Since gays can now serve in the military, too, A1
And not concern themselves with what others tell; b
they shine, a rainbow, from behind red, white and blue. A2
As soldiers they can fight and die like warriors do. a
Heads high, they march through the gates of hell; b
Since gays can now serve in the military, too. A1
Now every word they tell commanders can be true. a
No more of that old rule, “don’t ask don’t tell.” b
They shine, a rainbow, from behind red, white and blue. A2
Gay troops can quickly grow to many from a few. a
Recruiters will not alter what they have to sell b
since gays can now serve in the military, too. A1
All medals, purple hearts and honors will accrue. a
While we no longer wonder at the tolling of the bell b
And shine, a rainbow, from behind red, white and blue. A2
Death becomes familiar, our privilege no longer new; a
An “army of lovers” who begins to think we may have failed. b
Our sisters and our brothers serve in the military, too, A1
And shine, a rainbow, from beneath red, white and blue. A2
by Mendy Knott
Originally, an old italian folk song, the villanelle became popular in English in the 1800s. This form is based on a pattern of repeated lines (refrains) and rhymes, and is usually about 18 lines long. The challenge to the poet is to compose lines that can be repeated throughout a poem and still carry the meaning forward. "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night," composed by Dylan Thomas in 1951, is probably the most famous modern villanelle.
The first line which is often (though not in my case) the title of the poem is one of the refrains. In the villanelle there are six stanzas; the first five stanzas are three lines long (tercets) and the final stanza is four lines long (a quatrain). The first line and last line of the first stanza take turns repeating as the final line of the next four stanzas and then are rejoined as the last two lines of the poem. The poem has a rhyme scheme of a, b, a except in the last stanza where there is a slight variation.
Of course, as a poet, you are free (and encouraged by me) to take liberties with how strictly you want to follow the pattern. I find when I adhere to a pattern, and then make a slight deviation (as in the last line above changing "behind" to "beneath" thinking then of flag-draped coffins), the poem can become even more potent. However, it is in the rhythmical repetition that the form finds a lot of its power to nearly hypnotize the reader/listener. These are definitely poems that hold their potency both on and off the page.
Please, try this at home. Then find someone with whom to share it.
1 comment:
yikes! Villanelles!
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