Example #2

Here is another example of a villanelle :

Only Yesterday

It seems like only yesterday
I felt your fingers tiny grip.
You smiled and laughed and loved to play
Building blocks and modeling clay.
Attached as always to my hip
It seems like only yesterday.
I lost you in the shops one day
Into the dress rack you did slip.
You smiled and laughed and loved to play
You didn't really run away.
T'was such a frightful shopping trip.
It seems like only yesterday
You brought me breakfast on a tray
Flowers, toast, and coffee to sip
You smiled and laughed and loved to play.
But growing I cannot delay
These apron strings I have to snip.
It seems like only yesterday
You smiled and laughed and loved to play.

Form

This is the form of the Villanelle Poem:
A1 (refrain)
b
A2 (refrain)
a
b
A1 (refrain)a
b
A2 (refrain)
a
b
A1 (refrain)
a
b
A2 (refrain)
a
b
A1
A2 (refrain)

Example of A Villanelle Poem

This is an example of a villanelle poem written by David Trinidad.

When you grow up, what will you do?
Please come to my tea party.
I'm Chatty Cathy. Who are you?

Let's take a trip to the zoo.
Tee-hee, tee-hee, tee-hee. You're silly!
When you grow up, what will you do?

One plus one equals two.
It's fun to learn your ABCs.
I'm Chatty Cathy. Who are you?

Please help me tie my shoe.
Can you come out and play with me?
When you grow up, what will you do?

The rooster says cock-a-doodle-doo.
Please read me a bedtime story.
I'm Chatty Cathy. Who are you?

Our flag is red, white and blue.
Let's makebelieve you're Mommy.
When you grow up, what will you do?
I'm Chatty Cathy. Who are you?

Villanelle's Background

Villanelles are a nightmare; there is no other way to say it. The form is originally French and didn't appear in English until the later 1800's. It is 19 lines long, but only uses two rhymes, while also repeating two lines throughout the poem. The first five stanzas are triplets, and the last stanza is a quatrain such that the rhyme scheme is as follows: "aba aba aba aba aba abaa." The tricky part is that the 1st and 3rd lines from the first stanza are alternately repeated such that the 1st line becomes the last line in the second stanza, and the 3rd line becomes the last line in the third stanza. The last two lines of the poem are lines 1 and 3 respectively, making a rhymed couplet. Confused? A villanelle needs no particulary meter or line length, so feel free to experiment with the form. It is terribly obsessive and can bring out the emotions of any neurotic writer.

Villanelle: Our Project

Hey everyone!
We our doing a project on villanelle poems and this is our website!
We need 10 people to come and comment... so do it!

Love Ceci and Meredith =]]]]