The villanelle is a nineteen-line poem with two repeating rhymes and two refrains. It is made up of five tercets and a quatrain. The rhyme scheme is aba aba aba aba aba abaa. The 1st and 3rd lines from the first stanza are alternately repeated so that the 1st line becomes the last line in the second stanza, and the 3rd line becomes the last line in the third stanza and so on. The last two lines of the poem are lines 1 and 3 respectively.
As much as I love winter, I tend to get the blues from December through February. I started thinking about the coming season, the snow projections (more than usual for VA), the prospect of indoor recess, the early placement of Christmas items (before Halloween!), and a number of other ideas. Once I started writing, I realized I'd chosen an odd end word for the "a" rhyme, which made choosing words a bit challenging, but the poem finally came together. Here's what I came up with.
December's Discontent
December’s onset brings a discontent
a case of blues that lingers into spring
when winter’s snow and chill will not relent
Short days a coda to the heart’s lament
it’s fall’s crisp days to which we madly cling
when December brings a discontent
As autumn turns to winter we resent
the doldrums of the months that clip our wings
when winter’s snow and chill will not relent
The house is bleak, the family in dissent
for cabin fever leads to arguing
December’s onset brings a discontent
Time outdoors brings nothing but torment
as ice and wind assault the cheeks and sting
when winter’s snow and chill will not relent
But we'll hunker by the fire, breathe in its scent
and dream of early thaw and blossoms crowning
December’s onset brings a discontent
when winter’s snow and chill will not relent
Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2019. All rights reserved.a case of blues that lingers into spring
when winter’s snow and chill will not relent
Short days a coda to the heart’s lament
it’s fall’s crisp days to which we madly cling
when December brings a discontent
As autumn turns to winter we resent
the doldrums of the months that clip our wings
when winter’s snow and chill will not relent
The house is bleak, the family in dissent
for cabin fever leads to arguing
December’s onset brings a discontent
Time outdoors brings nothing but torment
as ice and wind assault the cheeks and sting
when winter’s snow and chill will not relent
But we'll hunker by the fire, breathe in its scent
and dream of early thaw and blossoms crowning
December’s onset brings a discontent
when winter’s snow and chill will not relent
You can read the poems written by my poetry sisters at the links below. Kelly and Andi are both on the mend, so we'll welcome their return when they're both feeling better.
- Tanita Davis
- Sara Lewis Holmes
- Rebecca Holmes
- Laura Purdie Salas
- Liz Garton Scanlon
Aw, you said your was grim! Not grim, realistic. And a tiny bit funny, too, in that way which invites us to groan and nod agreement. I like it.
ReplyDeleteYou wrote it well, Tricia, and we in Colorado certainly received a 'taste' this week. Mostly winter here is cold with the snow staying in the mountains for happy skiiers, but there are those days "when winter’s snow and chill will not relent". Your rhyming worked beautifully!
ReplyDeleteAlthough we don't really get much snow here where I live, we get never ending rain. Your poem resonates deeply with how I feel. We are lucky to have those few sunshine days where the denizens of our city emerge out wearing only sweaters and smiles.
ReplyDeleteYou capture the bleak side of winter perfectly. By February I may be agreeing with you--especially as I long for more daylight.
ReplyDeleteI like your "-ent" rhymes -- picking something challenging worked out well. "Blossoms crowning" is lovely, too.
ReplyDeleteThis makes discontent almost elegant, Tricia! I'm going to tuck this away for when I'm my grumpiest about dark short days, and try instead to dream of "blossoms crowning."
ReplyDeleteI love winter, but MN winters are indeed sometimes relentless, and your poem stirred that restless feeling inside me. Oh, and the stinging cheeks! I HATE the stinging cheeks, when the ice is flying like needles...
ReplyDelete