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Narrative is at the heart (unrhymed 'Villanelle')

by Paganini Jones

Narrative is at the heart of all literature
With its beginnings and middles and ends
No one writes epic poems now

The postman delivers the dayÂ’s hand of literature
A doormat of adverts and unpaid bills
Narrative is at the centre of all literature

ThereÂ’s a leaflet about a new restaurant
A gas bill, a phone bill, a postcard from France
No one writes epic poems now

I wave to my neighbour. “What’s new today?”
“Here’s that recipe for Ellie’s cake!”
Narrative is at the centre of all literature

A torn poster across the road repeats
The TV jingle the blond actress sings.
No one writes epic poems now

“The writing is on the wall,” says the Times
As I skim through the headlines and obits.
Narrative is at the centre of all literature *
No one writes epic poems now *


07/15/2004

Author's Note: * lines taken from “A Poetry Handbook” p 83 by Mary Oliver

I wonder, could I get away with claiming this poem to also be a Glosa?

Posted on 07/17/2004
Copyright © 2024 Paganini Jones

Member Comments on this Poem
Posted by Maureen Glaude on 07/17/04 at 01:48 PM

I don't know Glos yet, but I've done Villanelles and this one sure scores well and comes off naturally, though I know what the construction demands are. You pulled it off beautifully. I think of these things, and what is literature, etc. so much. On my trip out west, we talked about the small town newspaper's role etc. versus big media productions, etc. I have been told often epic poems are history, and I regret that, (my great uncle's poems were epic at times and I tend to be a lover of epics). But attention spans and time devotion aren't the same I guess in this quick-fix world. Lovely work. I hope there is a place for epic.

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