It is sometimes funny how one can be brutally reminded of the cruel beauty of some poetry, through paths most improbable. If you don't know this poem, I recommend its reading. It's quite deceivingly simple.
(ObPedantic: most sites list it as "Villanelle" but my f&f has it as "But I Can't". It is however a perfect villanelle, except for the penultimate line which is slightly off on purpose).
Re:It's good...
darobin on 2002-12-20T14:37:03
Bah. I'll concede that Do not go gentle is a much better villanelle as such, but it's a lesser poem
;) (though still very good). I'd completely forgotten about villanelles. I'm currently spending my afternoon writing some instead of Java, and they're of course a lot more fun despite (or perhaps because) their being a lot more B&D. It's a perfect form for when you haven't slept and no more than two ideas can fit into your brain
:) Re:It's good...
pdcawley on 2002-12-20T15:31:35
I have to disagree about it being the lesser poem as well. But taste's like that.
--Nat
Re:Auden!
davorg on 2003-01-02T16:58:31
I bought "Collected Poems" [amazon.com] in the mid-90sThat wouldn't have been shortly after seeing Four Weddings and a Funeral would it? That seems to be when most people bought it
:)
