~~a villanelle ~~
who knew the maiden say she moved with grace
although she doesn’t live here anymore
the house is draped in silver lace
with modesty she fixed all secrets to their place
and turned away fine suitors by the score
who knew the maiden say she moved with grace
they did not see that sadness etched her face
nor hear by night fear pounding at her door
the house is draped in silver lace
in honour of a passion frozen interlaced
with love of God and distant family she adored
who knew the maiden say she moved with grace
although I wish she might have danced a pace
or two before the years took cruel score
the house is draped in silver lace
her intellect at season’s end is carving space
to greet, I’d like to think, her one and grand amour
who knew the maiden say she moved with grace
the house is draped in silver lace
~~~
Dedicated to KK
© Elaine Stirling, 2015
Photo by R. Kelley, 2015
Oceantics 
Beautiful villanelle Elaine. Perfect merger of form and content! One of your absolute finest. Would be a winner entered anywhere.
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Beautiful, spare, and spacious. For me, it felt as though the photo and form danced this gorgeous duet of love-telling with grace and dignity.
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Painful, gorgeous, sharp
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Very evocative and melancholy. Nice and to the point.
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