Have You Ever Written A Villanelle? It Is A Nineteen Line Poetic Form

A villanelle is a nineteen-line poetic form consisting of five tercets followed by a quatrain. There are two refrains and two repeating rhymes, with the first and third line of the first tercet repeated alternately until the last stanza, which includes both repeated.

Practicing the French villanelle

Samples from A Poem A Day In February:

Why the concern about the environment?

Are those people just nuts?

Water walks, ceremony, protesting, judgment

****

It is proven by the establishment.

It's people with guts!

Why the concern about the environment?

****

Hugging trees, water is life is more than merriment

People who are not stuck in ruts!

Water walks, ceremony, protesting, judgment

****

Take this seriously as it's not entertainment.

These people do not live in huts!

Why the concern about the environment?

****

The scientists are all in agreement

We can't do much about all the buts!

Water walks, ceremony, protesting, judgment

****

We have run out of time for our betterment

I wouldn’t want to decide the cuts!

Why the concern about the environment

Water walks, ceremony, protesting, judgment

In a Villanelle, lines may be of any length but are often written in iambic pentameter and follow an ABA rhyme scheme.

The Water Ceremony

Water is life

We are 76% water I read

The job can bring strife

****

Water is used to wash my knife

It is scary the state of water, I dread

Water is life

****

Water is in trouble, it is rife

We are sick of this, I said

The job can bring strife

****

It is not only the wife

The husband can go instead

Water is life

****

No, the women are not a lowlife

It is a woman's duty to be involved I pled

The job can bring strife

****

What about the wildlife

Death without water would be widespread

Water is life

The job can bring strife

A villanelle

Water

It's blue, it's cool

We can't live without it

I'm not a fool

***

Water, in a big cool pool

Just sit for a bit

It's blue, it's cool

***

Oceans, rivers, and lakes are not a cesspool

Some people and companies will admit

I am not a fool

***

Sinkholes are cruel

Learning they are related to fracking, I had a fit

It's blue, it's cool

***

Spills, they drill, write a bill to overrule

Who pays for leaks, under creeks that sit

I am not a fool

***

Water tastes like a pill, chill make a rule

People are hurt, we assert, greed, use your wit

It's blue, it's cool

I am not a fool

I was at a water ceremony on Sunday. It was beautiful and the river was wide open. I told the women there about when I was first told that our water is in trouble. It was in the late seventies. Some Native American elder women came down from Canada and they were here in Minnesota and they were going to other places in the USA also. They were telling us the importance of caring for the water. "It is women's work!" they said, "Not only Indigenous women but all women!"

The first thing that I saw happen after that was the full moon ceremony. Now it could have been because we got religious freedom in 1978 and that meant we could have that ceremony. I thought it may have had to do with the message from those women.

With women getting together in ceremonies, water was used and talked about and the importance of protecting the water was made more important.

Then I heard of water walks and even participated in a couple when I was closer to retirement. One of my stepdaughters said, "Why is water ceremony so important to you? It seems like it is more important than people." I told her that in my mind, the reason I participate is about my family and future generations, as water is life!

The place I live in retirement is just down the road from a group of women that have a weekly water ceremony. I like that better than having a ceremony on my own each week. This week we talked about the ripples from our ceremony and other gatherings.

It is important to share each week about what is going on in our world and the larger world. We talk about ways we can care for the water. Recycling, not using plastic containers, bottles, straws, or reusing or repurposing materials.

We realize no one is perfect and yet it is important that we all do our part for the water. We also hear about things we can pray for or events we can support or join.

The ceremony is smudging, songs, prayers, and a talking circle. We wear skirts as we were asked to do by the elder Indigenous women. Children and Men are welcome and they do not carry the water, but do participate in the ceremony. 9:00 a.m. is the ceremony time on the Mississippi and in other places in the country.

Like powwows, the water ceremony is open to everyone. Writing poetry helps me to express myself and it helps me to do the important work of healing and sharing the message! Thank you for reading this!