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  #1  
Unread 07-15-2018, 05:15 PM
Nausheen Eusuf Nausheen Eusuf is offline
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Default Melissa Balmain on the Rattle website

Melissa Balmain has a moving villanelle on the Rattle website today, as part of the Poets Respond series. Here's the link. Congrats, Melissa!

Melissa, I confess I was surprised to see a 'serious' poem, since I think of you as the mistress of light verse. Of course, I was silly to have pigeonholed you thus. Apologies. Turns out your serious poems are just as good as the funny ones!

Nausheen
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  #2  
Unread 07-15-2018, 07:48 PM
Roger Slater Roger Slater is offline
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Wonderful poem. Particulary effective use of the villanelle repetends in the way they come together for a different meaning/perspective in the final two lines.
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Unread 07-15-2018, 09:48 PM
Ned Balbo Ned Balbo is offline
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Yet another lovely poem with a serious underpinning. Yes, it sure would be great if that impulse toward unity was a little less fleeting! Great poem, Melissa.
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  #4  
Unread 07-16-2018, 08:26 AM
Melissa Balmain Melissa Balmain is offline
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Nausheen, Bob, Ned: thanks so much! (And Nausheen, you're right that most of my poems tend toward humor, though of course light verse--such a problematic term!--can get at serious stuff when it wants to. In any case, you crack me up with "mistress of light verse." )
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Unread 07-16-2018, 09:48 AM
Susan McLean Susan McLean is offline
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Wonderful villanelle, Melissa! I love the way the villanelle form itself always threatens to leave the poet stuck, and the way you escape those impasses. Cheers!

Susan
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Unread 07-16-2018, 11:06 AM
Jerome Betts Jerome Betts is offline
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Brilliant use of the form, Melissa, for a serious reflection. Congratulations! Sadly for the short-lived 'impulse toward unity', it seems Elon Musk is doing his best to rain on the parade.
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  #7  
Unread 07-16-2018, 05:08 PM
Melissa Balmain Melissa Balmain is offline
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And thank you, Susan and Jerome! It means a lot to hear such things from you and the others on this page.

As for Musk, here's Faith Salie on the latest episode of "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me": "I don't mean to sound sexist. But is this not the most male thing ever, assuming your special submarine needs to be inserted in this cave?"
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  #8  
Unread 07-16-2018, 05:32 PM
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Jayne Osborn Jayne Osborn is offline
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Hi Melissa,

I'm a big fan of yours and I'm a fan of villanelles too; this one's a cracker!

Well done, and congratulations!

Jayne
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Unread 07-16-2018, 05:36 PM
John Isbell John Isbell is offline
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Hi Melissa,

What a lovely villanelle! I'm glad to see a worthy response in verse to that tremendous story, which moved me to tears as well.
I think Elon Musk is also a case of "When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail."

Cheers,
John
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  #10  
Unread 07-16-2018, 05:40 PM
Melissa Balmain Melissa Balmain is offline
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Many thanks, Jayne and John!
John, you pretty much nailed it.
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