Category Archives: Villanelle

April 22, 2022

a villanelle for Na/GloPoWriMo 2022


who will feed the birds when i’m gone
i think these things as i’ve grown gray
how will the world get along

is worrying about this wrong
i guess i’ve always been this way
who will feed the birds when i’m gone

caring for others, being strong
it’s who i am, what can i say
how will the world get along

time is fleeting, we don’t have long
to make a difference, seize the day
who will feed the birds when i’m gone

live, love, forgive when you’ve been wronged
work hard, but take some time to play
how will the world get along

i know. blah, blah, blah same old song
hard to do but easy to say
who will feed the birds when i’m gone
how will the world get along

~kat

Na/GloPoWriMo 2022 - Day 22 Prompt: write a poem that uses repetition. You can repeat a sound, a word, a phrase, or an image, or any combination of things.

For today’s challenge, a villanelle.

Here’s what a villanelle looks like:
A1-b-A2 / a-b-A1 / a-b-A2 / a-b-A1 / a-b-A2 / a-b-A1-A2
where
* 		A1 is a refrain line that is repeated throughout, sometimes with small variations
* 		A2 is another refrain line, which end-rhymes with A1
* 		a denotes lines that end-rhyme with A1 and A2
* 		b denotes a line using a (usually) different end-rhyme.
There is no set line length, though many poets choose 8–10 syllables.

4 Comments | tags: Challenge, NaPoWriMo2022, Poem a Day, Poetry, Villanelle | posted in 2022, Challenges and Writing Prompts, napowrimo, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Villanelle

April 5, 2019

slaughtered history – NaPoWriMo #5

By Kat Myrman

slaughtered history

it was the age of foolishness¹that’s what the history books will say
all this happened, more or less²

they’ll paint us crazy, dupes at best,
the folks who lost their minds and way
it was the age of foolishness¹

mistreatment of the poor, oppressed,
innocents lost, locked away
all this happened, more or less²

our frozen hearts put to the test
found wanting, as we vowed to pray
it was the age of foolishness¹

leaving future kin to guess
how we, so easily were swayed
all this happened, more or less²

leaving them a bloody mess
with astronomical debt to pay
it was the age of foolishness¹all this happened, more or less²

~kat

Not my favorite form, though I might have liked it better if not for so many added restraints on the form. Still I managed to pen a villanelle: A¹bA² abA¹ abA² abA¹ abA² abA¹A² where letters (“a” and “b”) indicate the two rhyme sounds, upper case indicates a refrain (“A”), and superscript numerals (¹ and ²) indicate Refrain 1 and Refrain 2, for NaPoWritMo #5 Prompt: write a poem that incorporates at least one of the following: (1) the villanelle form, (2) lines taken from an outside text, and/or (3) phrases that oppose each other in some way.

Outside Verse References:
¹-Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens
²-Slaughterhouse-Five – Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

20 Comments | tags: NaPoWriMo2019, Poetry, poetry challenge, poetry month, Villanelle | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, napowrimo, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings, Social Issues, Villanelle

April 20, 2017

“Do No Harm” – NaPoWriMo #20

By Kat Myrman

ultimately, “do no harm”
whilst rooting through his cavities
one false move ’twould cause alarm

with steady practiced hand disarm
poor Sam of his infirmities
ultimately, “do no harm”

funny bones might lose their charm
guard his broken heart, avoid brain freeze
one false move ‘twould cause alarm

it takes a skilled touch to perform
the tricky stretch, ankle to knee
ultimately, “do no harm”

from stomach where butterflies swarm
to ankles wrenched and watery knees
one false move ‘twould cause alarm

in surgery there’s no lukewarm
one must be sure, determined, you’d agree
ultimately, “do no harm”
one false move ‘twould cause alarm

~kat
(NaPoWriMo 2017 #20 – A silly Villanelle Poem (A1bA2 abA1 abA2 abA1 abA2 abA1A2) tackling today’s prompt: to write a poem that incorporates the vocabulary and imagery of a specific sport or game. In case you didn’t figure it out…my game of choice is the Operation Game by Milton Bradley.)

8 Comments | tags: challange, game, napowrimo 2017, Poetry, Silly, Villanelle | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Poetry, Villanelle