Monday, April 23, 2007

Writing a Villanelle

Finally I managed to write a villanelle. It is one of the most difficult forms of structured poetry. As this is my first villanelle, I can be excused for it not being upto the mark. As I go along I ought to do better. More about villanelles can be found here. One of the most famous villanelle is "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas. Do read that.

So here I write about writing a villanelle, the whole process..:D

Writing a Villanelle

It seems to be such a lost cause,
I feel I am banging against a wall.
words are clogged, being at a loss.

whirling in the mind, they toss
aimlessly wandering for a call.
it seems to be such a lost cause;

hunting naively even under moss
my pen suddenly halts with a crawl.
words are clogged, being at a loss.

creating is difficult, ideas seem gross-
crying for attention, in utmost enthrall.
it seems to be such a lost cause.

with fortitude I firmly trudge across;
reinforcing my will to again scrawl.
words are clogged, being at a loss

no longer holding true. I am the boss.
I finally finish one and no longer bawl,
“It seems to be such a lost cause.
words are clogged, being at a loss!”


28 comments:

Steve said...

very well done.
I am extremely proud of you.

floots said...

a villanelle about writing a villanelle
you like to set challenges for yourself :)
i enjoyed this (as the struggle seemed familiar to me) :)

thank you

Anonymous said...

Its true you do challenge your self a lot ...I like that about you ..hope you are well

Nasra

Anonymous said...

SO Today I knew something about the theory of poetry Villanelle

me again Nasra

Yes said...

I found this very charming, and a worthy effort--and I admire you for putting yourself on the line and seeing it through!

And thanks for the link to Dylan Thomas' poem--I had not realized it was a villanelle!

Keshi said...

ur brave..I wudnt even go near attempting to write a villanelle :)


Keshi.

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

perfect -- you wrote it and explained it at the same time. :)

gautami tripathy said...

steve: thanks!

floots: You are right about that. I like to push myself to limits! I needed to write this villanelle. I junked the unfinished one and wrote this.

nasra: thanks. You too write one.

firebird: I too am glad I did it andI am not scared any more. I am going to write a few more.

keshi: you go ahead, write one!

andrew: yes, thanks!

Anonymous said...

I tried writing one, but when I got to the part about the itambic pantemter something or another, I gave up.

I admire how you completed yours.

dsnake1 said...

bravo!
i have been trying to write a villanelle too, and so far, nothing to show. :(

Pat Paulk said...

I am always fascinated with structured poetry. I think you've done an excellent job!!

polona said...

i adore villanelles and you did a great job.

gautami tripathy said...

brian: I give two hoots to iambic pentametre. I just stick to the rhyming patterns...LOL!

dsnake1: once you get going, it seems easy.

pat: thanks. Free verse is no cakewalk either. You do very well in that.

gautami tripathy said...

Thanks polona. And to think I was kind of scared of writing one. Not any more.

sage said...

this is neat, I like the journey the poem takes you on as you lead us through writing the poem. Good job.

Lotus Reads said...

Wow, Gautami, I didn't know what a Villanelle was until I came here. See, I am always learning something new on your blog! Atta girl, I am most impressed with what you wrote, I think it was clever of you to write one on your struggles on writing a villanelle! lol

Thank you for nominating me for a Thinkers Blogger award..I received one not too long ago, still, I was very honored to be nominated by you, because you're someone I admire so much!

david santos said...

O dia 25 de Abril de 1974 foi o dia do derrube da ditadura fascista em Portugal, a chamada REVOLUÇÃO DOS CRAVOS, e a queda do (poder) dos inimigos do povo. 25 de Abril, sempre.

Day 25 of April of 1974 was the day of it knocks down of the dictatorship fascist in Portugal, the call REVOLUTION OF the flowers, and the fall of the power of the enemies of the people. 25 of April, forever!
يوم 25 نيسان 1974 كان يوم تقرع عليها من الديكتاتوريه الفاشيه في البرتغال والدعوة للثورة الزهور ، وسقوط سلطة أعداء الشعب. 25 نيسان ، الى الابد!


День 25 апреля 1974 года, в день он постучит в воздухе фашистской диктатуры в Португалии слово О РЕВОЛЮЦИИ цветы, и падение власти враги народа. 25 апреля, навсегда!
Le jour 25 d'avril de 1974 était le jour de lui frappe vers le bas du fasciste de dictature au Portugal, de la RÉVOLUTION d'appel des fleurs, et de la chute de la puissance des ennemis du peuple. 25 d'avril, pour toujours !
Tag 25 von April von 1974 war der Tag von ihm klopft unten vom Diktaturfaschisten in Portugal, von der Anruf REVOLUTION der Blumen und vom Fall der Energie der Feinde von den Leuten. 25 von April, für immer
25天41974年的一天,它拍下來的法西斯獨裁政權,葡萄牙 號召革命的鮮花,秋天的權力得到人民的敵人. 25日,永不停息

Beaman said...

I think I finally understand what a villanelle entails. That's in part from reading your piece here. I like your effort a lot but I feel a little daunted by the subject of your writing as I have yet to write mine. :p

Dylan Thomas is one of my favourite poets. Like many Welsh writers his work was often melancholy.

gautami tripathy said...

sage: thanks. I feel so good that I could writea villanelle.

lotus: its a french form of rhyming.

david: well, well.

beaman: Don't worry, it will come. This one is a stepping stone for the one I am posting for PT. I already wrote that.

trinitystar said...

I had never heard of a Villanelle
poem before ... so I do believe it has a certain pattern to it.
Although I do think you managed it.
:o)

magiceye said...

the struggle was so well brought out!

ozymandiaz said...

I've never been one to adhere to form beyond beat and simple rhyme patterns so I say kudos to you, madam, for tackling such a challenge and doing well...

ozymandiaz said...

p.s.
I linked you, hope that is OK

gP said...

amazing! and sounds like real poetry...I should try this someday, but I dont have the patience to last through.

You are doing justice to all poetry by actually studying the roots.

get zapped said...

You did a great job at such a challenging form! I like what you had to say. I wrote a sestina once, and it too was difficult, but I must say it had a very magic flow to it. Maybe I'll try a villanelle soon ;)

Romeo Morningwood said...

Despite the fact that you often times reveal your struggle to create certain forms and structures of poetry and prose ..you always come through with amazing, touching, pieces.

I have come to realise and appreciate that not only are you a great teacher, you are in possession of a fantastic and formidable intellect that is as big as your heart.

gautami tripathy said...

trinitystar: villanelles are killers. Reading aloud helps.

magiceye: I had an unfinished one for the last two years. I junked it and wrote this.

ozymandiaz: thanks. I set myself tasks and complete those. I love free verse but structured poetry gives me another high.

I linked you too.

ghost: I used to think the same about myself. But I did it. I have learnt to conquer my mind in certain matters.

get zapped: Thanks. Do try one. I thought it was fun to write this one.

donn/h.e.: I am learning all that I thought I can't do. In order to be a good teacher one has to be a good learner.

Thanks for that high praise. I am what i am!!!

Clockworkchris said...

Wonderful poem. Glad you got rid of some of the rules and just stuck with what you wanted to do. Sorry it took so long, and thanks for being one of the first to read my poem this week.