The Vagabond, Grief
A Villanelle
"I was once known as Love - a name all too brief,"
Spoke this strange shrouded waif, on a westbound train -
"Losing my hearth, I am turned a thing called Grief."
*
Low sat red sun, our dark cabin in relief -
Though this stranger's voice bore black clouds and rain:
"I was once known as Love - a name all too brief."
*
"Tragedy visited, that ill, dark-dressed thief,"
cried he, visage afire now with twilit pain,
"Losing my hearth, I am turned a thing called Grief."
*
"Yet among cruelest forces, Hope is the chief,"
O'er the rocking sound rose his heartsong, rent twain:
"I was once known as Love - a name all too brief."
*
"Man knows who he is but by holding his fief,"
Wept he now, crad'ling a key on rusted chain,
"Losing my hearth, I am turned a thing called Grief."
*
Something I forgot to mourn, as one lost leaf
Alit within, as the stranger gave last refrain:
"I was once known as Love - a name all too brief;
Losing my hearth, I am turned a thing called Grief."
About the Creator
Gabriel Huizenga
Twas for love of words that I first joined this site:
Poetry, especially, and dear short stories too;
For to live one's best is to read, and to write!
So find me in words here, and I'll find you 💙
Thanks for stopping by! :)
Reader insights
Nice work
Very well written. Keep up the good work!
Top insight
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
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Comments (15)
Brilliant musings, I love the old writing styles. Mucho kudos on the win.
Gabriel, what wonderful use of language, beautiful work! Congratulations on your win❣
Gabriel, this villanelle is hauntingly beautiful. The repetition and imagery carried the weight of grief so vividly...I felt every line. Truly deserving of Top Story!
Metaphoric genius, Gabriel. I felt grief’s ache all the way into my bones! Congratulations on placing!
Well deserved placing!🤩
Wooohooooo congratulations on your win! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Woohoo! Great job.
Not surprised to see this here. Congrats on Top Story, Gabe
Damn this truly brilliant and just beautful
This is ‘Time Travel’ in poetry! I was swept back in time, rocking on a train in the “Wild, Wild West!”🤩✅
Excellent flow, beautiful imagery, with no pretension. I know we all decided there is no perfect poetry, but this is as close as it gets.
Another poem that reminds me how poor a poet I am, excellent
Your imagery is cinematic, red sun, dark cabin, a key on a rusted chain. Every detail deepens the emotional arc.
I'm fucking glad I read this one after posting my entries lol or I might not have bothered. Seriously as The Mackenzie said. This feels like it could have been written centuries ago. Stunning entry bud
Straight out of the past, Gabriel. This is glorious and a clear winner. So, so well written!