Tag Archives: Villanelle

The Tapping Rain

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The rain tapped on the windowpane–sustained
pitter-pats–that rapping tap in dark-winged night—
come soon the mockingbird, his song unchained

from cold bleak flight, the sun once bold reclaims
his hold to rule the day and send bright light—
the rain tapped on the windowpane–sustained

again. My sleep is fraught with nightmare-strained
brain-thoughts of ghosts, lovers from books, daylight
come soon. The mockingbird, his song unchained

in spring, he sings for love, bares soul till drained
yet still, goes on with song for hours, fights
the rain, tapped on the windowpane, sustained

by this or that, but love keeps him maintained
as days grow long, desire longer, flight
come soon. The mockingbird, his song unchained

is but a dream, desire ascertained?
but cold, the fingers rap—enough! All right!
The rain tapped on the windowpane—sustained—
come soon, the mockingbird, his song unchained.

A villanelle for dVerse for Ingrid’s prompt on iambic pentameter. I’m sure it needs work, but I finally got a draft, so this will do for now. I used Sarah’s template to write the villanelle.

A few nights ago, the rain hitting the window made me think of Catherine’s ghost in Wuthering Heights, and then the mockingbirds I’ve been seeing–though not yet singing for hours–gave me the other recurring line.

Once More

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Once more, we tilt, revolve again toward light–
winter gone, the robins sing to welcome spring
as dark days pass, earth’s hues ignite

swifter than the bullets’ hate-filled flight,
blue jays and red cardinals soar bright-winged,
once more, we tilt, revolve again toward light.

Now in daffodil glow, the poets write
of love and fate, and April’s state—that sting
as dark days pass. Earth’s hues ignite,

but the moon hums to fade their sight
and around us all the constellations ring–
once more, we tilt, revolve again toward light.

With shots in arms, we find delight
in friends and bowers, and nature’s might.
As dark days pass, Earth’s hues ignite–

not in bombs, or gunshot fight, but flowers bright.
Against despair and doom, to hope we cling
once more. Now tilt, revolve again toward light.
Watch! Dark days pass, and Earth’s hues ignite.

For dVerse, where Peter asks us to write poems that circle in some way. I was determined to write a villanelle, since I haven’t written one for a long time. I used Sarah’s template when she hosted the villanelle form for dVerse.

I Smell the Salt in Seaside Breeze, NaPoWriMo

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IMG_8551

I smell the salt in seaside breeze

watch it toss the sun-sweetened flowers

and taste the nectar with droning bees

 

feel how it caresses my face and knees

with kisses, the promises of lazy hours

with books beneath shade of dancing trees.

 

On porches, we recline, so at ease–

a temporary haven, even if not ours–

imagining the taste of nectar, the droning bees

 

An evening walk, some ice cream, please!

wishing if and only we had the powers–

to stop a moment, to smell the salty, seaside breeze.

 

If we could a moment freeze,

would we box it up, using super-powers

to hold fast summer’s nectar-taste and droning bees?

 

For long ago summer vacations, the time of these–

ocean, sun, daughters’ laughter, and showers–

relaxing in the salt-scent of a seaside breeze,

of dreams, tasting the nectar with droning bees.

 

For Day 25 of NaPoWriMo the challenge is “to write a poem that

  • Is specific to a season
  • Uses imagery that relates to all five senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell)
  • Includes a rhetorical question, (like Keats’ “where are the songs of spring?”)”

The dVerse poetry form this past month has been the villanelle, so here’s one more before it closes. Sarah’s template on the prompt page is most helpful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

She Blew Away the Glowering Skies: NaPoWriMo, Day 5

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Almost Full, Almost Solstice

 

She blew away the glowering skies

as the mockingbirds sang and the doves cooed,

“come April breezes of wonder and whys.”

 

The moon rose with the softest of sighs,

humming to herself to brighten her mood,

she blew away the glowering skies.

 

I saw it happen, with my own eyes

the sighing moon, herself renewed

with April breezes of wonder and whys.

 

Would a different being much less wise

demand to be wooed, or be more crude

as she blew away the glowering skies?

 

If we tumble soon into our own demise

in feuds and sullen ineptitude, you may conclude,

we’re lost to April breezes of wonder—a thousand whys—

 

Yet for now, see the sun glow and rise,

watch the moon set with passion imbued

as she blows away the glowering skies

to bring April breezes of wonder and whys.

 

 

It’s cold and rainy here today. I’m hoping for nice April weather tomorrow.  The prompt for Day Five of NaPoWriMo: “(1) the villanelle form, (2) lines taken from an outside text, and/or (3) phrases that oppose each other in some way.”  It was enough for me to write this villanelle (which is also this month’s poetry form at dVerse. )

 

 

 

As Linnets Take Wing

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(c) Paintings Collection; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation

Albert Zimmermann, Bodensee (Lake Constance), Public Domain, Wikipedia

 

 “There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,

And evening full of the linnet’s wings.”

–W.B. Yeats, “The Lake Isle of Innisfree”

 

At the glimmering lake the birds still sing,

though you’ve been gone for many a year,

now, I watch as linnets take wing.

 

Once I longed to wear your ring–

before things changed, I sought you here,

at the glimmering lake the birds still sing,

 

You promised sun, moon, and everything,

before bad times came and settled near,

then I watched as linnets took wing.

 

I realize now, I was just a fling–

that thought is now as clear

as the glimmering lake where birds still sing

 

where at my side, our baby’d cling

without a father. She brought me cheer–

as I watched the linnets take wing

 

I dreamt I was a queen and you my king,

before you sailed far from my pier

at the glimmering lake, the birds still sing,

And I—I watch the linnets take wing.

 

For the next month, we’re writing villanelles at dVerse, under Sarah’s capable direction. I’ve only written a couple of these, so I’m tiptoeing into this challenge by revising one I wrote for Sarah’s very first dVerse prompt! See how things come full circle in poetry land? Here’s the link to the original version. It was written during last year’s NaPoWriMo, and this year’s is coming up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Linnets Take Wing, NaPoWriMo, Day 18

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“There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,

And evening full of the linnet’s wings.”

–W.B. Yeats, “The Lake Isle of Innisfree”

 

Around the glimmering lake, where birds still sing,

though you’ve been gone for many a year,

I stayed and watched as linnets take wing.

 

Once I longed to wear your ring–

before things changed, I sought you here,

around the glimmering lake, where birds still sing,

 

You promised the sun, the moon, and everything.

before the bad times came and settled near,

I stayed and watched the linnets take wing.

 

I realize now, I was just a fling

though I thought you loved and held me dear

around the glimmering lake, the birds still sing

 

Here at my side, our baby did cling

without a father. She brought me untold joy and cheer–

I stayed and watched the linnets take wing.

 

I dreamt I was a queen and you my king,

before you sailed far from my pier

around the glimmering lake, where birds still sing,

I stayed and watched the linnets take wing.

 

Faye Collins, “Pine and Fog at Thirlmer”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Somewhat related to today’s NaPoWriMo prompt, I’ve stolen Jane Dougherty’s idea, so it only seemed right to base my villanelle on her beloved Yeats. In the spirit of the prompt, this one probably needs a lot of revision! 🙂

I’m also linking this to dVerse, where Sarah is hosting for the first time. She’s asked us to write an ekphrastic poem (which I’m not sure that this is)  based on the work of artist Faye Collins.

Magic Moons and Tides: NaPoWriMo

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More magic moons that bring the tide

where mermaids swim and sirens sing,

but we sail on, for hope hasn’t died

 

in dreams, the sea is magnified

the tumbling waves with foam do fling

more magic moons that bring the tide

 

Death may come on horse bestride

to demonstrate that he is king

but we sail on, for hope hasn’t died

 

our love comes in waves, comes sparkling-eyed

as love-crazed, reverie, both unspring

more magic moons that bring the tide

 

so come, my darling, we must have tried

to play in our dreams, as we daily wring

more magic moons that bring the tide

but we sail on, for hope hasn’t died

1024px-Ilya_Repin-What_freedom!

Ilya Repin, “ What Freedom,” [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

 

A villanelle for Day 30, the last day of NaPoWriMo. I think this may be the first villanelle I’ve written.

Kerfe Roig (check out her latest  here  ) mentioned “more magic moons” in a comment to me, which gave me a prompt for this poem. Then the image above popped into my head. Jane Dougherty used it once for a microfiction prompt. So thank you both!