Tom Petty & a Villanelle

transformed this free verse woman

Reunion Dance

I got a room at the top of the world tonight,
on a sultry Summer night I drive into town.
Where neon flashes & voices are bright

in barrooms & nightclubs, a chaotic sight
in kaleidoscope movement my body drowns.
I got a room at the top of the world tonight

as my head is spinning but my feet are light
in the ebb & flow of pulsating sound.
Where neon flashes & voices are bright

you hold out your hand, in a flash I ignite
in memories of our love meltdown.
I got a room at the top of the world tonight, 

& I know losing you was a terrible plight,
but we meet once again in our hometown.
Where neon flashes & voices are bright

we rekindle our love in the moonlight
as our second chance leaves us spellbound.
I got a room at the top of the world tonight
Where neon flashes & voices are bright.

The prompt today from NaPoWriMo.net is to write a villanelle that includes a song lyric. I’ve never written a villanelle and it reminded me of solving a puzzle. I kept referring to the pattern described in poets.org and this poem by Elizabeth Bishop for guidance. At first, my mind couldn’t translate the pattern into lines or stanzas but when I began really dissecting Elizabeth’s poem, it began making sense. So, thank you, Elizabeth! To be honest, I’m not sure the poem is technically correct but I had a hell of a time trying!

The song lyric I used, I’ve got a room at the top of the world tonight, is by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers from their song “Room at the Top” on the album Echo. It’s one of my favorites and also about lost love. You can listen here. Mike Campbell’s guitar riff in the middle is so badass and the lyrics right after choke me up every.single.time.

Thanks to NaPoWriMo.net for inspiring this free verse only woman to try a villanelle!

My “Something Small, Every Day (or so)” series is inspired by Austin Kleon’s piece here where he says, “Building a body of work (or a life) is all about the slow accumulation of a day’s worth of effort over time.”

Cross posted from my poetry blog.

PS-Initially, I had this scheduled to post this morning but I got cold feet and unscheduled it late last night. I thought, this villanelle is cheesy. This morning I thought, Who cares? I’m doing something creative every day and other artists (my readers & friends) know we can’t be perfect every time! 😉