Carol's villanelle inspired me to commit the following -- no blame should attach to her, however.
Ancient Self-Help Manual -- half price!
Stoic thought is all you need,
So buy this book by Epictetus—
Satisfaction guaranteed!
You don’t need cigarettes or speed
Or Tex-Mex food with Margaritas—
Stoic thought is all you need.
Desire is like a choking weed
To root it out, just read this treatise!
Your satisfaction’s guaranteed.
We don’t need silks or Harris Tweed
Or love and friendship to complete us--
Stoic thought is all we need.
Grief is nothing more than greed:
That which composed us may delete us.
Our satisfaction’s guaranteed
If we can love what Fate’s decreed—
Love every horror sent to greet us.
Stoics think that’s all we need:
Our satisfaction guaranteed.
Of course, Elizabeth Bishop in her villanelle "One Art" does a much better job with this theme -- makes a real poem out of it. Oh well.
[This message has been edited by ChrisW (edited October 09, 2001).]
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