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Villanelle – 3

The refrains in a villanelle do the following –

• They form the heart or central idea of the poem and reflect its emotions

• Due to their repetitive nature, refrains act like a mantra or a chant and get imprinted in the readers mind

• Refrains are the extroverted lines of the poem. They make all the noise and draw attention to themselves

• The emotion of the refrain calls attention to the importance of its repetitiveness

• Refrains are a complete thought or statement or unit of speech.

• Refrains help plot or plan the villanelle as each refrain contains the plot structure of the villanelle.

• They contain the epiphany of the villanelle

• Specific detail refrains are surprising easier to write the Villanelle too. You will find sentences matching them. The intensity of the detail supplies the connectors to sentence before and after while broad general refrains fit in well and allow the reader to connect to the tercet lines.

The non refrain lines in the poem build upon the theme set by the refrain lines. Villanelle is one form of poetry which makes maximum use of enjambments to smoothen the flow of the poem. Consider this poem by W.H Auden titled “If I could Tell You”. IT is one of my personal favorites in villanelles.

Time can say nothing but I told you so, ---------- Enjambment
Time only knows the price we have to pay; ------- Enjambment
If I could tell you, I would let you know. -- End – stopped

If we should weep when clowns put on their show, -------- Enjambment
If we should stumble when musicians play, ---------------- Enjambment
Time can say nothing but I told you so. -- End – stopped

There are no fortunes to be told, although ---------------- Enjambment
Because I love you more than I can say, ---------------- Enjambment
If I could tell you, I would let you know. -- End – stopped

The winds must come from somewhere when they blow, -----Enjambment
There must be reasons why the leaves decay; ---------------- Enjambment
Time can say nothing but I told you so. -- End – stopped

Perhaps the roses really want to grow, ---------------- Enjambment
The vision seriously intends to stay; ---------------- Enjambment
If I could tell you, I would let you know. -- End – stopped

Suppose the lions all get up and go, ---------------- Enjambment
And all the brooks and soldiers run away? -- End – stopped
Time can say nothing but I told you so. -- End – stopped
If I could tell you, I would let you know. -- End – stopped

I would say this is one poem which makes very good use of enjambments and end stopped sentences to smoothen the flow of the poem. In fact the refrains change from enjambments to end stopped sentences to keep the flow of the poem smooth.
For example Line 1 which is an enjambment changes to an end-stopped sentence at Line 6 as here it is a paragraph ender.

– Continued

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