Villanelle for a Visitor
To see nothing and everything
For those adrift upon this lonely sphere
The magic’s sometimes passing hard to find
I wonder what we’re even doing here
---
But you’re brand new and everything’s still clear
Without the crushing weight of time and mind
For those adrift upon this lonely sphere
---
What can I show you? What won’t disappear?
To be ephemeral would be unkind
I wonder what we’re even doing here
---
Cities built on cities topple down, I fear
Books and art and song will slip behind
For those adrift upon this lonely sphere
---
All faiths and gods, forbidding and severe
Will spin away like others of their kind
I wonder what we’re even doing here
---
I’ll show it all, the lovely and austere
Before the captive moment can unwind
And let you judge what you are doing here
With those adrift upon this lonely sphere
---
Note: A villanelle is a structured form of poetry with five three-line stanzas and one quatrain. The first and third lines of the first stanza repeat in the remaining stanzas.
About the Creator
Vanessa Gonzales
"Writing is the painting of the voice." - Voltaire
When I'm not writing, I take photos. You can see them here.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
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Comments (12)
Beautiful work!
Excellent work, I think this is the only villanelle that has been awarded a Top Story
This is just transcendent. I love this poem so much. U exceeded expectations 🩷 aka, u understood the assignment 😉💃🏽
This is an awesome poem. The structure and repetition do a great job of spiralling the reader around the musing of "I wonder what we're even doing here". Soft and thought-provoking. Well done and congrats on the top story!
https://awards.vocal.media/nomination?grsf=ibrahim-0lf4p1
Made me feel a little dreamy. Great poem. A well deserved TS!
Beautiful piece. Congrats on the TS.
Congrats! Great poem!
Really well structured with a smooth and musical flow. I love the panorama of ephemera you bring to show (hopefully) fresh eyes. Great response to the challenge, and congrats on Top Story!
This is truly incredible. I love the (shift in?) POV for the final stanza. I could feel myself zooming out, as if you’d walked me, line by line, through the immortal underbelly of a single lifetime. Really really beautiful.
Simply amazing. The villanelle structure works so well with the theme and adds to the haunting melancholy. Bravo.
This was so beautiful! Very well done!