Thoughts for my ode--Title?

Uniquely Essential


Stiff like starched collars
Flexibility of garden hose
Key fit for a writer
Unraveled traveler
Wonder of life
 
Essential in history’s wheel
Keeper of papers
Filler of desk trays
This ode is to paperclip
Leg of my keyboard

Oh Dennis.  I do like this one!

The title suffers from the reappearance of the word essential in the second stanza.

How about "Indispensable"?

If you were this direct with a title, then change next to last line, maybe something like:  blood oath to keep family together.   I like the poem too.  And I like the lack of punctuation.  Not needed here.  Thanks for sharing your new style.  : )

Dennis

I agree the title needs to change.  I kept reading each line over and over to discover why that line was "uniquely essential."  I grew tired.  Then when I found out the poem was a description of a paperclip leg on a computer keyboard, well, I felt a bit cheated.

Why not start there? 

The leg of my keyboard is a paperclip

Yes.  Simple yet compelling.  I like the brevity.  Todd's suggested title helps the reader get into the poem quickly.  I prefer to know what a poem is about early on when possible.  Guess I'm lazy and reluctant to work hard analyzing a poem.  Is that an age factor?  I didn't even know a keyboard had such a key!
Thanks for a brief ode.  I must try this style sometime since my critics say I'm too wordy with my work.

Dewell

This ode is to paperclip, Leg of my keyboard


Stiff like starched collars
Flexibility of garden hose
Key fit for a writer
Unraveled traveler
Wonder of life
 
Essential in history’s wheel
Keeper of papers
Filler of desk trays
Replacer of eraser
that levels written effort

...Replacer of eraser ...

Dennis!

I'm smitten.

Dennis/Ben

I meant to write "Start with this as the fist line."  I think you are pushing the diction too high by using "ode."  If the first line of the poem is

The leg of my keyboard is a paperclip (much more relaxed tone)
Stiff like starched collars
coiled Flexibility of garden hose
(I don't know what to do with these three lines)Key fit for a writer
Unraveled traveler
Wonder of life
 
Essential in history’s wheel
Keeper of papers
Filler of desk trays
Replacer of eraser  (I don't erase with paperclips )
that levels written effort (I think this last line is a wonderful addition)

if your computer is different from mine.  I have no eraser unless it is a backspace.  So it is hard to imagine.  I don't even have the paperclip unless it is the clip for attachment which I doubt you mean.  My imagination is having to work too hard.  I like leveler and back to writing  (written efforts.)  It'll be  great to see how this eventually works out.

Pat and Todd,  I have a remote keyboard for my laptop.  It has legs which flip out to elevate the back so it will be higher than the front.  One leg broke off. I saw where you could use a bent paper clip to take the place of the little leg (or foot) to level the key board.  I had put a removable pencil eraser under the key board to stabilize it before trying the paper clip.  Knowing the many uses of paper clips I opined.  To the poem,  I do think the title is to much and like the suggestion of part of it as first line, hence,   Still must use Ben Johnson to post this?


This ode is to paperclip 


Leg of my keyboard
Stiff like starched collars
Flexibility of garden hose
Hand for a writer
Unraveled traveler
Wonder of life
 
Essential in history’s wheel
Keeper of papers
Filler of desk trays
Replacer of eraser
that levels written effort