The Unicorn I Met
by Amy LV
by Amy LV
Students - Today's poem is a villanelle, a special old form of poetry that is structured with 5 tercets (three line stanzas) followed by one quatrain (four line stanza). A villanelle repeats two lines over and over and also two rhymes over and over. Below, you can see where the repeating lines go and how the rhyme works. I have highlighted matching lines/rhymes.
Why did I write a villanelle today? Well, why not? I came home from teaching a workshop and this evening, I just thought to myself, "Self...write a villanelle!" So I did. My villanelle has 10 syllables per line, but this is not true of all villanelles.
Below you can see some of the villanelle organizational play in my notebook. This is a form that requires me to read and reread and reread again, listening to the repeating line, listening for what might happen next. There is a musical feeling to writing in this form, and I find it playful and joyful all at once.
Villanelle Notebook Play
by Amy LV
If you would like to read a couple of more villanelles I have shared in this space, you can do so here:
I Understand - January 4, 2013
It's been too long, and you can bet that I will be writing more villanelles soon.
It's been too long, and you can bet that I will be writing more villanelles soon.
Laura is hosting this week's Poetry Friday roundup at Writing the World for Kids with a lovely poem inviting readers to sing our own songs. We invite everybody to join in each Friday as we share poems, poem books, poetry ideas, and friendship. Check out my left sidebar to learn where to find this poetry goodness each week of the year.
Please share a comment below if you wish.
