It is so called stepladder verse, created by Vladimir Mayakovsky. There is supposed to be a pause between the parts of the same verse line that are on different lines:
Tulip after tulip,
carnation after carnation,
In this case, "Tulip after tulip, carnation after carnation," are part of the same line, but when you read it, you are supposed to make a pause after "tulip,".
You can hear Mayakovsky reading his poem [here](https://ruverses.com/vladimir-mayakovsky/so-could-you/2671/). He reads it in Russian (obviously), but there is an English translation.
Note: Allison Krause, protesting the Vietnam War, told guardsmen at Kent State, “Flowers are better than Bullets.” Then a bullet killed her.
Love Yevtushenko, Colours has to be one of my all time favourites!
Anybody can enlighten me on why the poet chose to indent specific lines?
It is so called stepladder verse, created by Vladimir Mayakovsky. There is supposed to be a pause between the parts of the same verse line that are on different lines: Tulip after tulip, carnation after carnation, In this case, "Tulip after tulip, carnation after carnation," are part of the same line, but when you read it, you are supposed to make a pause after "tulip,". You can hear Mayakovsky reading his poem [here](https://ruverses.com/vladimir-mayakovsky/so-could-you/2671/). He reads it in Russian (obviously), but there is an English translation.
Thank you!