Summer's Sun~Villanelle

 

 

 

 

Stormy clouds cried with rain in May

My spirits sank low with much pain

But summer's sun is on its way

 

Filling dreams of a brighter day

Yet my thoughts of gloom still remain

Stormy clouds cried with rain in May

 

My soul in vapors caught, dismay

A damning dampness without gain

But summer's sun is on its way

 

A sponge to soak up disarray

To dissipate storm's dark distain

Stormy clouds cried with rain in May

 

Determined to prolong its stay

Pouring hailstones of heavy rain

But summer's sun is on its way

 

With golden hues glowing each day

Chasing dark blues away which came

Stormy clouds cried with rain in May

But summer's sun is on its way

 

Author's Note

Villanelle

The villanelle contains a total of 19 lines of poetry, split into five three-line stanzas (tercets) followed by a closing quatrain. The villanelle contains a lot of repetition, This type of poem only consists of two rhymes in the entire poem the rhyme scheme is as follows:

aba aba aba aba aba abaa

The repetition is that the first and third lines of the first stanza are alternated throughout the poem, so that the first line of the first stanza is the third line of stanzas two and four, and the third line of the first stanza is the third line of stanzas three and five. The last two lines of the closing quatrain are lines 1 and 3 of the opening tercet, in that order. Confused? I was when I first discovered the form, but it really makes sense when you do it! Perhaps this is an easier description:

Line 1
Line 2
Line 3 (rhymes with L1)

Line 4 (rhymes with L1/L3)
Line 5 (rhymes with L2)
Line 6 (repeat of L1)

Line 7 rhyme)
Line 8 rhyme)
Line 9 (repeat of L3)

Line 10 ; rhyme)
Line 11 rhyme)
Line 12 (repeat L1 again)

Line 13
Line 14
Line 15 (repeat L3 again)

Line 16
Line 17
Line 18 repeat L1
Line 19 repeat L3

Reviews

[Life Calling!!!]

Wow! Such and interesting poem and such an interesting form! Confusing though it is, I think it is a beautiful format that flows so smoothly! I am not one who writes poetry thinking about its form, but this one has sparked my interest...I'm going to try writing in this form....and I shall send a request to you, so you can tell me if its fine.

And the essence of the poem...the wait for summer and longing and despair about the rains is beautifully expressed. Though I live in far-away India, where we are in the beginnning of summer and already hating it...
I could see how eagerly you are awaiting summer! Beautifully done! Thanks for such a beautiful piece!

God Bless!

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

wow, thanks Fran for this lovely poem and thanks for entering again into another of my contests, my seasons contest.

[Fran Marie]

Thanks dear Julie..for reading ..I always enjoy participating in your contests...;

[emmajoy]

What lovely words and wrapped superbly in Villanelle form. How on earth did you do it.. hard work, natural skilL; perseverance, patience, frustration - all or even more?! Knowing you just a touch of one!! Brava, and more, this is great writing, Fran Marie. .

[Fran Marie]

thanks emmajoy for the lovely comments on my poem.. I so appreciate your reviews always;

[emmajoy]

My pleasure - and respect!

[Coyote Poetry]

You create a amazing poem. Using the set-up. You create the seasons and the unstoppable coming of Summer. Always a pleasure to read your words dear Fran.
Coyote

[Fran Marie]

Thanks so vey much dear friend. I so appriciate your kind words..

[Coyote Poetry]

Was my pleasure to read your work Fran and you are welcome.

[DaughterNature]

Very nice - I always do love a poem in form! A wise person told me once that we, as poets, should try hard not to rearrange sentence syntax. I know, it sounds weird - we're so used to hearing things like Shakespeare and other poets from the classics that mixed around words to fit rhythm and rhyme. But the poet who gave me this advice said that modern poetry doesn't need to sound stiff, but rather should speak to any reader. Not sure if that helps, just something I was thinking about while I read your piece.

[Fran Marie]

Thanks so very much for reading. I appriciate it...

[jjwilbourne]

This rhyme scheme reminds me of the sestina (I think) form.
I'm horrible at structured poetry. Excellent work here.

[Lydia Shutter]

What a well written Villanelle this is, Fran Marie! I know they are not easy to write. The longing for summer...for better days...is palpable throughout. Beautifully written. Lydi**

[Fran Marie]

Thanks Lydi, so very much appriciate it...

[Delmar Cooper]

I am glad someone can master the forms of poetic verse. It is to me like a gift, but then to me spelling is a gift. Lovely poem.

[Fran Marie]

Thanks, Delmar, so very much,

[C. Rose]

Congratulations!
This piece is a finalist for Promote Me! X.
By 1.31.2015, you can vote for this piece here: http://www.writerscafe.org/contests/Promote-Me%21-X-%28Poetry%29/50715/

[just is]

This is quite an amazing write,
love the form style.
Amazing poem.

[Mark]

http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/mark090854/384499/

The above a link to my only villanelle. I hope you enjoy it!
One teensy edit: "disdain". Rhyme scheme and patterning flawless. Very nice job!