Villanellia

You thought that you would try the villanelle.

The sonnet form just didn't work for you.

The villanelle has caught you in its spell.

Your free form was... too free, so what the hell,

You thought that you would really turn the screw.

You thought that you would try the villanelle.

You confined yourself to your small writing cell.

You thought that it might take a day or two.

The villanelle has caught you in its spell.

You thought, at first, that it was going well.

You thought it couldn't be that hard to do.

You thought that you would try the villanelle.

The police were called because of the bad smell.

All your efforts had just made you start to stew.

The villanelle has caught you in its spell.

I'm afraid that it's a sorry tale I tell.

Dylan Thomas, Auden, Bishop, Plath, they knew.

You thought that you would try the villanelle.

But the villanelle's a bugger to do well.