Birthday cake, decorate, with heart
A candle to glow, light the dark
The symbol of a birthday gift
Clean green, and warm red, spirits lift
Good poems should be like fine speeches
Which everyone can remember
Because of the message each teaches
More joy each time it's dismembered
The words should be simple and clear
The thought clear and bright as daylight
Every verse, sentence and word
Should strike major chords when it’s heard
Dissecting speeches, cutting cake
Each person chooses what to take
And everyone finds something good
To satisfy and lift your mood
Don't put a foot wrong, nor stay too long
A poem should be like an old friend
Always there when it is needed
But brief, know when meetings should end.
-ends-
This poem was updated and revised with additional first and fourth verses on October 10th 2026.
The poem has eight-syllable lines.
When do you need a hyphen? Eight-syllable has to be hyphenated to show that eight refers to the syllables not the lines.
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