I’m writing today’s post as part of the Five Minute Friday online writing community. Learn more here: http://fiveminutefriday.com/linkup/. This week’s writing prompt is WHERE.
I’m finding myself wanting to spend time exploring various poetic forms, so that’s what I did for today’s post. I spent far more than five minutes (breaking the rules here!), but I was really inspired by the writing prompt and wanted to use it to create a villanelle (19 lines, organized into five stanzas of three lines each and one closing stanza of four lines. The rhyme scheme is ABA ABA ABA ABA ABA ABAA. In addition, line 1 is repeated in lines 6, 12, and 18. Line 3 gets repeated in lines 9, 15, and 19.) A classic example of the villanelle is Dylan Thomas’ Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night. Learn more about villanelles here: https://bookriot.com/2018/05/08/different-types-of-poems/.
Where
Where time and trust have taken her is here–
a settled rest; a space where she can dare.
She wants the freedom way to be made clear.
Beloved spirits, circling, draw near;
the gravel roads bring memories to bear.
Where time and trust have taken her is here.
She is their strength; she harbors still their fear–
the self-sufficient narrative (a snare).
She wants the freedom way to be made clear.
When stoic silence is its own career
the seamless temple curtain needs to tear.
Where time and trust have taken her is here.
Unbound, unfurled, incarnate love sheds tears;
it calls to see, to speak, to serve, to care.
She wants the freedom way to be made clear.
O wave of dauntless love, draw near and rear
this frightened one whose heart still beats, beware.
Where time and trust have taken her is here.
She wants the freedom way to be made clear.
Love this! So glad you are here!
Thank you, Tara!
Well-played, Stacey! I’ve been formulating most of my comments’ on others’ blogs in the form of a Shakespearean sonnt…not because I fancy myself a poet, but rather because two kinds of cancr are killing me, and discipling myself to rhyme and meter keeps my head clear. Or whatever.
An I ain’t goin’gentle into no good night. Hell will cringe at my name, and all of Heaven will bow when I set foot on the steets of gold. I will leave unparalled destruction in my wake.
So, they say, embrace good night,
and leave this world in peace.
Don’t resist, don’t leave a slight
on Heaven-sent surcease.
Nice words, maybe good for some
but I’m a killer bred,
a hooligan, a drunken bum,
and I’ll leave cancer dead.
Not for me, the soft goodbye
of weeping friends and kin.
If I am marked to die,
I’ll stomp the world, to win.
The devil will cry like a little girl,
and God Himself my flag unfurl.
Yeah, well, if you gotta go…
GO HARD.
Thank you again, Andrew! God will indeed unfurl your flag. Peace…
Hi Stacey. Great job. I love poetry but sometimes it is so formal that I don’t get it at all. This is not that kind. Thank you. I’m coming from FMF #29.
Thank you, Diane. I often feel the same way about poetry. Grateful for your comment!
Wow, you did such a great job!
Thanks for your very poetic thoughts on the prompt. Have a lovely weekend!
Thank you so much, Katha.
There is no other way to reach the settled rest than by time and trust. Very well said. I love your villanelle. It may have taken you a lot more than five minutes, but it was time well spent. 🙂 Have a blessed day! Visiting from next door at FMF#27.
Thank you so much, Angela.