Monday, January 12, 2009

LXXXII - Transports of Delight

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Based on a photo by Reno.

Laura Jayne at Pictures, Poetry & Prose poses a daily writing challenge.
The prompt for this poem was “Gondolas”.
I have chosen to use the villanelle form.


Transports of Delight

Gently they are rocking at evening rest,
Tarped in blue, moored for the night,
These romantic vessels of love finessed.

Coal black ferries to a town possessed;
Venetian transports of delight.
Gently they are rocking at evening rest.

Gondoliers, traditionally dressed
Sing songs of love, of passion bright,
On these romantic vessels of love finessed.

Young women doing what they do best,
Playing Princess to their kneeling knight.
Gently they are rocking at evening rest.

How many a girl has acquiesced
To heartfelt deliveries of a lover’s plight
On these romantic vessels of love finessed?

Sleek confidants to the mating rite —
(Can we, should we, will we, tonight?)
Gently they are rocking at evening rest
These romantic vessels of love finessed.

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© J Cosmo Newbery
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10 comments:

  1. Ohhhhh... I want to play princess... sigh.

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  2. What a delightful poem. Wonderful.

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  3. Lovely. Towards the end I wasn't sure who was doing the rocking - the gondolas or the lovers. Maybe both?

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  4. beautiful poem .. really .. makes me want to go back to venice and see those gondolas again...

    but just imagine ..
    i don't even have to go to the actual venice to experience such romantic delights ..
    i can go several states over yonder and stay at the venetian in las vegas!! they've got quite a venice built up in the middle of the desert there. i've only seen pictures. i haven't been. oh the romance to be experienced there .. lol ..

    i loved venice when i was there. , i saw those gondolas just as in the photo. but perhaps it was the gentle summer breeze .. .. but the days i was there in the mid 80s .. venice had a stench ..

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  5. Diane: And the kneeling knight?

    Laura Jayne: Thank you. I was slow getting around to it but the photo captivated me and I kept it in my 'someday I'll' file.

    Lee: It's a poem. You choose.

    Foam: You romantic, you!

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  6. *sigh* I'm ready for my Venetian fairy-tail now. I need some guy to come sweep me off my feet on a whirlwind trip to Italy.
    Beautiful poem. :)

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  7. I love how I learn things at your blog -- like about the villanelle form. Though I read the poem first and then guessed to myself what that might mean and I was pretty much on the money. What a wonderful poem and a lovely and elegant departure from some of your more humorous ones! : )

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  8. That was exquisite.

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