So, we’ve been learn­ing about vil­lanelles in Lit­er­a­ture Analy­sis.  They’re a form of poetry that:

1.)  Con­sists of nine­teen lines.

2.) Has five stan­zas, each of three lines, with a final one of four lines.

3.) The first line of the first stanza is repeated as the last line of the sec­ond and fourth stanzas.

4.) The third line of the first stanza is repeated as the last line of the third and fifth stanzas.

5.) These two refrain lines fol­low each other to become the second-to last and last lines of the poem.

6.) The rhyme scheme is aba.  The rhymes are repeated accord­ing to the refrains.

So, after absorb­ing this, I went and wrote one.  I’m… not sure why I wrote what I did, but I fig­ure I should at the very least share it.

The Long Wait

by Jake Courington

Watch her body slowly decay,
Hear silent mourn­ing through­out the home
As we approach the end of day.

See the place where she will lay,
Neath a tree of ironic green.
Watch her body slowly decay.

The blue of her eyes slowly turns to grey,
And pale flesh is drawn taught over her bones
As we approach the end of day.

Her voice comes as soft as the whis­per of the fey,
Her touch as weak as a whith­ered tree branch.
Watch her body slowly decay.

I tray with all my might to say,
I have the courage to see this through
As we approach the end of day.

But as her twi­light draws near,
And shad­ows lengthen all around the home, we must
Watch her body slowly decay,
As we approach the end of day.

——

If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go cry for a bit.

Keep on dream­ing.  No mat­ter what.

Jake the Dreamaniac