Note: teeth aren't bones. But I wanted that rhyme to work, darn it! It was difficult enough to backwards-engineer this whole poem (*sobs quietly*). Of all the forms I've tried, this was the hardest.
Lisa, this compliment is making me glow and levitate a little bit 😊. If you ever have a little extra time, joining in at Poetry Pals (one of Nelly Bryce’s Substacks) has helped me take the plunge with forms. I was going to skip the villanelle (because it was way too hard) until I read the (gorgeous) villanelles that the other Poetry Pals were writing.
Thank you, erniet! I’m definitely more interested in villanelles than I was before. I was even toying with writing another one, now that I’ve survived the first one 😁.
I think the villanelle is to poetry what the blues is to jazz…the limitations of the form allows you to focus on the expression of the idea formulated in the couplet/refrain!
The problem is always coming up with that darned couplet…😂
I like that comparison. Yes, coming up with the refrain is hard! I kept leaning towards really specific phrases, but it needs to be loose enough to be repeated so many times (!?).
I think the key is it has to be either very meaningful, even to the point of cliche, so that the repetition itself becomes like a hammer driving the meaning of the poem home, or ambiguous enough so the interpretation can be played with in each stanza. I think the first is best exemplified by the famous Dylan Thomas villanelle; the second by Sylvia Plath’s “Mad Girl’s Love Song.”
I’ve never read that Plath poem, but just did now—thank you. I’m so familiar with Thomas’s villanelle that I think I’ve become blind to the form. I need to give it a read with fresh eyes. I loved re-reading Bishop’s “One Art” once it was pointed out that it was a villanelle.
There are a lot of good ones…just do a search for “famous villanelles.” Most tend to involve some sort of dealing with love, or trauma, or are meditations on nature. I don’t know why the form lends itself to that but it does.
I’ve written a few recently; one’s already on my stack and I have two more scheduled. I based my recent ones around quotations, which can be fun!
In a way for me it’s easier to write a villanelle than a haiku or a Limerick; once you have the refrain you can outline the form and sort of fill in the necessary lines…and that’s when the fun begins!😁
You are amazing. Honestly, the most I ever did while breastfeeding was hold a book (painfully) in one hand, or watch “Gilmore Girls” 572 times in a row 😁.
I have said this before to you, Margaret, and I will say it once more: you can write poems about EVERYTHING! Love, love, your villanelle!!!
FOTINI!!! This compliment is making me smile so hard. Thank you so much! 😊
You nailed it!
Thank you, Nelly! I owe this one to you and the Poetry Pals!
Oh my God, Margaret, you continually stun me with your poems! I’ve never attempted a villanelle, but you make me want to try.
Lisa, this compliment is making me glow and levitate a little bit 😊. If you ever have a little extra time, joining in at Poetry Pals (one of Nelly Bryce’s Substacks) has helped me take the plunge with forms. I was going to skip the villanelle (because it was way too hard) until I read the (gorgeous) villanelles that the other Poetry Pals were writing.
I want to write a villanelle but my brain is finding it hard six weeks postpartum. But I appreciate how hard this form is!!
Congratulations on your new little one, Rebecca! I have no doubt you would/will write a beautiful one.
Thanks! 🧡
I’ve honestly never even wanted to try one until now. This is fantastic, truly. You’ve got such a gift!
Kristine! Thank you. 😊
Nice! The villanelle is my favorite form...so much fun!😁
Thank you, erniet! I’m definitely more interested in villanelles than I was before. I was even toying with writing another one, now that I’ve survived the first one 😁.
I think the villanelle is to poetry what the blues is to jazz…the limitations of the form allows you to focus on the expression of the idea formulated in the couplet/refrain!
The problem is always coming up with that darned couplet…😂
Off to read your villanelle!
Oh, thank you!
I like that comparison. Yes, coming up with the refrain is hard! I kept leaning towards really specific phrases, but it needs to be loose enough to be repeated so many times (!?).
I think the key is it has to be either very meaningful, even to the point of cliche, so that the repetition itself becomes like a hammer driving the meaning of the poem home, or ambiguous enough so the interpretation can be played with in each stanza. I think the first is best exemplified by the famous Dylan Thomas villanelle; the second by Sylvia Plath’s “Mad Girl’s Love Song.”
I’ve never read that Plath poem, but just did now—thank you. I’m so familiar with Thomas’s villanelle that I think I’ve become blind to the form. I need to give it a read with fresh eyes. I loved re-reading Bishop’s “One Art” once it was pointed out that it was a villanelle.
There are a lot of good ones…just do a search for “famous villanelles.” Most tend to involve some sort of dealing with love, or trauma, or are meditations on nature. I don’t know why the form lends itself to that but it does.
I’ve written a few recently; one’s already on my stack and I have two more scheduled. I based my recent ones around quotations, which can be fun!
In a way for me it’s easier to write a villanelle than a haiku or a Limerick; once you have the refrain you can outline the form and sort of fill in the necessary lines…and that’s when the fun begins!😁
4 out of 5 dental professionals give this high praise! :) Thank you, Margaret Ann, for this gem. 🦷
😁 What a fun compliment, Ann! Thank you for reading!
'a bit of their life to slake my gum's greed' Fantastically gross!
😁 This comment made me laugh. It IS gross! And also this weird little miracle.
Margaret. This is so cool!
Thank you, Shondra! Seriously, I didn’t think I could do this. I kept giving up on it and then creeping back to try again.
Wowza that's good!!! You did amazing!!
Thank you, Kym! This was SO HARD but it twisted my brain in kind of a pleasant way.
I began my own last night and when I could make a line or stanza it made me so giddy!! 😂
Eeek! Will you share it when it’s done? I know what you mean—each line felt like a total victory!
I did it! Finished it while I was breastfeeding 😂 and published it right away 😅
You are amazing. Honestly, the most I ever did while breastfeeding was hold a book (painfully) in one hand, or watch “Gilmore Girls” 572 times in a row 😁.
Haha 😅 I try my best but I was also pretty keen. Usually I do just read… or sit on my phone (not proud of that 😬)
I will definitely share it bc I think I'll be so dang proud of finishing it 😂
You have every reason to be proud. You rocked your villanelle!!!
Wow!!!
😊
This is powerful. I love it.
Thank you, Lizzy! I feel the same way about your scoliosis poem I just read a few minutes ago.
Thank you!🫶
It works so well 💜💜💜
Thank you, Tam! I really didn’t feel motivated to do this one until I read the villanelles on the thread, including yours.
Brilliant. Like a charm.
Thank you, Alan! It was so hard to do, but I’m glad I did it.
Hurrah!!! This is marvellous!
Thank you, Lisa! I wouldn’t have done it without all the Poetry Pals writing beautiful ones first :).