Augsburg, Villanelle, Villanelle Directions

Just because I'm so absolutely excited, I'm going to retype my Villanelle that I'm going to read on Wednesday. Well, also because it might help me memorize it better so I won't have to look at it as much. ANNND I'm going to teach you who don't know how to write one how to write a Villanelle!!! yay!!! Isn't this exciting? Woohoo!!!!!

In What Is Always Right (A Villanelle)

In what is always right,
Singing sharp and lovely bright, glittering
Beauty in a silent night.

Thin fingers reach for pretty lights
of loving crimson, vividly dripping
In what is always right.

Compulsion takes it's hold, a plight
In bloody whispers shaking, trembling,
Hated beauty in a silent night.

Dodging nightmares in blackest night,
Stay here with me, so I'll stay clinging
To what is always right.

Please keep my stronghold to the light,
Hide shiv'ring wrists so life stays seeming
Beauty in a silent night,
In what is always right.


How to Write a Villanelle (In Brii Language Using Her Poem "My Key" as an Example)

Alright, so the basic structure of a Villanelle is five stanzas, four of three lines each and one of four lines, using two repeating lines that rhyme with one another. The first thing you'll want to do is choose your repeating lines, which we'll call A1 and A2.

Repeating lines in "My Key:"
A1--If only I could find the key
A2--Maybe then my heart could see

Once you have your repeating lines chosen, you can write your first stanza. The first stanza will begin with A1 and end with A2, with a non-rhyming line B1 in the middle.

A1--If only I could find the key,
B1--The one I think I left behind,
A2--Maybe then my heart could see.

The next stanza will begin with a new line A3, rhyming with A1 and A2, followed by a line B2 rhyming with B1, and ending with line A1.

A3--A nagging thought won't let me be
B2--A thought that clings inside my mind
A1--If only I could find the key.

Your third stanza will have a similar pattern; A4-B3-A2.

A4--Unfamiliar Feelings Consume me, wrap me
B3--In joyous bewilderment. If I could only understand,
A2--Maybe then my heart could see.

Following pattern, your fourth stanza will look like this:

A5--These fears I felt are gone, it seems,
B4--And I'm glad I chose to take your hand.
A1--If only I could find the key...

Finally, your last stanza will have four lines, with the pattern A6-B5-A2-A1. In my example, I altered the beginning of line A1. This is an option that you have; however, it is difficult to do this without changing the lines too much, which will mean your poem is not a true villanelle, so i wouldn't recommend doing this if you aren't confident in your writing to know that it will still be in true villanelle form.

A6--Stay with me a while, please,
B5--and next to you I think I'll stand,
A2--So maybe then my heart could see...
A1--If only I could find the key.

So, your full villanelle will look something like this:

My Key (A Villanelle)

If I could only find the key,
The one I think I left behind,
Maybe then my heart could see.

A nagging thought won't let me be,
A thought that clings inside my mind.
If only I could find the key.

Unfamiliar thoughts consume me, wrap me
In joyous bewilderment. If only I could understand,
Maybe then my heart could see.

These fears I felt are gone, it seems,
and I'm glad I chose to take your hand.
If only I could find the key...

Stay with me a while, please,
and next to you I think I'll stand,
So maybe then my heart could see...
If only I could find the key.

Congratulations! You now know how to write a poem in villanelle form! Hooray!!!! Feel special.

I hope you enjoyed this little tutoring session! Lemme know if you think I should do more of them, I kind of enjoyed that.

Love,
Brii333