And speaking of forms, today’s (optional) prompt takes its inspiration from Kiki Petrosino’s loose villanelle, “Nursery.” Try your hand today at your own take on a villanelle, and have the poem end on a question.
If memory serves me right, this is my first finished villanelle. Sticking to a form is not my natural habitat when it comes to writing poetry. I resist it. I hope this poem is worthy of your time. Thank you.
In which a gardener’s best friend upends
the status quo
You wriggle naked in my shovel—
no legs, no togue, no teeth.
Softly, too slowly like a puzzle
through earth, dirt, claying nubble,
every muscle a wave you breathe.
You wriggle naked in my shovel.
Sun-shy, you glisten a river, O crinkle
and loosen rocks, before you sheathe
softly, too slowly like a puzzle.
Quietly, you churn many a mottle,
turn the axis to spring, to seed, to weave
you wriggle naked in my shovel
like the veins of wings of a rebel
eagle—
too restless, too savage to scathe
softly, too slowly like a puzzle.
How, I ask from the dark end of my tunnel,
like the Buddha, you offer light for the damp earthly wombs to bathe
yet, wriggle naked in my shovel
softly, so slowly like a puzzle?
I love everything about this poem-- the imagery--earthy, the sounds"wriggle naked in my shovel--dances off tongue, the word choice "wriggle" and line breaks--tidy, fitting. Congratulations!
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