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Open Poetry #19
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Allan Riverwood
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0 posted 2002-03-13 02:02 AM


Balcony Life
(a Villanelle)

Protruding rain from overpass of clay
With water's ease the mysteries disperse
The pigeons shall return another day

Rewrite us do survivors of the fray
On midnight's tongue our children bear the curse
Protruding rain from overpass of clay

In solitude the truth knows no delay
With crystal cream of consciousness perverse
The pigeons shall return another day

The jesters are the stars of summer's play
With traged'iennes, the darkness to converse
Protruding rain from overpass of clay

Beneath the ocean parched the natives stay
Asleep in envy t'wards the ebon hearse
The pigeons shall return another day

The street, a canvas ripe with shades of grey
In perfect view, the sky must know it first
Protruding rain from overpass of clay
The pigeons shall return another day

© Copyright 2002 Brian James Lee - All Rights Reserved
Duncan
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since 2001-08-07
Posts 5455

1 posted 2002-03-13 02:12 AM


In solitude the truth knows no delay
With crystal cream of consciousness perverse
The pigeons shall return another day

I know nothing about form, check out workshop for proof.  But this is an incedible poem.  This verse, especially...hit me.  Thanks, Allan.

Marshalzu
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Lurking
2 posted 2002-03-13 03:19 AM


Once again I am astounded that your talent has no bounds. I just love villanelles and I am more than slightly envious of this one, thank you for the wonderful read.

Andrew

"The pin didn't drop it came and crashed down"

Mysteria
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British Columbia, Canada
3 posted 2002-03-13 04:51 AM


Well I think our Nan would be giving you a gold star for this beauty! I loved this part,
  
"The jesters are the stars of summer's play
With traged'iennes, the darkness to converse
Protruding rain from overpass of clay"

and this closing was incredible Allan...

"The street, a canvas ripe with shades of grey
In perfect view, the sky must know it first
Protruding rain from overpass of clay
The pigeons shall return another day

Plus I just learned something from you, and I liked it, no punctuation used.  You made this look so simple and of course the are extremely hard to do.(well, for most that is)

The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all our lives.
  ~* Albert Einstein *~

Gentle Spirit
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since 2000-10-09
Posts 13989

4 posted 2002-03-13 06:16 AM


The jesters are the stars of summer's play
With traged'iennes, the darkness to converse
Protruding rain from overpass of clay

Allan, I have never tried one of these villanelles but you make it seem to easy.  This truly is an outstanding piece.

On the wings of words our spirits fly....and our souls are free.
~Me~

(I could have missed the pain, but I'd have had to miss the dance~Garth)

Kit McCallum
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since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774
Ontario, Canada
5 posted 2002-03-13 06:16 AM


The street, a canvas ripe with shades of grey
In perfect view, the sky must know it first
Protruding rain from overpass of clay
The pigeons shall return another day

Allan, this is excellent. Your composition in the realm of villanelles is always a delight to read ... so well thought out in theme and format. The rhyme and meter flows beautifully throughout, and I always enjoy your use of language and phrasing. Very well done.

Best wishes,
/Kit

Balladeer
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since 1999-06-05
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6 posted 2002-03-13 06:50 AM


I love to see a craftsman of his trade. This is excellent, sir. Villanelles are very difficult to hold the reader's mind throughout all of the required repetetive lines but you have done so admirably
ecrivan
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since 2001-12-10
Posts 3923
my own state
7 posted 2002-03-13 07:27 AM


like the form and it's content, well done!


Janet Marie
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since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554

8 posted 2002-03-13 07:45 AM


Rewrite us do survivors of the fray
On midnight's tongue our children bear the curse

Protruding rain from overpass of clay

In solitude the truth knows no delay
With crystal cream of consciousness perverse

The pigeons shall return another day

The jesters are the stars of summer's play
With traged'iennes, the darkness to converse

Protruding rain from overpass of clay

Beneath the ocean parched the natives stay
Asleep in envy t'wards the ebon hearse
The pigeons shall return another day
========================================


Hard to decide which is more impressive...there is so much to see here....the cadence, the vocab and very cool phrasing and imagery...the tight exactness, of the form and rhyme scheme (which you made look easy) heck--you even worked in some alliterations!!
Also enjoyable was the personification and ethereal qualities to this rather crytpic write, love the title too. And one has to notice the absence of cliche'
The images and phrasing are clever and unique.
These lines are just too cool:

Rewrite us do survivors of the fray
On midnight's tongue our children bear the curse



The jesters are the stars of summer's play
With traged'iennes, the darkness to converse


Like I said a most impressive write poet sir...so good to see your name here today.

You never knew what I loved in you,
I dont know what you loved in me ...
Maybe the picture of somebody you were hoping I might be.

Jackson Browne

Mistletoe Angel
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9 posted 2002-03-13 10:28 AM




BRAVO!!! WOW, I LOVE IT, THIS IS EXCELLENT!!! (big hugggssssss) This painted just like a canvas of an artist, sweet friend, I saw the whole vision of a waterfront and pigeons flooding the streets on a rainy day! (smiles) We all love you so much, sweet friend, this is outstanding! You have such a beautiful heart, sweet Allan, thank you for sharing!



May love and light always shine upon you!

Love,
Noah Eaton

Nightshade
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just out of reach
10 posted 2002-03-13 11:38 AM


Allan - wow, this one sent me scrolling back to the top to read again. Excellent. Chris

Life is not measured by breaths you take, but by moments that take your breath away.

strbbux
Member Elite
since 2001-12-19
Posts 3859

11 posted 2002-03-13 03:45 PM


Allan , I love the villanelle and I have been doing many lately, and let me tell you this is great. YOur subject matter is terrific and it fits so nice and flows. Wonderful work. floria

Floria

"Alas for those that never sing,
But die with all their music in them"
(Oliver Wendell Holmes)

Lady In White
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12 posted 2002-03-13 05:17 PM



Has been a while, young man
since first we heard your last
come home to welcome arm's span

and now you are here, take a stand
while again I seek your words cast
then applause, applause, by my hand

Welcome home, Allan...

Sven
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East Lansing, MI USA
13 posted 2002-03-13 05:21 PM


ah yes. . .the artist. . . well, perhaps not as a young man. . .but rather, as a man who is perhaps ahead of his time. . .

I find the style and the language of this to be very well done. . . flowing and yet able to keep the interest of the reader. . . taking us back while keeping us here. . . as is your style. . .

well done my friend. . . and, don't stay away so long next time, ok???  

--------------------------------------------------------

To the world, you may only be one person. But to one person, you may be the world.

Pilgrimage
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since 2001-12-04
Posts 3945
Texas, USA
14 posted 2002-03-13 05:24 PM


This is wonderful. I've written a few villanelles, and they make me sweat. This is a great one.

Nan

PoetryIsLife
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...in my boxers...
15 posted 2002-03-19 12:56 PM


"Protruding rain from overpass of clay"

Wow, Allan. Simply wow.
What I just read was one of the most perfectly written poems I've seen on pip. Perhaps not perfectly.... but purely poetically. Does that make sense? The flow, the rhyme, the bringing back of continuous lines... it was a perfect length. Interesting mood... slightly unassuming, somewhat people-watching, partly I have somethign important to say.

What exactly you are trying to say... that is anotehr question. I seem to get, from the continuous lines... or repeated lines.... that you mean to say, tommorrow is anotehr day. Life flows on, with the same tommorrow, but with change. How did I do?

I much enjoyed.

~ Titus


My motto... always changing, always improving, living life in veiw of eternity.

[This message has been edited by PoetryIsLife (03-19-2002 01:04 AM).]

PoetryIsLife
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...in my boxers...
16 posted 2002-03-19 01:31 AM


"In solitude the truth knows no delay"

Wanted to add I loved this line. Very true.


~ Titus


My motto... always changing, always improving, living life in veiw of eternity.

[This message has been edited by PoetryIsLife (03-19-2002 01:32 AM).]

Dark Angel
Member Patricius
since 1999-08-04
Posts 10095

17 posted 2002-03-19 05:51 AM


I echo all that Balladeer said.

adding to my library

Maree

Munda
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since 1999-10-08
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The Hague, The Netherlands
18 posted 2002-03-20 03:59 PM


Alan this is outstanding!
Dulcinea
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since 2001-07-22
Posts 774
IN
19 posted 2002-03-20 04:46 PM


A villanelle requires a certain art and flair to keep the flow and rhythm going, and you mangaged it in a dark, yet very imaginative way! Well done!
Seymour Tabin
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since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720
Tamarac Fla
20 posted 2002-03-20 05:39 PM


Allan Riverwood,
An excellent write, enjoyed

RosePetal
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21 posted 2002-03-20 05:54 PM


excellent my friend It seems very challenging to write one of these!
ShadowRider
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since 2001-07-14
Posts 1038
USA
22 posted 2002-03-20 09:40 PM


superb would be understating the value of your writing today, Allen.
Each line leads to another with the ease of swan descending on glass blue
Obviously you spent some well spent time on this,
and its worth every second.
jKf

strbbux
Member Elite
since 2001-12-19
Posts 3859

23 posted 2002-03-22 10:09 AM


Allen I have read this over several times to get the rhythm and flow of what you wrote here, It is excellent writing. Thank you for you critique and help with my villanelle, I have posted a rewrite of it. Hope I am at least a little closer to the correct way..thanks much, learning every day. a bit at a time..thanks to people like you.. floria

Floria

"Alas for those that never sing,
But die with all their music in them"
(Oliver Wendell Holmes)

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