Dance Beneath the Moonlight
Beach-set dance of romance villanelle.
Dance beneath the moonlight on the beach
A chance for romance, chance to be free
Of love's power and endurance let us teach
*
Waltz as we face the wind, face the breach
Sway to the rhythm, the rhythm of the sea
Dance beneath the moonlight on the beach
*
Tango entwined over the sand, I beseech
Forget what was, only of what we can be
Of love's power and endurance let us teach
*
Foxtrot around castles, dance our speech
Eyes locked on each other, only on we
Dance beneath the moonlight on the beach
*
Rumba so close, the beat pounds of each
As it thunders the passion of you and me
Of love's power and endurance let us teach
*
In each other's arms, our desire we preach
Locked together, forever in whispered glee
Dance beneath the moonlight on the beach
Of love's power and endurance let us teach
*
Thanks for reading!
Author's Notes: May be my last entry into the challenge. I felt that most of my villanelle entries have been rather sad and sombre, so wanted to try something more positive and romantic.
Also, this song was in my head while writing it and the fact that we want to go to Barra next year. Which has some of the most stunning beaches in Scotland.
About the Creator
Paul Stewart
Award-Winning Writer, Poet, Scottish-Italian, Subversive.
The Accidental Poet - Poetry Collection out now!
Streams and Scratches in My Mind coming soon!
Reader insights
Nice work
Very well written. Keep up the good work!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
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Comments (28)
Awe-inspiring work! Keep up the remarkable effort—congrats!
Paul this was such a great entry to the challenge! This was a very well thought out and written Villanelle, you created a beautiful rhyme scheme here! Great work and congrats on Top Story!
I like content
Sorry...thought I'd commented but can't find it. Beautifully done and congrats!
So Romantic!!!! I Love this!!!! Nice Song Choice. Congratulations on Top Story, Well Deserve.
Back to say congratulations on the top story! 🥳🥳🥳
Beautiful work Paul! Happy New Year!
Great poem. Congrats on your top story. Made me sad as a widow. I'll never dance with my husband again.
Nice work on your top villanelle Paul! 😊👍 How’d ya get a top story so long after publishing? Asking for a friend. 😁
Oh this was so lovely :) A wonderful entry to the challenge. Congrats on Top Story for this one.
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Wow wow, this is so beautiful and emotional.
A very nice final entry for the challenge. Whimsical and beautiful
That is SO beautiful!. and ..... congratulations on TS status.
💃🏻 Congrats on top story, pal!!!🕺🏽
in love with it
That was lovely. It read like a song. Well done and congrats on the TS.
Jack Vettriano. That's what this reminded me of. Great entry, Paul.
When I think of you & Ruth, this is the way I imagine the two of you. Beautiful.
This is gorgeous, pal! I love the thought of love being a dance— not a destination but a continuous act of loving. Such an incredible metaphor! And you totally nailed it with your comparisons to each type of dancing. Just beautifully done! And that song- i've never heard it but it was perfect! I'll be adding this to our dancing playlist:)
I love this is upbeat. Refreshing! I also (perhaps a little paradoxically) love that you use the word "endurance" as part of your repetition. Love is so often viewed as a sprint. All those dances, all equally romantic but dancing to a different tune in a different way each time. That's love: romance and endurance. The idea of this is wonderful. ❤️
Paul, you've got me, a hopeless romantic, hooked from the start. As I delved into your poem, guess what? Coincidentally "Perfect" was playing in the background, and your words painted a vivid scene, and there I was, lost in a daydream, swaying under the moonlight with my imaginary partner. Bahahaha 😭😭😂😂
Awww, this was so sweet and romantic! I wish I would have the chance to experience this at least once in my life. I'd love to drown him in the sea 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Sorry couldn't help myself hahahhahahaha. Loved your Villanelle, King Paul Shakespeare! 🍩🥐
Beautiful!!!
Ah, to dance under the moonlight. That'd be such a romantic thing to do. I loved this poem. It brought back memories of my youth and how this time twelve years ago I'd be performing The Nutcracker under a spotlight. Sadly, it wasn't the moon, but it was the closest I could get and still a magical experience... *Sigh* oh, how I wish I could go back and do it all over again. Thank you, Paul, for this wonderful poem. It made me feel good. <3 Dance is a closure of sorts, and right now I needed that.