> > Now this Stephen fellow seems a fine poet, but really the sonnet lacks the technical expertise necessary to prase him (proper usage?) sufficiently. Of course, none of us non-Stephen chaps have know-how to prase Stephen well, we can only praise him. But, he who is all Stephen should be able to write a poem of praise that shines as a beacon of brilliance. This would require writing a villanelle. One can only hope though that Stephen would be willing take such a mission.
>
> Um, Stephen didn't write the sonnet. He does not have time to waste with such trivial tasks. What is a villanelle? Perhaps I shall write one in honor of our esteemed dictator...
>
> SDoMC

Pray tell, you must be the very image of the Suffering Servant of Stephen, if you yet remain loyal to your Esteemed Dictator whilst he so rudely belittles thine efforts as "trivial tasks." How can you stand it? For myself, I must confess that I come to bury Stephen, not to praise him. But for *you*, I recognize your noble efforts, and am humbled by your bonds of loyalty in the face of adversity. You are an inspiration to us all.

Therefore I am only too happy to tell you this: that the villanelle is a set form 19 lines long, but only uses two rhymes, while also *repeating* two lines throughout the poem. The first five stanzas are triplets, and the last stanza is a quatrain such that the rhyme scheme is as follows: "aba aba aba aba aba abaa." The 1st and 3rd lines from the first stanza are alternately repeated and rhyme throughout, such that the 1st line becomes the last line in the second stanza; and the 3rd line becomes the last line in the third stanza. In other words the 1st and 3rd lines are the refrain of alternate stanzas. The last two lines of the poem are lines 1 and 3 again, making a rhymed couplet. Whew. Fortunately, villanelles need no particular meter or line length (if THAT comes as a relief to you).

I still find this rather restrictive. Damon McLaughlin suggests using the terzanelle instead, which is a modified villanelle. "It uses the terza rima's interlocked rhyme pattern, but fits the villanelle form of five triplets and a quatrain. In addition, the middle line of the 1st stanza becomes the third line of the next stanza, and so on, such that the terzanelle is a pain, but worth the effort and determination to finish," plus you don't have to eat any human flesh to enjoy the challenge of writing it.

"Because the repeated line changes and the rhyme sounds change (according to terza rima structure) the terzanelle is less restrictive than the villanelle whose repetition can be overpowering. A terzanelle's repetition is more subtle, and can give the poem a lush texture that a harsh repeater-poem cannot do. Terzanelles are difficult to write, but fun to play with."

So here is an example using Lewis Turco's
"Terzanelle in Thunderweather"

This is the moment when shadows gather
under the elms, the cornices and eaves.
This is the center of thunderweather.

The birds are quiet among these white leaves
where wind stutters, starts, then moves steadily
under the elms, the cornices, and eaves--

these are our voices speaking guardedly
about the sky, of the sheets of lightning
where wind stutters, starts, then moves steadily

into our lungs, across our lips, tightening
our throats. Our eyes are speaking in the dark
about the sky, of the sheets of lightening

that illuminate moments. In the stark
shades we inhibit, there are no words for
our throats. Our eyes are speaking in the dark

of things we cannot say, cannot ignore.
This is the moment when shadows gather,
shades we inhibit. There are no words, for
this is the center of thunderweather.


Wolf "Incidentally, I yanked 92.6% of the in-depth description of the villanelle and terzanelle from this site, (which doesn't seem to load all the time for me, so I repeated the info here for The Supreme Director SDoMC's Magnific Benefit, instead of just linking to it). After all this -- why, he'd BETTER write something suitably praseworthy for Stephen, don't you think? :-)" spirit