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Under the Cold Shine

Missed deadline villanelle

By Paul StewartPublished about a month ago 1 min read
Under the Cold Shine
Photo by Daniel Charles Hextall on Unsplash

The things I should have said and done
Are burning, tearing holes of honesty
Under the cold shine of life's winter sun
/
Would choices be different under a gun
Saving me from emotional travesty
The things I should have said and done
/
Avoid the fate of Attila the mighty Hun
Benefit from a merciful amnesty
Under the cold shine of life's winter sun
/
From me the crowd’s eyes would not shun
Would turn against fate in cambistry
The things I should have said and done
/
Gripping the ripcord before it became a run
And not suffer the stain of my tanistry
Under the cold shine of life's winter sun
/
Could stand atop the hill as the battle is won
And revel in the profane-free majesty
The things I should have said and done
Under the cold shine of life's winter sun

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artheartbreakMental Healthsad poetrysocial commentaryVillanellesurreal poetry

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!

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Comments (5)

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  • Rachel Deemingabout a month ago

    Shame you missed the deadline. I really liked this. And I've learned "tanistry", which I also really like.

  • Aarsh Malikabout a month ago

    I love how you weave historical references into a very personal sense of regret. It gives the poem a mythic tone.

  • Mark Grahamabout a month ago

    This is just plain beautiful and leads to understanding on all fronts. Good job.

  • John Coxabout a month ago

    Damn, Paul. This is stunning and heartbreakingly good. Those two closing lines truly ramp up the emotional reflection of the regret. I mean this is bangin’! I feel awful it was too late for the challenge.

  • Natalie Wilkinsonabout a month ago

    The regrets are many.

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