Saturday, September 08, 2007

I didn't know Sylvia Plath did villanelles. Hohoho awzm :D

Mad Girl's Love Song

I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead;
I lift my lids and all is born again.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

The stars go waltzing out in blue and red,
And arbitrary darkness gallops in:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

I dreamed that you bewitched me into bed
And sung me moon-struck, kissed me quite insane.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

God topples from the sky, hell's fires fade:
Exit seraphim and Satan's men:
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.

I fancied you'd return the way you said.
But I grow old and I forget your name.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

I should have loved a thunderbird instead;
At least when spring comes they roar back again.
I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.
(I think I made you up inside my head.)

- Sylvia Plath

And then the famous Dylan Thomas one which is also pretty cool:

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night,

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night,

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

-Dylan Thomas

I'm in awe because they're so notoriously difficult to write. I like Plath's - even though Dylan's is widely acclaimed as THE classic villanelle - because I think if you can insert a line about how 'arbitrary darkness gallops in' then I kowtow to you. Also, the poem has an altogether more casual feel to it. Hmm, how should I put it? I guess it's more down-to-earth. I don't think the two can really be compared though, or at least, I'm not even interested in exploring that arena. Actually I think writing a poem can be quite a humbling experience sometimes, especially after you've written it, and you kind of get a shock reading through it again because you suddenly notice how some parts (or all of it, for that matter) are complete crap. Well, at least it is for me (: I'm full from zushiiii.

HOW TO MAKE SENSE ONE?!

- :D
by @ 7:20 PM