Momma
A villanelle about my new novel published and available now! The Half Paper Moon on Amazon for Golden Storyline Books
momma, I dreamed of you: lifeless, sad call
Tangled surreptitious masks that I loathe
I wish you could hold me, dead eyes a pall
——
You stuck my hand in dark details that creep
I feel my strength fall into fraud, dead springs
momma, I dreamed of you… lifeless, sad call
——
Will love revive my pained cry? I linger…
She's the moon! A dream that is black Lake death
I wish you could hold me, dead eyes a pall
——
I'm choking, momma, tears stain your last call
Fear drains my color, a dream that defers
momma, (I dreamed of you) lifeless, sad call
—-
Did you kill me that day you died? I ran,
Weaving frantic energy as I fall
I wish you could hold me, dead eyes a pall
——
Momma, I choke on the light’s frantic plea
I love you, please hold me, I am to fall
I wish you could hold me, dead eyes a pall
momma, I dreamed of you lifeless, sad call
——-
Author note: this villanelle is in John’s painful perspective. If you liked this and want to see more, check out my novel The Half Paper Moon! It is NOW available on Golden Storyline Books! The paperback and Kindle is available now on Amazon!
Thank you to my brother Mike and good friend Randy for their very helpful advice to fix my villanelle!! Check out their awesome work today! Whew! This is my third attempt lol I am trying to be a better writer.
About the Creator
Melissa Ingoldsby
I am a published author on Patheos.
I am Bexley is published by Resurgence Novels here.
The Half Paper Moon is available on Golden Storyline Books for Kindle.
My novella Carnivorous is to be published by Eukalypto soon! Coming soon
Keep reading
More stories from Melissa Ingoldsby and writers in Poets and other communities.
Occupying Liminal Spaces
In his groundbreaking work, Man's Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl, an Austrian neurologist, psychologist, and Holocaust survivor, advanced an idea central to his philosophy of freedom and finding meaning and purpose: "Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In this space, it is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom” (Frankl). Like a threshold, that liminal space Frankl describes is the territory of haiku—a betwixt and between world brimming with potential. But in our mad rush towards whatever beckons, we often fail to notice the moments where life undergoes subtle changes amid the noise and commotion of the world.
By Geoffrey Philp 5 days ago in Poets
Comments (11)
Fascinating villanelle! 😊
Well Written My Dear
Good one, Melissa. I'm not an expert in villanelles but as a reader, I sensed the depth and mystery in this. Good luck with your Kindle book!
Beautiful (almost a) villanelle. I hate to have to tell you this but you've reversed the order of your stanzas 2-5. The first line should also be the sixth & twelfth while the third line should be the ninth & fifteenth. Stanza six you have them in the correct order.
Fabulous work Melissa! Happy Holidays! 😍
Great poem, Villanelle is a hard poem to create for sure. Mike and Randy are so supportive 💗
A beautiful poem, Melissa, but while originally a villanelle had no form (according to the link provided by Vocal), I'm pretty sure that Vocal is looking for how it's come to be defined for the challenge. If that's the case, then your first line ("momma, I gathered your blood Raven call") should also be your 6th, 12th & 18th lines; & your third line ("I wish you could hold me, dead eyes a pall") should also be your 9th, 15th & 19th lines.
Your villanelle is beautiful. This made me emotional. I Love it!!!!! 😭❤
Beautifully, brilliantly, and emotionally expressed!!! Love it!!!💕❤️❤️
An excellent poem , but your words are always wonderful sis.
John 🥺 Your Villanelle was so intense, poignant and emotional! Loved it so much!