Follow the Line to the Last
A first attempt at a Villanelle
Follow the line to the last,
This life is all you have to hold.
There is no time left to think of the past.
.
Upon the path your forebearers have cast
March relentlessly over their bones - their gardens of marigolds;
Follow the line to the last.
.
Trample the dreams and nightmares you will outlast;
Something awaits you at the end, steeped in gold.
There is no time left to think of the past.
.
Don't falter - all wounds bleed in the blast,
That endless trail we must blaze with no handhold.
Follow the line to the last.
.
Your footprints upon this journey will leave a caste,
Outweighing the cost of this life for those who come ten-fold -
There is no time left to think of the past.
.
And you, my child, must be like the rest,
Heeding those who came before with chain and blindfold.
Follow the line to the last,
There is no time left to think of the past.
About the Creator
Amanda Starks
Lover of the dark, fantastical, and heart-wrenching. Fantasy writer, poet, and hopefully soon-to-be novelist who wants to create safe spaces to talk about mental health. Subscribe to my free newsletter at www.amandastarks.com for updates!
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Comments (8)
Beautiful and poignant.
First attempt? That's pretty good for someone who's not done it before. I think they are tricky, tied as you are to form.
Lovely poetry.
What a beautiful villanelle. I would dare say that, in my opinion, it’s up there with Dylan Thomas’s “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night”. Very well done.
So uplifting and it flows so well!
Nice one, Amanda. Favourite line "That endless trail we must blaze with no handhold."
This was so powerful! You executed the Villanelle so brilliantly!
wonderful as always.