9 How to Write a Villanelle
“One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.”
My Villanelle:
Spring Garden, a villanelle
Drip drip - splash - blue puddles - Spring.
Mix and mash and plant the seeds
Sugar snaps, carrots, lettuce greens.
Blue birds posting and crows convene
I dance ‘round and weed the weeds.
Drip drip - splash - blue puddles - Spring.
Bending low, a mushroom ring
Magic grow and perlite beads
Sugar snaps, carrots, lettuce greens.
Weatherman watch, the wren do sing
Of retreating winter and all his deeds
Drip drip - splash - blue puddles - Spring.
One, four, nine, sixteen
Drip drip drops - all pattering - pleads
Sugar snaps, carrots, lettuce greens.
Rising sunshine glittering anew
“Here and Now” my wholesome creed
Drip drip - splash - blue puddles - Spring.
Sugar snaps, carrots, lettuce greens.
Discover yourself through writing - listen, learn, tap in - and express - For today, try writing a villanelle - Read and watch how to now ~
Consider the Villanelle:
Considering all of the strict parameters involved, writing a villanelle might seem difficult. To be a villanelle, the poem has to be 19 lines, and broken up into six stanzas, 5 of which are tercets with an ABA rhyme scheme and a final quatrain with an ABAA rhyme scheme. There are also two refrains. The first line of the first stanza repeats as the last line of stanzas 2 and 4, and the third line of stanza 6. And the last line of the first stanza repeats as the last line of stanzas 3 and 5, and the last line of the poem. For a greater challenge you can even play with the meter and write in iambic pentameter. But since this is optional, I will not include how to do that today. Again writing a villanelle might seem too challenging. But all you have to do is create a graphic organizer and get to work. Once you begin, the form beautifully shapes itself.
So, grab a sheet of paper and a pencil or pen, and let’s begin.
Make a graphic Organizer:
Here is an example. You may use this one.
Consider the Content:
You can write a villanelle about anything. The circular nature of the poem lends itself to emotions. Have you ever had a thought that was so wrapped up in your emotions that you could not let go of it? Perhaps you have one now. If you do, writing a villanelle, may be a good way to honor it. Sylvia Plath, in her amazing villanelle, Mad Girl’s Love Song, wrote about abandoned love. Passerat in I Have Lost My Turtledove, Theodore Roethke in The Waking, and Dylan Thomas in Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night, all wrote about about loss. I wrote about gardening. I choose this because gardening is something I like to do. And also, because the villanelle was inspired by harvesting songs, and so, I thought that subject fitting.
Create the Refrain
Once you get your subject, create your refrain. Perhaps this is the most important task of writing a villanelle. On the first line in your template, write out the first words that your heart generates, or perhaps the first thought that comes to your mind, and end in a word that make a good rhyme sound: something easy to rhyme with. Then move to line three, and, following the same procedure, write another line about your subject, ending in a word of the same sound. These two lines are repeating, so, right away, copy them over into your graphic organizer where prompted to repeat them. At this point, you have created your refrain. And, you have already written 8 lines of your poem. Wow!
Gather your Rhymes and Complete
Then move up to line 2 of the poem. Write something about your subject that ends in a different rhyming sound — again something you will find easy with which to rhyme. At this point, especially if you are new to rhyming and writing poems, you may want to you a search tool and find all of the various words that rhyme with this second rhyme sound that you have chosen. Of all of the words, choose your favorites and jot those down into your grid at the end of every line that has “b” listed in the rhyme scheme column. Do the same for all the “a’s” that are left. And there you have it! Your villanelle.
Revise, Rewrite, Edit, and Share
Revise and edit and type it up beautifully if you would like to do so. And share it. Sharing poems is so much fun! Don’t forget to share it with me by posting in the comments. I can’t wait to read you work!
Blessings
Thanks so much for joining me today! I hope you have a beautiful day. Peace for now, and remember stay CHARMED.
Questions
Would you like to write a villanelle?
Is there something that has been on your mind that you are thinking about over and over?
Do you feel poetic?