Villanelle: Wednesday Walk

I walk streets of Bhopal, a child 
Smiles at me, right at me and waves. 
So innocent and orange, wild 

Colors of spring sunset, pile 
up in crazy patterns and waves. 
I walk streets of Bhopal, a child. 

An electric scooty passes me, very quiet-
-ly the Moon greets the Sun, she waves 
So innocent and orange, wild. 

Dad holding his twin daughters in each hand, mild-
-ly irritated, in their loving weight, he waves. 
I walk streets of Bhopal, a child. 

By the Royal Enfield Showroom, I 
See hairy dogs in sweaters, joyous waves, 
So innocent and orange, wild. 

A man on the horse, smiles 
As he passes a red city bus and waves. 
I walk streets of Bhopal, a child 
So innocent and orange, wild.

© M. Jay Dixit, September heart-to-hearts, 2023 All Rights Reserved

What is a Villanelle?

A villanelle is a poem of nineteen lines, and which follows a strict form that consists of five tercets (three-line stanzas) followed by one quatrain (four-line stanza). Villanelles use a specific rhyme scheme of ABA for their tercets, and ABAA for the quatrain. The first and third lines of the first tercet function as repeating refrains, which alternate as the final line of each subsequent tercet and appear again as the two final lines of the concluding quatrain. Although villanelles often do use meter, they don’t have to use any one type of meter in particular.

I fell in love with this form when I read “Mad Girl’s Love Song” by Sylvia Plath and “Do not go gentle into that good night” by Dylan Thomas. 

Wednesday Walks

A/N: I went for a walk yesterday and just wrote about it today in the morning, I love this form, this is my second Villanelle. To read my first one just click here.

I am thinking of making this a series, like I’ll write Villanelle every Thursday morning about my Wednesday Walks. Let me know if you think it’s a good idea?

also posted over at dverse: open link night