The Art of Procrastination

The assignment for this was to look at a published piece of work and write a poem that followed its form exactly. The second one is mine, and the first is 'Comfort' by Robert Service, who loaned me the rhythm and rhyme. My poem was written (very obviously) at the absolute last minute, in a state of desperation.

Comfort
by Robert Service

Say! You've struck a heap of trouble -
Bust in business, lost your wife;
No one cares a cent about you,
You don't care a cent for life;
Hard luck has of hope bereft you,
Health is failing, wish you'd die -
Why you've still the sunshine left you
And the big, blue sky.

Sky so blue it makes you wonder
If it's heaven shining through;
Earth so smiling way out yonder,
Sun so bright it dazzles you;
Birds a-singing, flowers a-flinging
All their fragrance on the breeze;
Dancing shadows, green, still meadows -
Don't you mope, you've still got these.

These, and none can take them from you;
These, and none can weigh their worth.
What! you're tired and broke and beaten? -
Why, you're rich - you've got the earth!
Yes if you're a tramp in tatters,
While the blue sky bends above
You've got nearly all that matters -
You've got God, and God is love.

The Art of Procrastination
by me

Well it's midnight and the weather
is as nasty as can be;
dreary throughts are all around you -
they are all that you can see;
you're left without inspiration,
fingers frozen at your sides -
but your wrist is still a-ticking,
and you know you've got to try.

So with desperate desperation
and a steely stubborn will,
you find determination
and the pages start to fill.
Words a-flowing, verses a-growing,
tossing caution to the breeze,
you are typing up a whirlwind
till your thoughts begin to freeze.

Freeze, and still the rain is falling -
freeze and none can lend a hand.
What! You're on the verge of failing!
(this is more than you can stand)
Still at heart you are a poet,
and you'll find that rhythm yet -
it's so close you nearly know it:
once you do, you won't forget.