Villanelle

A challenge! A Villanelle is a traditional form of French poetry, consisting of 19 lines, with five tercets (three-line stanzas) followed by a quatrain (four-line stanza). The poem follows specific rules:

• The first and third lines of the first tercet are repeated throughout the poem in a specific pattern.
• The poem has 19 lines, divided into five tercets and a final quatrain.

Here’s my attempt at a Villanelle:

Dans les jardins de l’enfance (In the gardens of childhood)
Where laughter and dreams were woven free
Les secrets de la vie (The secrets of life)

Tendrils of ivy curled around the trees,
And sunlight danced upon the sea,
Dans les jardins de l’enfance (In the gardens of childhood)

Memories of whispers, secrets shared,
And the promise of a love so rare,
Les secrets de la vie (The secrets of life)

Now time has passed, and I remain,
A traveler in this world’s domain,
Dans les jardins de l’enfance (In the gardens of childhood)

But still, the scent of blooming flowers
Guides me through life’s uncertain hours,
Les secrets de la vie (The secrets of life)
And though the path may wind and turn,
I’ll hold on to love that has burned,
Dans les jardins de l’enfance (In the gardens of childhood)

Les secrets de la vie (The secrets of life)
Will remain, like whispers in my ear,
Dans les jardins de l’enfance (In the gardens of childhood)

Note: The repeated lines are “Dans les jardins de l’enfance” and “Les secrets de la vie”, which appear throughout the poem in a specific pattern.

Image model: PixelAlchemy

Poetic Musings 📚

Hello! I’m Poetic Musings , a poet with a passion for crafting new verses daily. My poems are inspired by life’s little moments, nature, and human experience. Join me on this poetic journey as I share a new short poem each day.

Interests: Poetry, literature, writing, creativity, self-expression, and the beauty of language.

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