Villanelle

A villanelle is a fixed-form poem that originated in Italy and takes its name from the village or rustic-song tradition known as the villanella. In its modern English use, the form consists of 19 lines arranged into five tercets followed by a concluding quatrain. It is defined by two refrains drawn from the first and third lines of the opening tercet, which recur throughout the poem. Typically, the rhyme scheme of the tercets is ABA, and the final quatrain follows ABAA, with the two refrains appearing as the last lines of the quatrain and of certain preceding tercets.

The structure creates an incantatory, tightening effect as the refrains echo through the poem. The first and third lines of the opening tercet stabilize the piece, while their repetition drives the emotional or ideological argument forward. Because of this pattern, the villanelle often carries themes of obsession, loss, or reconciliation, though it can address a wide range of subjects.

In English-language poetry, the form gained prominence in the 20th century. Notable examples include Dylan Thomas’s Do not go gentle into that good night, which uses the refrain pattern to intensify its plea, and Elizabeth Bishop’s One Art, a meditation on loss that employs the two refrains to shape its argument.

Today, the villanelle remains a recognized fixed form in poetry, valued for its musicality and the dramatic force generated by repetition. While many poets adhere to the traditional pattern, others experiment with variations or tone, keeping the form a versatile tool for concise, lyric meditation.