Judges: Lauren2010 and Aley
How to Enter: Please post your entry in this topic. You may only enter one story, but you may change your entry as many times as you want before the 24 hour window closes. Please only post one time.
Description: A villanelle is a highly-structured, 16 line poem with two repeating rhymes and two refrains. Below is an example structure, using capital letters for repeated lines, and lower case letter for repeated rhymes.
A1
b
A2
a
b
A1
a
b
A2
a
b
A1
a
b
A2
a
b
A1
A2
Which, ultimately, looks something like this villanelle by Rydia:
The Puppeteer
Do not disturb the puppet's twisted strings,
I fear they keep his serpent soul contained.
Please sir, avoid the bad luck that he brings
Here, how about a nightingale that sings
So sweet that hardly any have refrained -
Do not disturb the puppet's twisted strings!
Trust that this hat is almost fit for kings,
Could any greater bargain be obtained?
Please sir, avoid the bad luck that he brings,
Why not the fairy girl with painted wings
(So delicate) no buyer has complained!
Do not disturb the puppet's twisted strings.
I beg of you, take these (fake) diamond rings
Or those lace gloves, they're hardly even stained.
Please sir, avoid the bad luck that he brings.
If you must have the puppet of all things
Be warned since foolish thoughts have not yet waned:
Do not disturb the puppet's twisted strings.
Please sir, avoid the bad luck that he brings.
Additional examples:
The Falling Sky by Aley
Autumn Villanelle by OliveDreams
Do not go gentle into that good night by Dylan Thomas
While villanelles are classically pastoral, and sometimes follows iambic pentameter, you can write about whatever you want (so long as it does not include profanity or mature or violent themes) and you don't need to worry about sticking to iambic pentameter (unless you really, really want to).
Good luck!
Gender:
Points: 370
Reviews: 541