Comments on: Villanelles http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/ Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:30:26 +0000 http://lyceum.ibiblio.org/?v=0.34 by: Laura Harris http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-39960 Mon, 05 May 2008 18:23:20 +0000 http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-39960 I love how Bishop successfuly captured an uncontrolable feeling into a very structured poetic form. Her repetition of refrains brought a meaning of how cyclical this idea is... she can get so close to something... close enough to touch it, But does not reach out to do so. I think she chooses not to because it would make her vulnerable By this choice, she has missed out on many blessings that come with being vulnerable, such as intimate relationships. I have developed a new appreciation for poetry through writing my own Villanelle. It was very challenging, and I found the words did not flow well when they had to fall into such structured lines. Bishop was truly gifted with words. I love how Bishop successfuly captured an uncontrolable feeling into a very structured poetic form. Her repetition of refrains brought a meaning of how cyclical this idea is… she can get so close to something… close enough to touch it, But does not reach out to do so. I think she chooses not to because it would make her vulnerable By this choice, she has missed out on many blessings that come with being vulnerable, such as intimate relationships.

I have developed a new appreciation for poetry through writing my own Villanelle. It was very challenging, and I found the words did not flow well when they had to fall into such structured lines. Bishop was truly gifted with words.

]]> by: Stevie Baum http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-37714 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 01:08:56 +0000 http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-37714 I learned a lot from writting a villanene. A villanene has a certain structure that must be followed in creating on. The hardest part that I had in writting my poem was coming up with rhymes. The poem had to have an aba rhyme scheme, so the writter's brain has to switch back and forth between the two sets of rhyming. The writer also has to make sure the ryhming words fit the context. It was also a challenge to come up with ideas for the poem because you had to write a poem using another person's ideas. The ideas were eighter really bord or really supsefect. I got a bord topic which gave me the freedom to come up with enough ideas to write a forteen line poem. From this assignment I gain respect for a poet because I know how much time it takes to write a poem. I learned a lot from writting a villanene. A villanene has a certain structure that must be followed in creating on. The hardest part that I had in writting my poem was coming up with rhymes. The poem had to have an aba rhyme scheme, so the writter’s brain has to switch back and forth between the two sets of rhyming. The writer also has to make sure the ryhming words fit the context. It was also a challenge to come up with ideas for the poem because you had to write a poem using another person’s ideas. The ideas were eighter really bord or really supsefect. I got a bord topic which gave me the freedom to come up with enough ideas to write a forteen line poem. From this assignment I gain respect for a poet because I know how much time it takes to write a poem.

]]> by: Marty Zimmerman http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-37523 Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:47:10 +0000 http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-37523 I enjoyed the challenge of writing a villanelle. I have written poetry in the past, but never attempted to compose a villanelle because I was not aware of such a category. The poem that I produced is not a true villanelle because the ryhme scheme is not genuine, the second lines do not ryhme with one another, but the first and third lines do. The subject I was dealing with was foreign to me, but I thought that I managed to write a solid piece that tackled the issue. I believe it is difficult to write a villanelle, not only must you produce your thoughts on paper, but then the ryhme scheme must also work. A poet is forced to find the right word, one that will fit into the scheme and convey the intended message. If thoughts can be clearly communicated and the ryhme scheme is correct, the writer should be very happy. I agree with the above stated quote from Robert Frost. Poetry deals with emotions and issues that face humanity, but without meditating on those topics and then placing those thoughts in words, poetry has little impact or meaning. I had an idea of what poetry was before this class, but it was challenged to grow and deepen. Some works have flown over my head, but there have been some that have hit the mark, causing my brain to think and mind to wrestle with issues. The challenge of producing a villanelle has left me with a desire to continue to try my hand at villanelles. I intend to take my first one and work on it some more in order to create a complete rhyme scheme and truly say that I have composed a villanelle. I also hope to continue writing poetry or at least jot a line down sometime in the day, something that could be expanded upon and molded into a complete work of my imagination. I enjoyed the challenge of writing a villanelle. I have written poetry in the past, but never attempted to compose a villanelle because I was not aware of such a category. The poem that I produced is not a true villanelle because the ryhme scheme is not genuine, the second lines do not ryhme with one another, but the first and third lines do. The subject I was dealing with was foreign to me, but I thought that I managed to write a solid piece that tackled the issue. I believe it is difficult to write a villanelle, not only must you produce your thoughts on paper, but then the ryhme scheme must also work. A poet is forced to find the right word, one that will fit into the scheme and convey the intended message. If thoughts can be clearly communicated and the ryhme scheme is correct, the writer should be very happy. I agree with the above stated quote from Robert Frost. Poetry deals with emotions and issues that face humanity, but without meditating on those topics and then placing those thoughts in words, poetry has little impact or meaning. I had an idea of what poetry was before this class, but it was challenged to grow and deepen. Some works have flown over my head, but there have been some that have hit the mark, causing my brain to think and mind to wrestle with issues. The challenge of producing a villanelle has left me with a desire to continue to try my hand at villanelles. I intend to take my first one and work on it some more in order to create a complete rhyme scheme and truly say that I have composed a villanelle. I also hope to continue writing poetry or at least jot a line down sometime in the day, something that could be expanded upon and molded into a complete work of my imagination.

]]> by: Kyle Hey http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-37125 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 22:41:37 +0000 http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-37125 I thought the villanelle a very interesting poem to read and write. Personally i enjoyed writing the villanelle. I think that i liked this type of poem so much because it has such a unique structure. It took a lot of thought and processing to make the rhyme scheme and form of the villanelle. To write a good villanelle it takes a lot of skill and I can fully see that after writing one myself. The poem “Do not Go Gentle into That God Night” is one of my favorite poems which we have read this far. I love the “fight” in this poem. It speaks of hope and resilience which every man wants to relate to. One thing that I really liked about the poem was the starting of three stanzas describing men in different ways, “Good, Wild, Grave”. I feel that this shows the different sides of men but it also shows that all men face death aswell. I thought the villanelle a very interesting poem to read and write. Personally i enjoyed writing the villanelle. I think that i liked this type of poem so much because it has such a unique structure. It took a lot of thought and processing to make the rhyme scheme and form of the villanelle. To write a good villanelle it takes a lot of skill and I can fully see that after writing one myself. The poem “Do not Go Gentle into That God Night” is one of my favorite poems which we have read this far. I love the “fight” in this poem. It speaks of hope and resilience which every man wants to relate to. One thing that I really liked about the poem was the starting of three stanzas describing men in different ways, “Good, Wild, Grave”. I feel that this shows the different sides of men but it also shows that all men face death aswell.

]]> by: Eddie Poff http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-37075 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:05:27 +0000 http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-37075 To be completely honest, I can't say that I am such a fan of the villanelle. Reading villanelles written by real, talented poets is great because obviously they work out well. However, it is such a restrictive form that in the process of writing one, I found myself being forced to use unnatural language to make sure that the form was preserved. I also had to use words to rhyme that didn't really sound as good as others that I could have used just because they have to rhyme. Like I said, legitimate villanelles sound great when the form is followed well and it flows perfectly, but if one word makes a line too long, or if one word does not rhyme perfectly with the line two above or two below, it can ruin the entire poem. That is what is so great about free verse, everything written is the choice of the poet. In this way, the structure can allude to the content, like a poem about a river being long and winding. It just seems like too much of the villanelle is artificially produced for the purpose of the form. Until I am a professional poet (which will be never) I don't think I will ever appreciate the villanelle for what it's worth. To be completely honest, I can’t say that I am such a fan of the villanelle. Reading villanelles written by real, talented poets is great because obviously they work out well. However, it is such a restrictive form that in the process of writing one, I found myself being forced to use unnatural language to make sure that the form was preserved. I also had to use words to rhyme that didn’t really sound as good as others that I could have used just because they have to rhyme. Like I said, legitimate villanelles sound great when the form is followed well and it flows perfectly, but if one word makes a line too long, or if one word does not rhyme perfectly with the line two above or two below, it can ruin the entire poem. That is what is so great about free verse, everything written is the choice of the poet. In this way, the structure can allude to the content, like a poem about a river being long and winding. It just seems like too much of the villanelle is artificially produced for the purpose of the form. Until I am a professional poet (which will be never) I don’t think I will ever appreciate the villanelle for what it’s worth.

]]> by: Jessica Grim http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-37072 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:55:32 +0000 http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-37072 I thought that the Emily Bishop poem was so fabulous. The was she compaed loosing something small to loosing a person really intriged me. I thought It was was interesting how she started out small saying how she would loose her keys which everyone can compare to, but then move onto loosing a person. This slow graduale leap helped the reader comprehend what Bishop was trying to say in simple terms but using something that everyone could compare with ( loosing something small) but then work her way up to something bigger and much more grand, a person. I really liked this imagery because when talking about loosing a person, no everyone knows what that feels like. I also liked how half way though the poem, Bishop changed from using second person to first person when she finally started saying "I'. I thought that the Emily Bishop poem was so fabulous. The was she compaed loosing something small to loosing a person really intriged me. I thought It was was interesting how she started out small saying how she would loose her keys which everyone can compare to, but then move onto loosing a person. This slow graduale leap helped the reader comprehend what Bishop was trying to say in simple terms but using something that everyone could compare with ( loosing something small) but then work her way up to something bigger and much more grand, a person. I really liked this imagery because when talking about loosing a person, no everyone knows what that feels like. I also liked how half way though the poem, Bishop changed from using second person to first person when she finally started saying “I’.

]]> by: Caitlin McMahon http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-37041 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:49:04 +0000 http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-37041 I was very interested in the villanelle because of the strict and rigid structure. I thought that I would like to write a villanelle more than a free verse because I am more accustomed and comfortable with restrictive guidelines. However, when actually writing the poem, I found it very difficult compared to a free verse poem about the same thing. I felt like I could not put the words that I wanted just because it had to rhyme. I think that for certain topics, villanelles fit, and make the poem better. It really depends on the subject and topic, and I think that one should only determine whether to write a villanelle or a free verse poem once really considering what is being written about. The exercise we did in class illustrated this, in that we wrote both a villanelle and a free verse on the same topic and we could see the contrasts between the two, and the different things with each form that enhanced the subject matter. I was very interested in the villanelle because of the strict and rigid structure. I thought that I would like to write a villanelle more than a free verse because I am more accustomed and comfortable with restrictive guidelines. However, when actually writing the poem, I found it very difficult compared to a free verse poem about the same thing. I felt like I could not put the words that I wanted just because it had to rhyme. I think that for certain topics, villanelles fit, and make the poem better. It really depends on the subject and topic, and I think that one should only determine whether to write a villanelle or a free verse poem once really considering what is being written about. The exercise we did in class illustrated this, in that we wrote both a villanelle and a free verse on the same topic and we could see the contrasts between the two, and the different things with each form that enhanced the subject matter.

]]> by: Joanna Hendrick http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-36921 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 01:51:49 +0000 http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-36921 I really enjoyed reading “One Art,” in the first few stanzas, however, I did not entirely pick up on her sarcasm, I just figured she was trying to express her feelings towards being upset over something that occurs every day. I looked at the poem in a sense of getting lost, or losing something for the sake of doing it. It can be fun at times to get lost on purpose while on a trip just to see where you end up and what experiences you may have. As the poem progresses, though, I began to get the sense that a sense of loss isn’t very easy to come to terms with though it may not be hard to master. Like the “crescendo of loss” that we talked about during the presentation, the objects that the subject looses keep getting bigger and more important to the point where she stumbles over her original point that losing isn’t a disaster. Losing car keys and spending an hour looking for them is annoying and inconvenient, but, as she says, not a disaster. However, a love that is lost is something that can feel like a disaster and it is interesting that she cannot entirely keep up her sarcasm once she reaches that particular point in her poem. I really enjoyed reading “One Art,” in the first few stanzas, however, I did not entirely pick up on her sarcasm, I just figured she was trying to express her feelings towards being upset over something that occurs every day. I looked at the poem in a sense of getting lost, or losing something for the sake of doing it. It can be fun at times to get lost on purpose while on a trip just to see where you end up and what experiences you may have. As the poem progresses, though, I began to get the sense that a sense of loss isn’t very easy to come to terms with though it may not be hard to master. Like the “crescendo of loss” that we talked about during the presentation, the objects that the subject looses keep getting bigger and more important to the point where she stumbles over her original point that losing isn’t a disaster. Losing car keys and spending an hour looking for them is annoying and inconvenient, but, as she says, not a disaster. However, a love that is lost is something that can feel like a disaster and it is interesting that she cannot entirely keep up her sarcasm once she reaches that particular point in her poem.

]]> by: Elizabeth Reininga http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-36686 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 02:32:35 +0000 http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-36686 I believe that the poetry form: Villanelle really parallels the above statement. Villanelles are definitely emotion, and they are definitely a thought that has found words. I think that throughout the process of writing my own Villanelle I really have gained an appreciation for trying to put my thoughts into words. It’s very hard to communicate meaning through words that you may not have in your vocabulary. Throughout the process, I was challenged by using words that went together, but this made it even more powerful in the end. By knowing that I had to make everything flow and rhyme I was even more encouraged to make my thoughts work on paper. The form of Villanelle is really a great way for me to appreciate poetry. I enjoyed trying to write this way because there were enough guidelines, but not so many that I couldn’t even write. I think that this is a form that I can use more frequently. I was worried at first about writing, but now I have a new appreciation. I believe that the poetry form: Villanelle really parallels the above statement. Villanelles are definitely emotion, and they are definitely a thought that has found words. I think that throughout the process of writing my own Villanelle I really have gained an appreciation for trying to put my thoughts into words. It’s very hard to communicate meaning through words that you may not have in your vocabulary. Throughout the process, I was challenged by using words that went together, but this made it even more powerful in the end. By knowing that I had to make everything flow and rhyme I was even more encouraged to make my thoughts work on paper. The form of Villanelle is really a great way for me to appreciate poetry. I enjoyed trying to write this way because there were enough guidelines, but not so many that I couldn’t even write. I think that this is a form that I can use more frequently. I was worried at first about writing, but now I have a new appreciation.

]]> by: Angela Amissah http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-36644 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:28:26 +0000 http://blogs.messiah.edu/poetry_class/2008/04/10/villanelles/#comment-36644 The poem “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” says quite a lot considering the fact that the form of a Villanelle has such a strict form. The poem actually seems quite free. The speaker of this poem is someone who seems to be speaking to someone who is near and dear to them. It almost as though the speaker is pleading with his father to keep on living and making the most out of the life that he [the father] has been given. The poem reminds me of how as Christians we are supposed to live our lives in thankfulness that God has given us another breath to keep on living. It seems to have a tone of desperate urgency. The speaker his father slip away which is hard for any child to witness a parent go through. In the poem the speaker gives examples of men of all sorts that are living life and raging “into that good night”. Even the Wild and grave men fight death and make sure that each day is lived to the fullest. The poem “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” says quite a lot considering the fact that the form of a Villanelle has such a strict form. The poem actually seems quite free. The speaker of this poem is someone who seems to be speaking to someone who is near and dear to them. It almost as though the speaker is pleading with his father to keep on living and making the most out of the life that he [the father] has been given. The poem reminds me of how as Christians we are supposed to live our lives in thankfulness that God has given us another breath to keep on living. It seems to have a tone of desperate urgency. The speaker his father slip away which is hard for any child to witness a parent go through. In the poem the speaker gives examples of men of all sorts that are living life and raging “into that good night”. Even the Wild and grave men fight death and make sure that each day is lived to the fullest.

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