New Poetry by Stuart Barnes

Villanelle

on reading 'One Art', 'Mad Girl's Love Song',
and 'Do not go gentle into that good night'

So, how to start? Like Bishop, Plath, or Thomas,

arguing the colon, fidgeting with parentheses,

shadowing decasyllabics? This is a song

(of neither loss, nor madness, nor death)

of the bird returning to whit the song itself. So,

so, how to start? Like Bishop, Plath, or Thomas,

summoning that wonderland, projecting megalo-

mania, blowing unstoppable bottles of whisky,

shadowing decasyllabics? This is a song

of the bird returning to whit the song itself,

of repudiating cities, moon and anger.

So, how to start? Like Bishop? Plath? Or Thomas?

Hell no! Discard the cells’ nostalgia! Constrict

the GOD-delusions! Clarify the Scotch and the

shadowing decasyllabics! This is a song

of the bird returning to whit the song itself. Oh!

but the white-eyed bird’s forgotten what to whit!

so, how to start? Like Bishop? Plath? Or Thomas,

shadowing decasyllabics? This is a song  

- Stuart Barnes 2012

Stuart Barnes is slowly arranging the manuscript for his first book of poetry, and writing his first novel. He lives in Melbourne.