www.bergoiata.org/fe/divers40/mountain_stream.jpg
I have had the pleasure of reading some beautiful villanelles by poets who do not usually write in this form. It piqued my interest and made me want to read more of this lovely style of French poetry.
A villanelle is a poetic form which entered English-language poetry in the 1800s from the imitation of French models. Although the villanelle is usually labeled "a French form," by far the majority of villanelles are in English.
A Villanelle is a nineteen-line poem consisting of a very specific rhyming scheme:
aba aba aba aba aba abaa.
The first and the third lines in the first stanza are repeated in alternating order throughout the poem, and appear together in the last couplet (last two lines).
To illustrate the form you may refer to this villanelle that I have written.
http://allpoetry.com/poem/4336349
or read the submitted poems at Shadow Poetry
http://www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/villanelle.html
For this contest you may submit two villanelles, a pre-written work and a new poem. I will judge each of your works independently and average the score between the two. In that way poets who have never written a villanelle before will not be at a disadvantage. If you only submit one poem it must be a newly written piece and it will be judged alone.
You may use the picture above for inspiration but it is not a requirement.
I will comment on all the submissions at the close of the contest. I will deduct points for misspellings and flagrant grammar mistakes.
I look forward to reading some creative poems. I am judging on poems that flow and don't force the rhyme.
There are only three simple rules.
1) Please chose a plain color background. It is acceptable to use a border if the typing is against a single color backing.
2) No picture to accompany the poem. I feel that a great poem stands on its own merit and does not need an illustration.
3) Please put your screen name in the author's box so that I will know which two poems to judge together.
Other than that, please treat each other as adults and use common sense.
I have had the pleasure of reading some beautiful villanelles by poets who do not usually write in this form. It piqued my interest and made me want to read more of this lovely style of French poetry.
A villanelle is a poetic form which entered English-language poetry in the 1800s from the imitation of French models. Although the villanelle is usually labeled "a French form," by far the majority of villanelles are in English.
A Villanelle is a nineteen-line poem consisting of a very specific rhyming scheme:
aba aba aba aba aba abaa.
The first and the third lines in the first stanza are repeated in alternating order throughout the poem, and appear together in the last couplet (last two lines).
To illustrate the form you may refer to this villanelle that I have written.
http://allpoetry.com/poem/4336349
or read the submitted poems at Shadow Poetry
http://www.shadowpoetry.com/resources/wip/villanelle.html
For this contest you may submit two villanelles, a pre-written work and a new poem. I will judge each of your works independently and average the score between the two. In that way poets who have never written a villanelle before will not be at a disadvantage. If you only submit one poem it must be a newly written piece and it will be judged alone.
You may use the picture above for inspiration but it is not a requirement.
I will comment on all the submissions at the close of the contest. I will deduct points for misspellings and flagrant grammar mistakes.
I look forward to reading some creative poems. I am judging on poems that flow and don't force the rhyme.
There are only three simple rules.
1) Please chose a plain color background. It is acceptable to use a border if the typing is against a single color backing.
2) No picture to accompany the poem. I feel that a great poem stands on its own merit and does not need an illustration.
3) Please put your screen name in the author's box so that I will know which two poems to judge together.
Other than that, please treat each other as adults and use common sense.
Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on September 1, 2008
- Rewards: Gold: 500, Silver: 300, Bronze: 100, Honorable mention: 3 people
- Final notes: This was a difficult, but wonderful, contest to judge. I read and re-read each entry and found something special in each one. In some cases where an author submitted two poems it was very difficult to decide which one to add to the finalist list. The winning entries had something a little extra in language, imagery or content that elevated them above the rest. Thank you all for taking the time to enter this contest. I look forward to reading all your future work. Peace, Liz
Contest Winners
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by xJustifiablyMex 25 lines, 10 comments, on Aug 18 10:03 AM 2008. In Dark, Pain, Sad
Gold trophy winner
• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
• Commented on by judge. Prewrite [remove]
- Error: Unable to find finalist item 4508921, it seems to have been deleted :( [remove]
- Error: Unable to find finalist item 4541325, it seems to have been deleted :( [remove]
- Error: Unable to find finalist item 4546645, it seems to have been deleted :( [remove]
Silver trophy winner
Entries [11]
1 - 11 of 11
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by Peteskid 29 lines, 6 comments, on Aug 12 9:01 PM 2008• Commented on by judge.
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• Commented on by judge. Prewrite
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by amaranthine lover 27 lines, 2 comments, on Aug 21 7:42 AM 2008. In Contemporary, Contest, Dark, Fantasy, Abstract, Villanelle, noguest• Commented on by judge.
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by Pamela A Lamppa 28 lines, 7 comments, on Aug 24 11:14 PM 2008. In Love• Commented on by judge.
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Lighthouse beacon capture vicious seas,
ocean draws breakwaters to cascade on walls.• Commented on by judge. -
Not Me speaks ardently
Live water soothes the painby PerVirtuous 24 lines, 6 comments, on Aug 25 8:29 AM 2008. In Spiritual• Commented on by judge. -
• Commented on by judge.
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While moon looks down from velvet skies,
she shyly meets his hopeful gaze -• Commented on by judge.
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Comments
1 - 7 of 7
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Let's see if I can pull my brain to work for the second
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ASK THE TRAVELER
There is only one way to learn the road.
A map is not enough to get you there.
Ask the traveler when the journey’s old.
It doesn’t matter what you’ve been told.
Most of those you ask don’t really care.
There’s only one way to learn the road.
To proceed blindly will leave you cold.
It’s a foolish move one should not dare.
Ask the traveler when the journey’s old.
He’ll tell you, so let his talk unfold.
He’s been there, done that. He’s aware
There’s only one way to learn the road
And you’d do well to let the man unload
All he knows of what he learned out there.
Ask the traveler when the journey’s old.
He’ll guide your steps and make you bold.
Go it alone is never worth the scare.
There’s only one way to learn the road.
Ask the traveler when the journey’s old.
#
Salvatore Buttaci
ASK THE TRAVELER
(A Villanelle)
There’s only one way to learn the road.
A map is not enough to get you there.
Ask the traveler when the journey’s old.
It doesn’t matter what you’ve been told.
Most of those you ask don’t really care.
There’s only one way to learn the road.
To proceed blindly will leave you cold.
It’s a foolish move one should not dare.
Ask the traveler when the journey’s old.
He’ll tell you, so let his talk unfold.
He’s been there, done that. He’s aware
There’s only one way to learn the road
And you’d do well to let the man unload
All he knows of what he learned out there.
Ask the traveler when the journey’s old.
He’ll guide your steps and make you bold.
Go it alone is never worth the scare.
There’s only one way to learn the road.
Ask the traveler when the journey’s old.
#
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Unfortunately, I don't feel up to ...
doing much writing now. I have quite a few villanelles posted here, but since you aren't allowing just a prewrite, I can't enter. -
I'm still trying here, watching the countdown of days and frozen! But will try again...
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Thank-you for the HM and the chance to write
in this challenging form again. It was enjoyed!
Congrats to all who had their efforts recognized.
Blue
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Thankyou for the Gold award.
Just Me
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Thank you
Thank you so very much for the honor of silver in this wonderful contest. I am truly humbled. Congratulations to all. ~Pamela
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