Beneath the half moon’s ethereal beam,
Put to sleep is the sun the dreamers chased—
Could this be all but a slumbrous dream?
The wakeful skies, in silvery silence, teem
With crumbs of dreams the day has spilled in haste
That light the half moon’s ethereal beam.
Are fears and fancies truly what they seem,
Or fleeting notions bound to be erased—
Like memories from a slumbrous dream?
Which mortal eye can catch and trace the seam
Where the fixed and fickle are interlaced
Herein the half moon’s ethereal beam?
Men of visions dream up many a scheme,
Yet dreams decide for each if they’ll be graced—
Isn’t dreaming itself a cumbrous dream?
Awake to bread and butter, life’s regime—
Gone are the crumbs, the visions’ aftertaste,
Amid the moonset’s slowly waning beam—
Could I be all but a slumberer’s dream?
Colin Lee
If life were like the lunar phases, then I am presently neither new nor full. Perhaps, with a few more years of experience, I may be able to revisit this from a completely different angle.
Photo Courtesy: Alphacoder
The Pescetarian Poet 
the villanelle is one of the most difficult poetry forms of all and you write this one with splendour and grace, I am bewitched by your theme of slumber and moons and dreams. This is absolutely beautiful Colin it feels like moon dust falling over my thoughts. did I mention how well you write the villanelle? you do my friend absolutely!
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What a gracious (and poetic!) comment, Gina. Much needed confidence boost. Cannot thank you enough. *blushing*
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I struggle with this form but its one I love the most, you nailed it and I am so envious of your poetic strength!
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And I yours!
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Villanelles are great to write, and the slight variation of the repeated lines just add to the poem… I felt the dreaminess in this enchanting, and felt like we live in an onion with layers and layer of dreams within dreams.
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Perhaps an onion with Fibonacci petals spiralling into infinity? Thank you for reading, Bjorn.
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Are fears and fancies truly what they seem,
Or fleeting notions bound to be erased—
This is incredibly deep!💖
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Thank you. Or is the wordplay in fact deeply incredible (doubtful)? 🙂
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Well done for writing a villanelle that moves along and never sounds trite or repetitive, as mine invariably do! And I realise you are yet another who writes about the moon – we seem to have a bit of a hive mind on this occasion.
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Thank you, Marina. You’re too humblingly humble for saying that. A hive mind caught in the lunar tides, perhaps. 🙂
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Bravo! A villanelle is quite an undertaking 🙂 Your moon imagery is lovely.
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Thank you, Jane. I must take whatever Bing offers when Google isn’t an option here. 😉
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🙂
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I love your lunar villanelle. It’s one of my favorite forms to read and write. You did a very fine job of making this one of ethereal beauty.
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Phew … approved by Ms Cannon. Thank you!!
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Villanelle’s are challenging to write but yours is a beauty!
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That’s very kind of you. Thank you for reading. 🙂
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If we are part of someone’s dream, I hope it is a pleasant one.
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And if the world at the other side of the plug isn’t so pleasant, one may wish to stay asleep? Thanks for dropping by, Frank.
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So well done Colin.
Your words are dreamy, beautiful and questioning.
I wonder if life is but a dream…
Anna :o]
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I feel fantastic whenever you drop by, Anna. Thank you for your comment. Come to think of it, the Taoist philosophy (such as that in The Governor of Nanke) somewhat beckoned as I wrote the last line.
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Wonderful form, Colin! Your poem pricks the finger & draws blood.
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Thanks. 🙂 Is the blood blue?
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Not mine… unless I’m singing the blues. Grab a piano bench!
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Or set it on fire like Lewis!
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Yes!
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Thank you for dropping by, sir.
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Beautiful as always. I love the sound and the structure of your poem.
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Thank you, Imelda. To be honest, I wasn’t quite totally faithful to the villanelle metre and form thought. Glad it worked out alright nevertheless.
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“Put to sleep is the sun the dreamers chased—”. I like this first stanza. It tells me we need sleep after a long day chasing after ur own pursuits
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That’s a good way of reading it. Speaking of sleep, maybe I … err … I should … *yawn* …. zzz …
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