An original villanelle - a Poetry Friday post

[kellyrfineman]

Remember the other day when I said I was working on a new villanelle? (And then proceeded to explain what a villanelle is and how to write one, rather than, you know, focusing on my own work? Ahem

Comments

[ext_830274]

Kelly, your lovely poem here has taught me something new about winter. I thought I knew all about how the days grow short, and then long, but I never put the storms and frigid cold of February together with the slightly longer days... until this week and this poem! It's true, it's true, it's true!

"As winter gathers strength, it gathers light."

*happy dance* We've been having awful mixed weather events and COLD, but just this week we got home at the end of the day and IT WAS STILL LIGHT! YAY!

[kellyrfineman]

I've been celebrating the longer days since the start of the year. And then I noticed my witch hazel was full of buds despite it being January. So when we talked about writing about something "hidden", the idea that plants and birds are already preparing for spring even though the worst of winter's weather isn't here yet appealed to me. Glad it gave you something to celebrate!

[ext_709338]

Usually your blog doesn't let me comment, so I'll count it a supremely happy day if it does - I LOVE this and especially love that you put witch hazel in a poem. It never gets into poems! I also love the spindliness of sap-rich branches - the evocative imagery just MAKES this poem.

[kellyrfineman]

*waves at Tanita* THERE YOU ARE!

I found out in a post last week that witch hazel is also known as "winterbloom", and got fixated on it!

[ext_703532]

Last night, it was so cold that the seed pods on our neighbor's wisteria bushes were popping clean off the vines and hitting our windows! Perhaps I shall think of them as gathering so much light they burst.... Anyhow, thank you for this lovely poem.

[kellyrfineman]

Oh no! I so love the sight of wisteria when it blossoms. (Also, I end up singing "Hysteria" by Def Leppard when it's mentioned, due to a friend once singing "The purple flower... it's WISTERIA!")

Oh, Kelly....

[liz_scanlon]

I love this so much.
"As winter gathers strength, it gathers light."
That is just a superior, lyrical, full-of-meaning line.
Yes. Good job, gal!

Re: Oh, Kelly....

[kellyrfineman]

Did you see my mini-rant about your girl's teacher? I remain annoyed with the teacher for her taking points from your girl and then trying to beat her down. I'm glad your daughter knows better than to take it.

[ext_807079]

I'm with Liz. I love "As winter gathers strength, it gathers light." But what I love most is that it works, as is, every time it's repeated and never feels stale or incomplete. Does this make sense? I couldn't make mine work without changing it up. But you did something really special. Well done!

[kellyrfineman]

I understand exactly what you meant. The only time it shifted was the one time I broke that line, but the words remained the same. It was a fun challenge, though I would have shifted my last lines if I needed to!