The Villanelle is a wonderfully challenging poetry form. Although comprised only of two rhymes
they are very different in the way they are used.
The unique thing about this form is that the first and third lines of the first verse become the
alternating final lines of the next four verses. So the choice of the first and last line is very
important and more so because in the last stanza they form a couplet and become the "Closure".
If things weren't difficult enough already, all the 2nd lines of each stanza rhyme with each other.
The Dylan Thomas Poem below, is considered to be the finest example of this form and to help look at
the rhyme patterns I've broken the lines into colour. I've chosen Purple
for the first line and Red for third line of the first stanza.
The first
line of each follows the first stanza rhyme.
I've chosen Blue for the centre
line rhyme. This line is probably the most important line in each stanza and the most difficult one to construct
and I would recommend care in selecting your primary rhyme.
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
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Maureen Murphy
Pain's Villanelle
Dressed in dream's gown, I saw you pass tonight,
crippled by the weight of unspoken pain.
Your sienna eyes were blind to my sight,
narrowed and clouded with a soul's worst fright;
distressed by love's failure, met once again.
Dressed in dream's gown, I saw you pass tonight,
your shuffling steps betraying heart's plight,
deluged with darkness and bouts of cold rain.
Your sienna eyes were blind to my sight,
unseeing since choice consumed your will's fight;
without sense or voice to impart refrain.
Dressed in dream's gown, I saw you pass tonight
so near, yet distant, like illusion's light;
a vaporous form I could not restrain
as your eyes remained blinded to my sight.
I lost hope's hand tumbling from faith's height;
watching you submit to despair's steel chains.
Wasting in dream, as you passed me tonight,
your sienna eyes obscured from my sight.
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Diarmaid
Unable to love
LOVE'S beyond my ability to share
A missing gene? A synapsed brain?
Unable to love, unable to care.
The required feeling just is not there
Time after time it has been in vain
Love's beyond my ability to share.
My heart is a stone, cold and bare
Too old now to learn, to old to train
Unable to love, unable to care.
Born in a drought, born to beware
Supposed love merely passing rain
Love's beyond my ability to share.
Lust has been real, a brief welcome flare
that burns awhile but leaves no gain
Unable to love, unable to care.
I shall no longer try, as no prayer
is able to break through my sealed chain
Love's beyond my ability to share
Unable to love, unable to care.
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Etain Druantia
Ghost
PASSING years like birds in perpetual flight
As memories dance on tips of ice-laced trees
Ghosts of naïve dreams haunt my thoughts tonight
Eyes slam shut against encroaching insight
Open to watch fire, chin resting on knees,
Passing years like birds in perpetual flight
Heartbreak mingles with spontaneity’s delight
Lovers real and imagined mock and tease
Ghosts of naïve dreams haunt my thoughts tonight
Life’s battles reenacted by firelight
Hope challenging despair, seeking release
Passing years like birds in perpetual flight
Soul possessed with a melancholic blight
Rocks for comfort, prays for a lasting peace
Ghosts of naïve dreams haunt my thoughts tonight
Calendar pages whirl into hindsight
Tears express emotion not allowed to breathe
Passing years like birds in perpetual flight
Ghosts of naïve dreams haunt my thoughts tonight.
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Time
A TWINKLING star can only fade with time
Our spun glass memories may crack and break
A poet knows so marries thoughts to rhyme.
We strive for life’s summits, miss view of climb
Blizzard blind to fragile beauty of flake
A twinkling star can only fade with time.
Trees whisper secrets; who dares hear wind’s chime?
Or take a day to drift, dream on a lake?
A poet knows so marries thoughts to rhyme.
Herb gardens fragrant with basil and thyme
Warm sun, gentle breeze, ease many an ache
A twinkling star can only fade with time.
Day’s tiniest details are most sublime
Wasted, not sculpted into treasured keepsake
A poet knows so marries thoughts to rhyme.
Hours run with children against adult’s prime
Missed by so many more dead than awake
A twinkling star can only fade with time
A poet knows so marries thoughts to rhyme.
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Gloria Carpenter
Sternutation
A shipwreck, ribcage strained against the gale
Collapses from the constant, ceaseless stress
A blow by blow; a hacking, howling, wail
As thunderclouds amass and still prevail
An indication of supreme duress
A shipwreck, ribcage strained against the gale
A raspy echo calls to no avail
A battered life raft bobbing SOS
A blow by blow; a hacking, howling, wail
The beating that it takes on such a scale
Unleashes those lashed bindings in distress
A shipwreck, ribcage strained against the gale
Intensity leaves wreckage in its trail
So hard to fathom such an immense mess
A blow by blow; a hacking, howling, wail
The keel upturned gives finish to its tale
As bilge is sucked and denizens digest
A shipwreck, ribcage strained against the gale
A blow by blow; a hacking, howling, wail
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Morgwena
BEYOND the forest henge at night
Beyond the forest henge at night,
wolves gather at the end of day
then howl against the closing light.
Fear on the tongue, wolves sharpen; bite.
Bow-Hunters arrows poised - they stay,
beyond the forest henge at night.
Would prowling wolves pad soft; they might?
And miss mans scent and go astray...
then howl against the closing light -
not they! (For man, in his excite
he seeks to kill and mark their day.)
Beyond the forest henge at night,
have fear, lest wolves keep you in sight.
With sense of smell they stalk - what may,
then howl against the closing light.
As your wolf hunter's blood runs cold,
first curse, then bless, fierce tears - you pray,
beyond the forest henge at night,
THEN howl against the closing light!
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Howling Wolves
DO not go beyond the edge of the forest tonight
For there, wolves howl at close of day
Howl, Howl against the coming of the night
They sense the fear of men who hunt and fight
Because their world is threatened this way
Do not go beyond the edge of the forest tonight
A lone wolf prowls, his pack crying in the night
Their howling voices heard many a mile away
Howl, Howl against the coming of the night
Wild creatures hunted by man; their last flight
Too late, wolves seeks vengeance on man today
Do not go beyond the edge of the forest tonight
Hold fear in your heart, for a wolf has good sight
Even with blind eyes can smell man as he in silence lay
Howl, Howl against the coming of the night
And you, the wolf hunter, now white with fright
Curse: 'Bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray!'*
Do not go beyond the edge of the forest tonight
Howl, Howl against the coming of the night.
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Michael Dixon
The Janitor
ON white washed walls in a gallery I adore
Oily brush's leave artsy impressions on you
You delight on voyeurs senses that come before
Hiding behind figurative lines so demure
Locking opinions and mind with eyes that construe
On white washed walls in a gallery I adore
I glimpse under layers that some quaff are obscure
My realisation that tis you I can see through
You delight on voyeurs senses that come before
I relish in my discovery wanting more
Your window to the world is I you step into
On white washed walls in a gallery I adore
Do others see you? I watch their faces unsure
When the convoy of admirers come here to view
You delight on voyeurs senses that come before
Times up, locking the door Ill be back I assure
Where I can marvel at your unseen nature true
On white washed walls in a gallery I adore
You delight on voyeurs senses that come before
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Roadpan
I See No Fires
I see no fires burning around the sun.
Trouble lingers when others come to dare,
And often wilt when the world comes undone.
Failed lives live listless on glued horizon,
Wasting words with little breathable air;
I see no fires burning around the sun.
Though life is a capsule inside a gun,
Leather flames are spent on eyes hidden there,
And often wilt when the world comes undone.
No practice or petition has begun
To skew hours I ponder and heal in stare;
I see no fires burning around the sun.
To where life falls short of becoming pun,
These forelands appear pungent and unfair,
And often wilt when the world comes undone.
I claim no response, for winter has won;
This star is haste with heart beyond repair.
I see no fires burning around the sun,
And often wilt when the world comes undone
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Soulsease
Damnation
WITHIN the heart of darkness I am bound
The world around me feels so cold and still
Will there come a time when I am found?
I strain to hear the faintest tiny sound
For all I hold within is time to kill
Within the heart of darkness I am bound
Feel the hate within me start to pound
I gather remnants of my broken will
Will there come a time when I am found?
Tighter than a watch-spring I am wound
Of bitterness, I have drunk my fill
Within the heart of darkness I am bound
Tormenter stands before me, darkly gowned
If only I could reach you, blood would spill
Will there come a time when I am found?
I see the shape with which the beast is crowned
Cold sweat forms a twisting icy rill
Within the heart of darkness I am bound
Will there come a time when I am found?
-----
Gardening
A ROBIN takes his perch upon my spade,
cocking his head, he views the ground below,
the fresh-turned soil criss-crossed by dappled shade.
The grass is green, the sun lights every blade,
whilst insects dance above this green-gold glow
a robin takes his perch upon my spade.
Entrenched beneath the tree, tough weeds invade,
no match for elbow-grease, spade, fork, and hoe;
the fresh-turned soil criss-crossed by dappled shade.
I pause to catch my breath: cold lemonade
restores my strength. As if to say hello,
a robin takes his perch upon my spade.
Returning to the bed that I have made,
I contemplate the things that I will grow;
the fresh-turned soil criss-crossed by dappled shade.
A red brown-flash, that poor worm should have stayed
beneath the ground, protected from his foe
A robin takes his perch upon my spade.
the fresh-turned soil criss-crossed by dappled shade.
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Sunset
THE trail of light will always leave a mark
Across the blameless wonder of your eyes
As now the sun descends into the dark
It reaches now the end of its long arc
Kindling the very ground as down it flies
The trail of light will always leave a mark
Declining silently, no sound to hark
Afterglow marking point of its demise
As now the sun descends into the dark
Then last light dies, leaving not a spark
Deep shadows rise and form as sunlight dies
The trail of light will always leave a mark
So dusk will rule, unless moon will embark
Upon a quest to bring a bright reprise
As now the sun descends into the dark
Hunting owl calls, replacing song of lark
The mantle of the night spreads over skies
The trail of light will always leave a mark
As now the sun descends into the dark
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Teagan De Danaan
Cry Loudly
CRY loudly now, creatures of the night
As bent on it's way the creature flies
Leathered wings beat in the moonlight
The maidens open window comes in sight
Hair askew in slumber on her bed she lies
Cry loudly now, creatures of the night
Changing quietly he moves into her sight
At first there is fear, then loves surprise
Leathered wings beat in the moonlight
Her throat, her soul she offers, invites his bite
Eternal life, but death to see the sunrise
Cry loudly now, creatures of the night
Bodies joined in passion their flesh ignite
A Queen created a Queen of Darkness
Leathered wings beat in the moonlight
With vows exchanged in hellish might
His blood she drinks in wantonness
Cry loudly now, creatures of the night
Leathered wings beat in the moonlight.
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Moonlight
AS I lead you by the hand into the night
Stealing away the cares of the day
And lighting our way by moonlight
My heart is sure what we do now is right
And of tomorrows no hint give they
As I lead you by the hand into the night
The shadowy flutter of an owl in flight
Leads us along our grassy way
And lighting our way by moonlight
I gaze upon your love shining bright
Craving this moment to forever stay
As I lead you by the hand into the night
As our loving bodies finaly unite
And love we will till break of day
And lighting our way by moonlight
Forever bound by this loving rite
Arms and limbs laced in interplay
As I lead you by the hand into the night
And lighting our way by moonlight.
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About Me
FOR a while I knew someone
Who made me feel complete
Smiling now though she is gone
For a while she was the one
Who simply swept me off my feet
For a while I knew someone
When she died life was done
And for a while I felt I was beat
Smiling now though she is gone
Love had briefly shone upon
Two souls that did briefly meet
For a while I knew someone
Soul mate and I meet once again
Finally the closure is complete
Smiling now though she is gone
There was no battle, no defeat
For a while I knew someone
There is no need to compete
Smiling now though she is gone
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Release
AS silently, I creep to your bedside
Heavy breath, desirously driven
Tonight, our lust will not be denied!
Fevered body burning hot inside
Wanton thirst for what will be given
As silently, I creep to your bedside
Your sleep lost in wait as I slip beside
Wanting love and whatever is bidden
Tonight, our lust will not be denied!
My lips are hungry your body is fired
In our passion nothing will be hidden
As silently, I creep to your bedside
Feel my touch, your need to be satisfied
The path to release once more is ridden
Tonight, our lust will not be denied!
Finally liberated, our love is cried
And vows eternal are finally given.
As silently, I creep to your bedside
Tonight, our lust will not be denied!
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Etain and Teagaan
Jealousy
I'M jealous of midnight's moon glow
Soft rays kissing you while you sleep
Wish I could be beside you now
Even balmy days that go so slow
And times so slowly forward creep
I'm jealous of midnight's moon glow
The miles apart so far to go
Long-distance love is hard to keep
Wish I could be beside you now
Fingers ache to brush sweat from brow
Curled into ball I lie and weep
I'm jealous of midnight's moon glow
Fate laughed as she dealt us this blow
But for love no mountain's too steep
Wish I could be beside you now
In time our pain will go we know
For now we have to dig in deep
I'm jealous of midnight's moon glow
Wish I could be beside you now.
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