I’ve been working with artist, photographer, and documentary filmmaker Lee Fearnside on an illustrated collection of poems titled The Fantastic Bestiary. During the writing process for this collection, I came up with the idea of an abbreviated sestina form that would usually take the approximate shape of an hourglass if centered on the page. Those familiar with sestinas will know what to look for — and as you see, it is very much an abbreviated sestina. I hope you enjoy it. End words chosen for me by S.S.
The Abbreviated Hedgehog
A certain shortened Hedgehog, whose jolly,
abbreviated laughs punctuated the light
with not too prickly,
still softly serene
warmth and
freedom.
His warm,
always modest serenity
smooths out his prickly
spines, elevating the morning’s light
so it ascends to his jolly
freedom:
his serene, warm freedom,
his jolly, prickly light.
James Rovira 
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