"The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds" by Thomas Cole‘Can You See the Star?’ by Daniel Magdalen The Society December 24, 2020 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 11 Comments . Wake up and raise the blinds, to see the light, The colors; hark, the carols, feel the cheers Emerging, from within this Holy Night. Hear choirs of hope, in spirit, ‘mid your plight, While you can’t see the star. Would one, in tears, Wake up and raise the blinds to see the light? True love, in absence, that can still unite, Forgoes the hour to last throughout the years, Emerging from within, this Holy Night. Avoid the severed trees. Grow one that’s right For you, that lasts and breathes so your air clears. Wake up and raise that blind to see the light! Trace out the roads of wisdom ‘neath the white, Then, stepping forth, embrace your Hope, melt fears, Emerging from within, this Holy Night. You start to see the Star that makes life bright, Yet few have eyes for it. So, help your peers, Wake up and lead the blind… to see the light Emerging from within, this Holy Night. . . Daniel Magdalen is a doctoral student in the Faculty of Letters at the University of Bucharest, in Romania. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Trending now: 11 Responses Yael December 24, 2020 Wow, that’s a very beautiful poem that captures the Christmas spirit well. Thank you and Merry Christmas to you from Tennessee. Reply Daniel Magdalen December 26, 2020 Thank you very much. I indeed wanted to convey the Christmas spirit. A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Reply C.B. Anderson December 24, 2020 You have done, Daniel, at least one of things that I’ve often implored writers of villanelles to do: alter punctuation in the repetends to create new meanings within a modified syntax using the same words. Compare these two lines: (S1,L3) Emerging, from within this Holy Night. (S3,L3) Emerging from within, this Holy Night. Changing the position of a single comma makes a world of difference. But since you have already figured this out, I am speaking more to would-be writers of villanelles to take note of this point. The craft of a villanelle lies not simply in sheer repetition, but more so in re-making the verbal material at one’s disposal. Also, I consider it proper, and in some instances imperative, to alter slightly the diction in order to create new possibilities of meaning, and so you have done: “Wake up and raise the blinds, to see the light” (S1,L1 etc.) ” Wake up and lead the blind … to see the light” (S6, L3) Well done. Reply Daniel Magdalen December 26, 2020 I really appreciate your useful advice and encouraging words. Thank you. Reply Paul A. Freeman December 25, 2020 Villanelles are my poetic Achilles Heel. Nicely done, Mr Anderson. Reply Paul A. Freeman December 25, 2020 Whoops! Nicely done, ‘Mr Magdalen’! Reply Damian Robin December 25, 2020 Neatly done on a shining subject, Mr Magdalen! Nicely backed up with helpful tech commentary and examples, Mr Anderson! Daniel Magdalen December 26, 2020 I also enjoy the way villanelles allow an idea to be more fully conveyed than other poetic structures do. Thank you very much! Daniel Magdalen December 26, 2020 Mr Freeman and Mr Robin, I appreciate your kind words. And indeed, Mr Anderson’s comments on poetic techniques are very instructive. Margaret Coats December 26, 2020 Daniel, you not only manage the refrains well in this superb villanelle, but offer an effective exhortation to someone suffering some distressing plight as Christmas approaches. Your reasoning comes from several perspectives, but the following is expressed most beautifully: True love, in absence, that can still unite, Forgoes the hour to last throughout the years Through this consolation and your associated recommendations, your addressee can not only begin to see the Star, but profit from it to spread the light. Admirable! Reply Daniel Magdalen December 27, 2020 I appreciate your kind words as well as your insightful way of describing the messages that lie beyond the lines. Thank you very much. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Yael December 24, 2020 Wow, that’s a very beautiful poem that captures the Christmas spirit well. Thank you and Merry Christmas to you from Tennessee. Reply
Daniel Magdalen December 26, 2020 Thank you very much. I indeed wanted to convey the Christmas spirit. A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Reply
C.B. Anderson December 24, 2020 You have done, Daniel, at least one of things that I’ve often implored writers of villanelles to do: alter punctuation in the repetends to create new meanings within a modified syntax using the same words. Compare these two lines: (S1,L3) Emerging, from within this Holy Night. (S3,L3) Emerging from within, this Holy Night. Changing the position of a single comma makes a world of difference. But since you have already figured this out, I am speaking more to would-be writers of villanelles to take note of this point. The craft of a villanelle lies not simply in sheer repetition, but more so in re-making the verbal material at one’s disposal. Also, I consider it proper, and in some instances imperative, to alter slightly the diction in order to create new possibilities of meaning, and so you have done: “Wake up and raise the blinds, to see the light” (S1,L1 etc.) ” Wake up and lead the blind … to see the light” (S6, L3) Well done. Reply
Daniel Magdalen December 26, 2020 I really appreciate your useful advice and encouraging words. Thank you. Reply
Paul A. Freeman December 25, 2020 Villanelles are my poetic Achilles Heel. Nicely done, Mr Anderson. Reply
Damian Robin December 25, 2020 Neatly done on a shining subject, Mr Magdalen! Nicely backed up with helpful tech commentary and examples, Mr Anderson!
Daniel Magdalen December 26, 2020 I also enjoy the way villanelles allow an idea to be more fully conveyed than other poetic structures do. Thank you very much!
Daniel Magdalen December 26, 2020 Mr Freeman and Mr Robin, I appreciate your kind words. And indeed, Mr Anderson’s comments on poetic techniques are very instructive.
Margaret Coats December 26, 2020 Daniel, you not only manage the refrains well in this superb villanelle, but offer an effective exhortation to someone suffering some distressing plight as Christmas approaches. Your reasoning comes from several perspectives, but the following is expressed most beautifully: True love, in absence, that can still unite, Forgoes the hour to last throughout the years Through this consolation and your associated recommendations, your addressee can not only begin to see the Star, but profit from it to spread the light. Admirable! Reply
Daniel Magdalen December 27, 2020 I appreciate your kind words as well as your insightful way of describing the messages that lie beyond the lines. Thank you very much. Reply