O - Ovi: Out of Order

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Ovi or Ovee is a form from India which was commonly used in the folk-songs and narrative poems of the 12th century, and is still used today.  There are two forms, literary and women's.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovi_(poetry)
Ovi is written in 4 line stanzas, any number of stanzas.  
8/8/8/less than 8
lines 1, 2, 3 in each stanza rhymed, line 4 unrhymed  

Out of Order gets its title from the sign on the bathroom door in this pen and ink drawing I got at a Goodwill, framed, for $1.65.  


I read the sign, was thunderstruck.

It's Out of Order, just my luck.

No other place, I'm kinda stuck.

I might just wet my pants!


Perhaps though, I could sidle in,

simply shut the door, just begin.

But, would that be a mortal sin

to disobey a sign?


I've stood before the door too long.

My need to get in much too strong,

that even though I know it's wrong,

I push my way inside.


©2026 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  

Comments

  1. AlanaApril 17, 2026 at 10:15 AM

    I've run into too many out of order stalls in my travel adventures. But if you gotta go, you gotta go.

    ReplyDelete
  2. J Lenni DornerApril 17, 2026 at 6:19 PM

    Fun poem. That's a quandary, isn't it? Worse not knowing what's out of order... can't flush, can't wash hands, or the sign is a prank?
    "Starting strong is good. Finishing strong is epic." — Robin Sharma


    J (he/him 👨🏽 or 🧑🏽 they/them) @JLenniDorner ~ Speculative Fiction & Reference Author and Co-host of the April Blogging #AtoZChallenge international blog hop

    ReplyDelete

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