer" they all scream.
I laugh hard at the poor butcher.

Deaf towards the plea of all,
the buther's fate was long written
with scarlet hands and crimson eyes.

Children cry amidst the crowd,
a mother faints, another screams.
He smiles as he cuts away.

Copyright © 2007 Udit Bhatia