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The Villanelle

4/6/2014

18 Comments

 
Since I posted my villanelle, "Spring Has Sprung: A Villanelle" in the March Madness Poetry Competition, I have had several questions about the villanelle form itself. So I decided to do a blog post about the villanelle. This is  not meant to be an exhaustive examination of the villanelle form but simply my experience with writing villanelles and some things I've learned about them. 

I like poetry.about.com's definition of the villanelle which includes the breakdown of the rhyme scheme:

The villanelle’s 19 lines form five triplets and a quatrain, using only two rhymes throughout the whole form. The entire first line is repeated as lines 6, 12 and 18 and the third line is repeated as lines 9, 15 and 19—so that the lines which frame the first triplet weave through the poem like refrains in a traditional song, and together form the end of the concluding stanza. With these repeating lines [often called the repetend] represented as A1 and A2 (because they rhyme together), the entire scheme is: 


A1
b
A2

a
b
A1 
(refrain)

a
b
A2 
(refrain)

a
b
A1 
(refrain)

a
b
A2 
(refrain)

a
b
A1 
(refrain)
A2 
(refrain)



A good example of a villanelle that many people know is Dylan Thomas' haunting, "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" which I will quote here, since it is in the Public Domain. I'll superimpose the rhyme scheme to the right so you can see how Thomas put together his villanelle.


Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
By Dylan Thomas 1914-1953


Do not go gentle into that good night, A1
Old age should burn and rave at close of day; b
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. A2

Though wise men at their end know dark is right, a
Because their words had forked no lightning they  b
Do not go gentle into that good night. A1

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright  a
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,  b
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.  A2

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,  a
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,  b
Do not go gentle into that good night.  A1

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight  a
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,   b
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. A2

And you, my father, there on the sad height, a
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. b
Do not go gentle into that good night. A1
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. A2



* * *

In the process of trying to write villanelles, I have learned two things about writing villlanelles:


1. Be sure you have something worth repeating for your repeating lines as both repeating lines will each be repeated several times. 


2,  Choose your rhymes carefully. Because there are only two rhymes used throughout each villanelle, you have to choose your rhyme scheme carefully and be sure you have enough rhyming words that will work together to get you through the entire villanelle.

 * * *

When deciding to write my villanelle for March Madness, I decided to use my unusual given word, 'incontinent,' in one of the repeating lines, because I was using the second definition : 
  1. in·con·ti·nent
    inˈkäntənənt,-ˈkäntn-ənt/
    adjective
    adjective: incontinent

    1. having no or insufficient voluntary control over urination or defecation.

    2. lacking self-restraint; uncontrolled.
      "the incontinent hysteria of the fans"
      synonyms: unrestrained, lacking self-restraint, uncontrolled, unbridled, unchecked, unfettered

and I wanted to bombard the reader with the word, so no thought of the first definition of 'incontinent' would ever enter the reader's mind.


Secondly, I brainstormed for ideas which were 'incontinent' in themselves; i.e., unrestrained, uncontrolled, unbridled, unfettered, and the one idea that kept coming to me was springtime where buds and blooms are bursting, people are feeling exuberant after a long, cooped-up winter, and are getting out to enjoy the outdoors, syrup is flowing out of maple trees, animals are mating, etc., a veritable riot of unrestrained, out-of-control, unfettered incontinence. 


* * *

I'd like to include one more bit of information about the villanelle as a member of a family of repeating forms, such as the triolet, the pantoum, and the roundel.
I love Tilt-a-Whirl editor, Kate Bernadette Benedict's "Cheat Sheet of Poetic Forms." (I believe Tilt-a-Whirl is no longer being published), but it was good while it lasted and is still online for your reading enjoyment. There are good examples of many of the repeating forms.
18 Comments
Deborah Holt Williams link
4/5/2014 07:15:03 pm

Excellent post, B.J.! I'm so glad you did this because your poem did have me curious about the villanelle.

Reply
B.J. Lee
4/6/2014 01:27:29 am

Thanks Lucky! I'm glad the post is helpful. In fact, I'm glad it's even coherent as I stayed up till 5 a.m. writing it. But re-reading it this morning, it hangs together and I'm amazed I was able to write it while being so tired. I was awfully wired on green tea though1:)

Reply
Janet F.
4/5/2014 10:34:17 pm

Thanks for this post. This is helpful to poets be they kid, adult or even teacher. Loved your villanelle. Thank you B. J.

Reply
B.J. Lee
4/6/2014 01:28:34 am

Thanks Janet! I wanted to make it as simple as possible since those asking the questions seemed like they had not encountered the villanelle before.

Reply
LInda Baie link
4/5/2014 11:55:58 pm

Thank you for the clear explanation, B.j. I'll print it out & go to that extra link too! Cheers for today!

Reply
B.J. Lee
4/6/2014 01:29:32 am

Thanks Linda! I'm glad you found it helpful! Cheers!

Reply
Bob Schechter
4/6/2014 03:41:38 am

If you want to rad more Villanelles, last year the Random House Everyman series came out with an anthology of them, co- edited by Annie Finch, which contains all the great ones plus a large selection of contemporary Villanelles (including one of mine). The timing was wrong, or I'm sure BJ's would also be included.

Reply
B.J. Lee
4/6/2014 07:13:59 am

You're too generous, Bob. I will have to get my hands on that book since you know I love a good villanelle. Look forward to reading yours!

Reply
Michelle Heidenrich Barnes link
4/6/2014 08:39:41 am

Thank you for not only a clear explanation, but for the visuals as well. I may just have to try out this form now!

Reply
B.J. Lee
4/6/2014 01:02:19 pm

Your welcome, Michelle, and I say, Go for it! and let us know how it turns out!

Reply
Renee LaTulippe link
4/6/2014 03:55:56 pm

I haven't attempted a villanelle yet, but now I'm inspired! It really is a lovely form. Thank you for the enlightenment!

Reply
B.J. Lee
4/8/2014 01:32:34 am

I'm glad, Renee. It's similar in difficulty, I think to the pantoum - actually the pantoum may be a little bit harder.

Reply
Marty Sonders link
4/6/2014 10:33:17 pm

Wonderful poem, B.J., and I'm so glad I also found your website. I'm afraid I dwelled on the first definition of incontinent. I couldn't get the image out of my mind of a little girl frolicking in "nature's own" through verdant meadows, giggling, squealing, and peeing with joy and abandon.

Reply
B.J. Lee
4/8/2014 01:34:13 am

Thanks for stopping by, Marty! Your post made me laugh out loud!

Reply
jone link
4/9/2014 02:01:35 am

BJ, thank you for showing the process. I love this. In a way it reminds me of the pantuom

Reply
B.J. Lee
4/9/2014 01:39:02 pm

Your welcome, Jone. Thanks for stopping by. Yes, I agree, the pantoum and the villanelle are similar. Each is hard in it's own way though.

Reply
Margaret Simon
4/9/2014 08:44:39 pm

I was also taken by your use of the villanelle form. I've written one and it was a consuming task. I think you got across your intent by repeating the word. My students have had a rich experience with the MMPoetry. Congratulations on your advancement. Such a tough competition.

Reply
B.J. Lee
4/11/2014 12:40:46 pm

Hi Margaret! Glad to hear you are experimenting with the form. I'm so glad your students enjoyed the madness! :)

Reply



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    B. J. Lee is a children’s author and poet. Her picture book, There Was an Old Gator Who Swallowed a Moth, is launching with Pelican Publishing on February 15, 2019. She has poems in 25 poetry anthologies published by  Little, Brown, Wordsong, BloomsburyUK, National Geographic, Otter-Barry Books, Pomelo Books, and Chicken Soup for the Soul. She has worked with anthologists Lee Bennett Hopkins, J. Patrick Lewis and Kenn Nesbitt. She has written poems for such children’s magazines as Spider, Highlights and The School Magazine. Follow her on Twitter @bjlee_writer.

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