Villanelle

. Saturn "When we have shuffled off this mortal coil" —Shakespeare "According to medieval thought, the worst planet was Saturn, ...

. Truth Is Not Beauty “What is the worst mistake you ever made in bed?” Reply: “My son.”  (Actual dialogue...

. Peter’s Story a villanelle I’m standing by the Sea of Galilee And Jesus calls for me to come along...

. Distress Signals an extended villanelle Distressing times are coming round again, And all the talking heads now flap their...

. Contagious Joy a villanelle You always find a way to make me smile. Like sunlight tracing rainbows in the...

. When? I’ll love you when the bee has lost its buzz, When wolf and bear have quit their howl...

. Love Sonnet The glint of summer’s evening leaves a glow upon her cheek, so soft and plain and fair—...

. Bedtime Stories in triolets He’d curl her close and hold her tight and let the words dance in the...

. In a Home based on Michael Bunker’s grandmother (b. 1909) as described in his book Surviving Off Off-Grid ....

. I Know Them Well Don't preach to me of heaven and of hell expecting me to tremble and to...

. A 2023 Survival Villanelle for Potentially Contentious Thanksgiving Gatherings Keep dinner chatter chirrupy and perky. Don’t prod the pachyderm...

. Glow Brave little candle, shining bright! You send out rays of hope all night. Within your heart you hold...

. Paths —Inspired by “Is Mod Se Jaate Hain” (see below) by Gulzar from the film: Aandhi, 1975 Sheer multitudes...

. Word Witch She’ll tease and tempt with mystic words, __This foxy sorceress. Her syntax soars like sun-bound birds--- __This wizard poetess Casts...

. Two Summer Villanelles . l. Lone Star Sear The burn and boil is grim for some. I’m red of...

. To a Sand Gazelle You must believe the light will carry you, Across the Rub al Khali of your...

. Crackpot Clown a villanelle     “Clowns are the pegs on which the circus is hung”  ---P. T. Barnum The...

. Back to Sleep In very early years, now far behind, When I returned to earth at midnight deep From...

. Poorer by the Day a villanelle They pay in promises they will betray; A scam as cold and ancient...

. July 20, 1999 a villanelle for Falun Gong Practitioners after 24 years of persecution Your path is narrow, yet...

. Half the Night a villanelle My stomach isn’t working right. Bubbles, gurgles, twinges and sighs Kept me up for...

. A Poetic Heretic’s Poetry Tips a villanelle inspired by Dr. Salemi's essay "Poetry As The Philosophers Stone" Don’t listen...

. FIRST PLACE . Tooth and Claw a pantoum by Susan Jarvis Bryant Observe the tooth and claw of savage deed. Beware the ferric...

. Poet, What Dreamer Thou Art  "I feel more and more every day, that as my imagination strengthens, that I...

. Human Poetry Versus ChatGPT's AI Poetry Can you tell the difference between artificial intelligence poetry and human poetry? by...

. Extinction Event The sky burned black the day the giants died. A flaming mountain pierced the turquoise bay. When...

. Church Mice a sonnet corona  There is a tale that’s writ in German history. A church was passed each...

. Thorns Grow with Song It’s time to rend our hearts and look inside The chambered will, into the voices...

. New Year’s Resolution a villanelle by David Whippman And what have you resolved for the new year? I guarantee...

. Crimes Against My Sanity At any-given-time o’clock While tidying my house, I find--- Oh look---is that another sock? It...

. Villanelle for Timothy When chains of cold resentment in the end Entangle souls and circle ‘round to bind, There’s...

. St. Joseph's Hymn of Praise Matthew 2: 10-15: “And when the Magi were departed, behold, the angel of the...

. A Right Royal Circus a villanelle  Roll up! Roll up! Come hear the desperate call Of sparkless Markle and...

. Aunt Helen Aunt Helen told me it was time to go. It hurt her to sit upright in the...

. His Pen a villanelle written upon watching the movie Eternal Spring His pen flies back and forth, a righteous...

. To a Cloud  You’re a pillow of marshmallow. You balloon and bob and billow As I sprawl beneath the willow __On the grass. You’re a swish of whitest feather....

. Drunk on Compassion How good it feels to open up your heart And groove on how compassionate you are!...

. A Villanelle for Robert Hoogland Hoogland was imprisoned for calling his daughter female Their mouths are gagged, their hands...

. A Hopeless Rondelet  All trust is dead, Killed by lies in love’s disguise. All trust is dead--- It’s buried...

. The Mass Mock-Shock of Monkeypox a villanelle Shun the mass mock-shock of monkeypox--- Force-fed fear declaiming death is nigh. Spurn the...