(a villanelle is a nineteen line poem composed of 5 tercets and 1 quatrain, with two repeating end rhymes and two refrains).
`
Bob Dylan
they call you Judas
as your new words ring out
the times are changing
from protest to country pie
and tangled blue thunder, still
they call you Judas
chameleon vagabond prince,
shy harmonica poet drawls
the times are changing
positive forthright street seer
reckless evangelist clown hark
they call you Judas
with fractured tambourine
and ne’er a second thought
the times are changing
on this new morning
minstrel becomes messiah
they call you Judas, still
the times are changing
*
~
D H Lawrence
words spew freely, colouring the page
others see rainbows in monotone
blood for passion, black for the dead
coal flames burn in a miners’ hearts
cinders drawn into sexual verse as
words spew freely, colouring the page
sons’ lovers bear lovers’ sons
delivered harshly on rich dark earth
blood for passion, black for the dead
latin themes and voices cloud the air,
richly plumed exotic reptiles watch
words spew freely, colouring the page
two men wrestle naked as women sleep
scant impressions of love writ deep
blood for passion, black for the dead
feebly repressed angst-ridden genius
banished banned and burn out, still
words spew freely colouring the page
blood for passion, black for the dead
*
~
John Arlott
smooth gravel sifts through broken glass
none elude that earnest constant stare
that brittle voice, those knowing eyes
two worlds spin, pitch perfect words
sacred hymn or poet’s lines
smooth gravel sifts through broken glass
gladiators white, in padded armour clad
battle brave, thumbs up or down, before
that brittle voice, those knowing eyes
no boundaries held his ever-seeing eye
nor faults unpunished, unspoken, unrecorded
smooth gravel sifts through broken glass
his words beautiful, coarsely put
condensed and sculpted for our tender ears
that brittle voice, those knowing eyes
Aujas Beaujolais with cricket teas, this
nature’s man, declared on seventy-seven
smooth gravel sifts through broken glass
that brittle voice, those knowing eyes