21 November, 2022

Villanelle : A Stranger's Home


A Stranger's Home

gloomy winter mornings, like a stranger’s home 
quivering, shivering, this heart’s a frosty globe
thumping against my chest, a reminder I’m all alone

no one here to listen to my moans and groan
to hear me complain, despite the scarf around my earlobes
gloomy winter mornings, like a stranger’s home

will it ever simmer down? or will this feeling be forever unknown?
I think, some bourbon right now would be pretty dope...
thumping against my chest, a reminder I’m all alone

looking for a way back, there’s no reception on the phone
failing to locate anyone nearby, perhaps it’s best to lose hope
gloomy winter mornings, like a stranger’s home

this fog, the brisk mist, I feel it in my bones
no one to hold on to, it’s up to me to be able to cope
thumping against my chest, a reminder I’m all alone

such loneliness... in it, must I roam?
to stop and wait? that idea screams nope!
gloomy winter mornings, like a stranger’s home
thumping against my chest, a reminder I’m all alone 

*This villanelle comprises nineteen lines- five stanzas of three lines each and one closing stanza of four lines. It follows an ABA, ABA, ABA, ABA, ABA, ABAA rhyme scheme with line 1 repeating in lines 6, 12, and 18 and line 3 repeating in lines 9, 15, and 19. It speaks of winter, and its tendency to make you feel alone, comparable to being in a stranger’s home, tapping into humour as the protagonist ‘goes mad’ amongst the descending temperature.