By The Lake: A Villanelle

Summary

"By The Lake: A Villanelle" is a poignant poem about undying love, longing, and the tragic reunion of two souls through death.

Abstract

The poem "By The Lake: A Villanelle" captures the essence of eternal devotion and the pain of loss. It tells the story of a woman who waits by a lake for her lover's return, her yearning so intense that time itself seems to stand still. Despite the chill of the night and the betrayal she feels, her hope remains unwavering, envisioning a life shared with her beloved. The narrative takes a haunting turn as her lover appears, only to realize she has become a specter, her presence marked by a solitary shoe by the water's edge. In a final act of love and despair, he joins her in death, embracing beneath the lake's surface as their spirits merge, united in their timeless yearning. The poem is a masterful villanelle, a form characterized by its strict pattern of repetition and reflection, which in this instance, amplifies the depth of the lovers' unending passion.

Opinions

The author, Melissa Coffey, masterfully uses the villanelle form to convey the cyclical nature of longing and the relentless grip of love beyond life.
The imagery of the moon, the lake, and the lover's spectral encounter suggest a world where the boundaries between the physical and the metaphysical blur.
The poem reflects on the themes of waiting and the suspension of time, emphasizing that love can transcend temporal constraints.
The repeated lines serve as a haunting refrain, echoing the persistence of hope and the inevitability of fate.
The credit given to Jac Harmony and Shalini C, as well as the acknowledgment of the National Poetry Month Prompts, indicates a sense of community and shared inspiration among poets.

Wait for me, I’ll come to thee

Silent she sat, hands in her lap, for her heart’s love yearning, The moon gleamed high, casting silver sighs o’er the glassy lake Wait for me, I’ll come to thee, though clocks and tides cease turning

Her thoughts dreamed on their wedding-night, her modesty unlearning The air grew chill, yet hope shone still; she imagined the life they’d make Silent she sat, hands cold in her lap, for her heart’s love yearning

The moon, so weary, to still waters sank, heaven’s heights spurning Weeping wild, she sought the moon, and release from betrayal’s ache Wait for me, I’ll come to thee, though clocks and tides cease turning

On the hill, he calls her name; runs swift, to his love returning Again he calls; she does not stir, on the cusp of bitter day’s break Silent, she sat, hands pale in her lap, for her heart’s love yearning

He reaches for her, then through her; hears the water’s eerie churning She gazes beyond; by the shore, her shoe — his body in horror doth quake Wait for me, I’ll come to thee, though clocks and tides cease turning

Turns he to the water, longing to be with her; in his mind her image burning He sinks beneath, to where she waits; ripples weep tears in their wake Silent they sit, her hand in his, for their heart’s love yearning Wait for me, I’ll come to thee, though clocks and tides cease turning

This poem is in response to The POM’s National Poetry Month Prompts for April 5th to write a poem from a selection of forms. I chose the villanelle. Thanks to Jac Harmony & Shalini C for their encouragement & brilliant villanelle examples.

All daily poetry prompts for April can be found here.

Read More from Me in PS I Love You:

By The Lake: A Villanelle

Wait for me, I’ll come to thee

Wait: A Poem

On longing, loss and letting go