Six of Swords
A Villanelle for the Comfort Challenge
Fear is a flood, a dam overflowing.
When muddy depths croak, "sink, swim or fly?"
Comfort is knowing that I will keep going.
~~~
Failure's most tarnished when winners are glowing,
Bereft perception steals worth from the try.
Fear is a flood, a dam overflowing.
~~~
Once marked a good path: a black raven crowing.
I learned then, bad omens are one way to lie—
Doubt's a false friend that keeps us from going.
~~~
Lives are uprooted by hurricane's blowing
(Wind sows hidden seeds of an old tree's demise),
Fear is a flood, a dam overflowing.
~~~
Now ice slicks the road, a mean cloud is snowing!
I excavate fire that frost always belies;
Comfort arrives alongside keeping-going.
~~~
A scalpel, a scar, rattle cough and red eyes.
For a moment I think, could it be worse to die?
New fears flood in—they're damn overflowing.
Comfort is knowing that I will keep going.
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More stories from Morgana Miller and writers in Poets and other communities.
In Eclipse Challenge Winners
Creator Dane BH is one of our Vocal stalwarts. We’re so grateful to all of your in our Vocal community, and so thrilled by your achievements. This is the third time Dane has won one of our challenges, and she appears too on our Vocal podcast, Write Here, Write Now — take a listen if you haven’t already. But she’s not our winner because we know her: the subtlety and simplicity of we watched the world go dark. together. is what made it our winner of the In Eclipse challenge, with the grace and ease of its lines and observation. As it happens it also expresses the community spirit that means so much to us.
By Vocal Curation Teamabout 12 hours ago in Resources
Comments (7)
Nice work.
I absolutely loved this! “Comfort is knowing that I will keep going” Powerful stuff 🤍
Excellent. The subtle tarot title is inspired. Loving this line... "Bereft perception steals worth from the try."
This was so empowering and inspirational! A very beautiful crafted Villanelle. I loved it so much!
This is beautiful and emotionally raw. Well done.
Very impressive! You didn’t make it feel forced at all
This is very powerful.