Hell's Lantern
A Second Stab At Vocal's "Lantern Light" Challenge Inspired By A Max Ernst Drawing
Introduction
I said I would only enter one poem in each of the Vocal+ Fall Poetry Series, and I entered one today using Concrete Poetry, although I am not too enamoured with it, although I have unknowingly used it in the past.
Then this image came up in my feed from The Enchanted Booklet, and as today is my lantern poetry day, I could not pass this up, even though it is such a dark image.
This is a Villanelle, which is my favourite poetic form.
The music is "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" by The Smiths
Hell's Lantern
๐ท๏ธ๐ฏ๏ธ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฏ๏ธ๐ท๏ธ
In Hell, There Is A Burning Lantern
It Is To Remind Those Tortured Souls
They Should Have Been Good, They Never Learned
๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฆ
From Their Evil Ways They Never Turned
Black Butterflies Smash Against The Walls
In Hell, There Is A Burning Lantern
๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฆ
They Are Here 'Cause Care And Love They Spurned
They're Nothing But Bones, This Is Their Fall
They Should Have Been Good, They Never Learned
๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฆ
Forever This Hellish Lantern Burns
Illuminating The Bones Of All
In Hell, There Is A Burning Lantern
๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฆ
This Dark Lantern Sees All These Souls Burn
Will They Find Redemption? Not At All
They Should Have Been Good, They Never Learned
๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฆ
In Hell Skeleton Souls Scream And Burn
The Lantern And Black Butterflies' Pall
In Hell, There Is A Burning Lantern
They Should Have Been Good, They Never Learned
๐ท๏ธ๐ฏ๏ธ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฏ๏ธ๐ท๏ธ
About the Creator
Mike Singleton ๐ Mikeydred
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Comments (8)
Suitably terrifying and admonitory, Mikeydred!
You are a master of this form of poetry. I still have not tied one, but I will for his challenge.
Oooo, this was so dark and ominous. I loved it!
Will we ever learn to really understand what is going on in the world or will we be like those in the poem in the eternal fire of Hell. Good job.
You are definitely the master of villanelles, a form that I find particularly hard to work with. You've done a wonderful job here, and the illustration complements the piece beautifully (you certainly have a knack for finding gorgeous artwork as well). Great job, Mike.
An interesting work of art and a great Villanelle, which comes as no surprise.
You've got such great taste in art. But for now I must peel my eyes away. I am excited to read your words. Awesome to know that the villanelle is your favourite poetic form. After I got to the third tercet. I felt goosebumps. From black butterflies. The violent word of 'smash' then to 'In hell there is a burning lantern.' ๐ฒ๐ I've got to be honest. You've outdone yourself already and I haven't even gotten to the other parts yet. This was absolutely outstanding. I could hear this like a song. A person's voice was singing it in my head. It might be my own, but it definitely had a different tone. This is one of my favourites from you Mike, keep up the good work ๐คโค๏ธ
Oh, I like this. I donโt know much about different forms of poetry, but Iโm gonna go read about villanelles now. In any case, this format was a good choice for your theme, the repetition added great emphasis and sort of magnified your word choice through out the poem. Great job!