Today’s prompt comes from another poem by Kyle Dargan, called “Diaspora: A Narcolepsy Hymn.” This poem, like “Call and Response,” is inspired by the work of others – in this case, the poet Morgan Parker, and lyrics from songs by Beyoncé and The Notorious B.I.G. The poem also partakes of one of the most difficult poetic forms, the villanelle. The classic villanelle has five three-line stanzas followed by a final, four-line stanza. The first and third lines of the first stanza alternately repeat as the last lines of the following three-line stanzas, before being used as the last two lines of the final quatrain. And to make it an even more virtuoso performance, Dargan’s alternating lines, besides being taken from songs, express “opposing” ideas, with one being about sleeping, and the other waking.
Following Dargan’s lead, today we’d like to challenge you to write a poem that incorporates at least one of the following: (1) the villanelle form, (2) lines taken from an outside text, and/or (3) phrases that oppose each other in some way. If you can use two elements, great – and if you can do all three, wow!
The first thing that came to my mind when I saw this prompt was the girls’ singing ‘ Freak the Freak Out’ by Victoria Justice. I’ve incorporated the lines from the song below in blue*. Ever since I started writing, I’ve got busier in my head. I know its not funny so I’m going to make amends, beginning today.
But first the poem. I followed the villanelle form.
I am so busy talking in my head
We’ve walked three rounds around the park; I just realized
I didn’t say a word
I watch her as she speaks, her hands flying; she catches my eye-
‘I’m so sick of it. You’re attention deficit. Never listen. You never listen.’
I am so busy talking in my head
I see her rant and fume; she is being as mean as she possibly can
‘Don’t hear a word I say. I can’t communicate, when you wait, don’t relate’
I didn’t say a word
I wish she’d not talk to me like the enemy. Doesn’t she know she means the world to me?
‘I try to talk to you but you never even knew.’ ‘Tell me can you hear me?’
I am so busy talking in my head.
She walks away. And then comes back. She’s angry at being angry. I feel sorry.
‘Open up your ear. Why d’you think that I’m here?’
I didn’t say a word.
‘I scream your name. It always stays the same. I scream and shout.
So what I’m gonna do now is freak the freak out’
I am so busy talking in my head
I didn’t say a word
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