Here, There be a Writer: Obscure Poetry Month: The Villanelle

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Obscure Poetry Month: The Villanelle

In the Time

In the time of the midwinter there is without,

When the light’s pulse is barely alive.

It feels as though the world is in a drought.

Only those who are mostly devout

Will find the secret to allow them to survive,

In the time of the midwinter there is without.

It’s the coldness, that which keeps us inside doubt;

When we try to keep ourselves fully alive.

It feels as though the world is in a drought.

We are not afraid of the dying, we will shout

The shorter days will not conserve to contrive,

In the time of the midwinter there is without.

We are of the stout,

We shall be the ones to survive.

It feels as though the world is in a drought.

After all this time and the sunless rout,

I am left with that the winter’s choose to revive.

In the time of the midwinter there is without,

It feels as though the world is in a drought.

1/2/2014 10:16 am

I doubt that I will post everyday, my daily poem for my Obscure Poetry Month, but while I am off work due to the weather being rather white and fluffy I will post. I work for a company that does construction testing (soils densities and concrete compressive strength); this is the SLOW season. I am enjoying the challenge, so therefore I post.

I am sitting here listening the Mika and now Monkees and thinking about how I want to fill my day. But right now I have a villanelle that needs to be posted.

You're probably wondering what a villanelle is, right? Well, Dear Readers a villanelle is a type of renaissance poetry, ballad-like, rooted in Italian verbage (Italian villanella, referring to a rustic song or dance) and has origins in France. Much of the villanelles written were about pastoral topics and/or obsessions. Obsessions? Dylan Thomas is the author of one of the most famous villanelle's out there: "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" about his plea to his Father to fight for his life. Maybe not really an obsession, or maybe is was. Other famous villanelle composers include: Theodore Roethke and Sylvia Plath. But regardless villanelle's are very sing-songy poems and often more serious and depressing, yet beautifully written. I hope to perfect my villanelle skills after this month. Oh and if I could write music, I might even try putting music to my villanelles.

Villanelles are harder to write, because you have to be aware of the repeating lines and make sure that they make sense when that get repeated. To be honest, after sonnets, villanelle are my favourite poetic form, because they are so very lyrical.

Made up of 19 lines, 5 tercets (3 lines) and a quatrain (4 lines). Villanelle are powerful poems, I think, because of the repetition; A1 b A2 / a b A1 / a b A2 / a b A1 / a b A2 / a b A1 A2. Today's topic is Sarah McLachlan's "Full of Grace"/shorter days, lack of sunny days/coldness. I dedicate this poem to Natalie Schnick (who gave me the topic).

I hope you like it, Dear Readers. I could still use some topic for this months project. Leave me a comment and a topic below. I will give you credit for it.

Have a wonderful day, go and make something wonderful and awesome today, and be good to each other.

*pictures courtesy of MorgueFile

A1 b A2 / a b A1 / a b A2 / a b A1 / a b A2 / a b A1 A2. - See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5796#sthash.1WGcSO5b.dpuf