Existential Terror

[writerkit]

I am, apparently, someone who copes with existential terror by writing villanelles. (It is surprisingly helpful. Villanelles are so complicated that fighting through it is a good distraction .)


Watchful waiting has a cost
Meet peril’s ambush unaware
This is how the war is lost.

Stay your course, let fear exhaust
Claim it’s delusion to prepare
Watchful waiting has a cost.

Thoughts and prayers with blood embossed
Empty words meant not to scare
This is how the war is lost.

Illicit power is not crossed
Deny, avoid, ignore, beware
Watchful waiting has a cost.

Blood-fed petals will be tossed
Maintain denial if you dare
This is how the war is lost.

Peace shall fade in killing frost
With enmity beyond compare
Watchful waiting has a cost.
This is how the war is lost.

Comments

[jducoeur]

Nice! I've never attempted a poetic form that challenging...

[writerkit]

I find the structure easier to make the poem compelling-- although in this instance I came up with the repeating lines first and then had this moment of "There are precisely six other words that rhyme here; I am going to have to use five of them. Welp."