Fierce, a Thanksgiving Villanelle

This villanelle isn’t about the holiday of Thanksgiving, but it is about how thankful I am for the wild world around me, even when I don’t get to explore that wildness very often. So I’m posting it today and leaving it up for Poetry Friday, too:>) Carol at Carol’s Corner has the Poetry Friday Roundup, by the way. I’m thankful for her, you, and our whole online poetry community.

Fierce

30 Responses

  1. FIERCE and FREE, used together makes a strong statement, and the line “Thanksgiving drains the darkness out of me” gave me goosebumps. So many are suffering this Thanksgiving and I would certainly hope that this day will alleviate some of their darkness. Thanks!

    1. Thank you, Martha. I think, but can’t quite remember, that this poem started with a prompt about Thanksgiving (with the Poetry Sisters). But I couldn’t think of anything to write about the holiday and just thought about what I give thanks for, which led to this. But I know quite a few folks personally who are going through really hard times this holiday season, and also with all the wider world issues…well, it sadly seems there’s no shortage of darkness. Thanks for your kind words:>)

  2. That last line breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanksgiving drains the darkness out of me.” Love how you placed it within such a peaceful image.

  3. Wow, that’s wonderful! I especially like the second line, “The owl who swallows dark, the pine’s fine quill.” Not everyone gets the way you [one] can love the world and all its wildness. Yay!

  4. I’m pulling together the Poetry Friday Roundup with the news on in the background. There is an active shooting situation going on across the parking lot from a grocery store where I shopped with my mom on Wednesday and my spirit is feeling very, very heavy. I needed these images and that gorgeous line, “Thanksgiving drains the darkness out of me.” Thank you!

    1. Oh, my goodness, Carol. Hugs to you. Thankful to you for coming together with the PF community!

  5. Hi, Laura–great to spend time with you in your natural habitat last weekend! This poem is so rich and thick and delicious, and also refreshing–and you made it look great. What tool did you use to lay this out? Your central line is not only beautiful but clinically speaking TRUE: the more grateful we are the brighter we feel. But I bet you know that.

    1. It was wonderful, Heidi! So fun–wish we had had more time to talk about poetry, as always. I used WaterLogue to alter the photo and then Word Swag to make the text. I’m working on a cafepress shop where I’ll put some of my poems or quotes for teachers and writers on postcards, prints, etc. Maybe. If it works out. I’m just getting it set up now, at http://www.cafepress.com/laurapurdiesalas
      It’s very rough at the moment–no intro or explanation or anything:>)

  6. I’m with Heidi — appreciative of the delicious complexity and wonder of the poem, but also curious about the presentation. It would make a beautiful poster or postcard!

  7. I love you pin Thanksgiving to the way nature restores us emotionally rather than using the usual references to the bounty we receive from our tables. And your language use is exciting and inspiring to me, another nature lover. I agree with everyone else, wonderful poem.

  8. their so Meany beautiful lines in this poem love the them I could see tee this poem in a large collection with other poets poems the 29 of Nov is my B‑day

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