Big Room, 1948, by Andrew Wyeth
Afternoon light filters the once upon a dreams
Abandoned farmhouse letting go of days gone by
Filled, once, with lives who moved downstream
Memories held fast in the bricks, mortar and beams
There, to recall, with a melancholy sigh
Afternoon light filters the once upon a dreams
Love happened here, as well as sorrowed screams
Lives at once ordinary but somehow gone awry
Filled, once, with lives who moved downstream
All has become sepia-toned, ashen, gone the gleam
Secrets, deceits, untruths, never revealed by-and-by
Afternoon light filters the once upon a dreams
Empty and hollow, a sour taste it would seem
How is it people falter, trip and choose to deny
Filled, once, with lives who moved downstream
This house could have been a home with a melodic theme
Yes, tidy, kept clean, orderly, just so, but lacked an ally
Afternoon light filters the once upon a dreams
Filled, once, with lives who moved downstream
The Mag # 132 : http://magpietales.blogspot.com/
Bodhirose's Blog 
billgncs
/ August 27, 2012time is the river, and memories litter the farthest shore
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ August 28, 2012What a beautiful comment…and how true. Thank you, Bill.
LikeLike
SilverGardenia
/ August 27, 2012I love the mystery in your villanelle, and the ‘once upon a dreams.’
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ August 28, 2012Thank you very much…I appreciate that.
LikeLike
Polly Robinson
/ August 28, 2012I love the form, I find villanelles quite tricky but immensely satisfying ~ love your allusion to sepia ~ I felt there should be a piano in the room so enjoyed your hint re music in the final stanza ~ this is beautiful Gayle
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ August 28, 2012Yes, they can be tricky…finding those rhyming words that mean what you’re trying to convey. Yeah, I could see a piano there too. Thanks so much, Polly.
LikeLike
hypercryptical
/ August 28, 2012I have known houses likes this – wonderfully done.
Anna :o]
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ August 28, 2012They almost feel a bit “haunted” in a sense. Thank you, Anna.
Gayle ~
LikeLike
Daydreamertoo
/ August 28, 2012If these walls could talk, the secrets they could tell. Your interpretation is so vivid. Life is never all smooth sailing, is it and your poem says so much about the roller coaster that life is sometimes lived in house which hold families. Great piece !
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ August 28, 2012You are so right. People appear a certain way to the outside world…but behind closed doors…well, it can make you shudder to think of what could…and certainly is…happening… Thanks so much…glad you liked it.
LikeLike
Grace
/ August 28, 2012I like the painting of the empty, hollow and sour taste of the farmhouse ~ If only those walls can talk of the lives of the people who lived there ~
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ August 28, 2012It would be so interesting if those walls really could talk… Thank you, Grace.
LikeLike
brian miller
/ August 28, 2012All has become sepia toned …ashened…gone the gleam
Secrets, deceits, untruths..never revealed by-and-by
Afternoon light filters the once upon a dreams….nice…my fav stanza….how is it we falter, we are human…and that is hard at times, but…who knows why we fall apart so easy…
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ August 28, 2012Yes, human beings can sometimes be easily swayed by circumstances…moving us quickly away from the direction we had chosen.. Thank you, Brian.
LikeLike
Helen
/ August 28, 2012There is a haunting sadness in your poem ~~ beautifully composed.
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ August 28, 2012Houses left vacated do have a sense of being haunted don’t they… I appreciate the compliment, Helen.
LikeLike
Lorna's Voice
/ August 28, 2012Nothing lasts, does it? Well, maybe nostalgia does…
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ August 28, 2012Nostalgia…and negative memories…for me anyway..hard to shake those buggers..
LikeLike
tigerbrite
/ August 28, 2012Beautifully done 🙂
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ August 28, 2012Many thanks.. 🙂
LikeLike
Tess Kincaid
/ August 28, 2012Excellent…villanelles are harder to write than they seem…
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ August 28, 2012Thank you, Tess. Yes, they can be tricky but I do like the challenge..
LikeLike
ds
/ August 28, 2012Wonderful villanelle. “Gone the gleam”–from the room, yes; from your words, never.
Thank you.
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ August 28, 2012Oh, very kind of you to say…thanks so much, ds…and you’re welcome.
LikeLike
Donna B.
/ August 29, 2012Love happened here….love that line as well as your observation of the wonderful light in the room….it struck me too….wonderful piece..
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ August 29, 2012Many thanks, Donna…I appreciate your compliments.
LikeLike
Poets Rally at Hyde Park
/ August 30, 2012lovely imagery….
Hello,
Thanks for being part of Thursday Poets Rally and hope to see you continued support …your input is valued…
We are giving you the perfect poet award for week 71 today, enjoy!
If you take it, please nominate another poet in your poem post, and leave your acceptance link under our award post, thank you in advance!
Happy End of August! Have A Grand September Ahead!
Looking forward to seeing you in the rally next time again!
Cheers!
LikeLike
Renee Espriu
/ August 30, 2012I like the repetition you have carried throughout. It quite pulls it altogether.
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ August 30, 2012It’s that villanelle…it uses that repetition…thanks for the compliment, Renee.
LikeLike
bardessdmdenton
/ September 7, 2012So sensitively written, Gayle, with lovely visual and heartfelt images.
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ September 10, 2012Thanks so much, Diane..I always appreciate your sweet compliments.
LikeLike
ohcgd
/ September 9, 2012I love the theme/story to this..
..it seems to speak deeply to my current self
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ September 10, 2012I think it feels a bit melancholy for what was…or what could have been. Thanks for sharing with me…I’m glad you could relate.
LikeLike
dragonkatet
/ September 18, 2012I was just going to say that the melancholy tone really showed in this, and then see that that’s what you meant for us to feel. I’ve never tried a villanelle, and every time I read one of yours I keep thinking I need to try it! You do such a good job with this form. It flows effortlessly, and you do it without making it sound or seem “forced” which I think is a testament to your skill with it.
As an aside re: the subject matter…I think places have “memories” of a sort…they can capture and retain energy, whether good or bad, happy or sad, and there are some people who can sense the vibrations when they enter these places. Not that the places are living entities, but more along the lines of ‘vessels’ which hold the energies of everything which has happened there. I think of Ley Lines in the world, and it makes sense to me that there are other places on the planet which can hold the past, so to speak. Ha! Sorry to let the Tangent Monster get me. You make me think, and I like it! 🙂
LikeLike
Bodhirose
/ September 18, 2012I appreciate your high praise, Corina…thank you so much. I know you could do a beautiful villanelle…let me know when you give it a try.
I believe places hold onto energy too. It doesn’t have to be the great pyramids or Stonehenge in order for us to perceive ‘memories’ of what had gone on before. We can pick up the ‘essence’ of life before…if we are sensitive enough. Hey, I like that I get some thinking going! 🙂
LikeLike