Turn off the city lights
When the sun's belly sinks into the lake
Look skyward to drink the darkest of night
The moon is stitching a mantilla
Each thread emerald-grey, caught in aurora's spray
Turn off the city lights
The black velvet rose among the roses
Blooms, its single eye drowning every starlight
Look skyward to drink the darkest of night
Let the lone black bird
Spin-climb the clouds on south wind's tail
Turn off the city lights
Imagine celestial heaven baring
its purple womb, its milky strands
Look skyward to drink darkest of night
Let it descend, clear as spring
Water, rushing symphony of reverence
Turn off the city lights
Look skyward to drink darkest of night
Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Hosted by Mary ~ Free verse Villanelle ~
Wonderful Grace.. this must be one of my favorite of yours, usually there are those line you could pick out, but this time there is a perfect harmony in your Villanellle.. The black rose, the city light.. and in the end tying it all with the approaching spring...
ReplyDeleteThis is such a beautiful poem, Grace. Your imagery and use of language paints a picture for the reader that is just lovely.
ReplyDeleteAn amazing marvel of nature, isn't it? Day becomes night...................and your words are powerful ........................:)
ReplyDeleteThe beauty of the moon is astounding. I love the idea of turning off the city lights and just savoring the darkest of night!
ReplyDeleteQuite the capture indeed as the night holds a lot
ReplyDeleteah - yes.. turn of the city lights to give the moon the stage it deserves... Spin-climb the clouds ... very cool... i can see that
ReplyDeleteGorgeous imagery... the moon is such a gift to see.
ReplyDeleteImagine celestial heaven baring
its purple womb, its milky strands
Look skyward to drink darkest of night
that stanza is looooove. smiles
Those first three lines really resonated....
ReplyDeleteNight's beauty is intense. Thanks for sharing.
Dear Grace
ReplyDeleteIt is so wonderful and dramatic...
I love the repeats- it is effectful...
Hugs
JetteMajken
Approaching perfection, as Bjorn extolls, yes, using form but bending it to your poetic will & vision. I, too, find this one to be a favorite; like the lines /let the lone black bird/spin-climb the clouds on south wind's tail/.
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautiful... I love the darkness, and the night, and you have made me love it all the more.
ReplyDeleteAnd the form you used here was just perfect.
In addition to the villainelle, you used alliteration in a very Dylon Thomas wayhere, stepping up the layers of texture that the great sea pays homage to. Wow.
ReplyDeleteYou took me back to nighttime at the cabin where I lived for a couple of years. There were no lights to obscure the heavens, and I saw the milky way clearly for the first time. The first clear night that I walked out and looked up, I almost fell down! I'm going back there in a couple of weeks for an extended visit, and that sky is one of the things calling me back. City dwellers miss so much!
ReplyDeleteA most finely crafted poem, your words place me right there. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteVery well done Grace. I always admire poets who can make a form like this one sing. Lovely photo choice as well.
ReplyDeleteSo energetically beautiful and up-lifting.
ReplyDeleteYou are such and always will be an amazing brilliant writer.
I love your poem here.
This is a lovely moon poem Grace. Sometimes you need to turn off the city lights to truly see the heavens.
ReplyDeleteYou've written this so well as to mask anything that could be stilted yet managed that darn Villanelle form. Last night the sliver of moon was so beautiful and here in the desert, though it's not as amazing as it used to be when I was young (eons ago) so many stars are visible. New moon on its way!
ReplyDeleteGrace, this poem is beautifully penned.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of the skies in the Big Horn mountains at night. When I see the milky way I think back to the Polynesians sailors on the sea or the ancient Greeks pondering the world.
ReplyDeleteEthereal and dark and beautiful, Grace. Loved the moon stitching and the spin climb of the black bird - lovely
ReplyDeleteI love the night in all seasons but after reading this, I think these words will be forever behind my eyes as l look up and around the night. Perfection. Hayes Spencer is Kanzensakura
ReplyDeleteBeautifully written, Grace! I like the final 2 lines, repeated throughout. This one sings, like the night itself.
ReplyDeleteThe blackest nights.. away from city lights.. are definitely the most inspiring lights of lit moon rights.. to kiss by candle moon.. is to smell the light of moon.. without city in life or dark..:)
ReplyDeleteI'm overwhelmed--the moon's mantilla and heaven's womb.....sighing here.
ReplyDeleteThis one is probably my favorite of all.
ReplyDeleteYour poem makes me want to go outside at night and just savor the beauty of the moon over a lake.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the celestial heaving baring its purple womb part... secrets of the skies...beautiful.
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ReplyDeleteGorgeous capture of the seduction of a star-filled night sky, Grace--I can feel the wonder.
Deletesun's belly sinks... you made me smile... lovely words and emotions behind your poem today
ReplyDeleteThe beauty of nature has to be seen in its natural state. Yes, turn off the city lights to do full justice! Great lines Grace!
ReplyDeleteHank
Smiles - there is a so much beauty in the absence of light, I guess if we turn off the city lights, there will be so much to discover from the night.
ReplyDeleteLoved the simple repeated line,
ReplyDeletemixed with the rich, complex language
to show the deep beauty of the moon.
Oddly enough in Detroit we had at any given time roughly 50-65% of the streetlights not working. Much to my great displeasure they are now replacing them with LED's. The night and all of it's glory (as much as there is to be had in any city) is again blocked out. I miss most of my celestial family.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Awesome! Wonderful form . . . the anaphora repetition used to great affect.
ReplyDeleteI need to visit the desert again, where only the stars light the night ~
ReplyDelete