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Shakespeare's Monkeys

Infinite Monkeys. Infinite Typewriters.

More in Villanelle's Anyone?

Villanelle's Anyone?

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Maybe pun was the wrong word, though puns can work. Words with more than one meaning was really what I meant but was too lazy to write. It enables the meaning of the repeated lines to change with each reiteration, which can be fun.

I find that the form also works well with subject matter that is in some way circular (In musical terms I would mention the rondeau which keeps coming back to the same idea). The Dylan Thomas poem 'Do not go Gentle' comes to mind. In grief the mind keeps going over the same ground. I am planning to use the form for a poem about my Dad's dementia as it relates to an incident that happened recently for this reason.

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by Pags on Feb. 13 2007