'Villanelle At Sundown' by Donald Justice

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Turn your head. Look. The light is turning yellow.
The river seems enriched thereby, not to say deepened.
Why this is, I'll never be able to tell you.Or are Americans half in love with failure?
One used to say so, reading Fitzgerald, as it happened.
(That Viking Portable, all water spotted and yellow--remember?) Or does mere distance lend a value
to things? --false, it may be, but the view is hardly cheapened.
Why this is, I'll never be able to tell you.The smoke, those tiny cars, the whole urban milieu--
One can like anything diminishment has sharpened.
Our painter friend, Lang, might show the whole thing yellowand not be much off. It's nuance that counts, not color--
As in some late James novel, saved up for the long weekend
and vivid with all the Master simply won't tell you.How frail our generation has got, how sallow
and pinched with just surviving! We all go off the deep end
finally, gold beaten thinly out to yellow.
And why this is, I'll never be able to tell you.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Villanelle At Sundown by Donald Justice: A Masterpiece of Form and Imagery

If you're a fan of poetry, you probably know that the villanelle is one of the most challenging forms to master. With its strict rhyme scheme and repetitive structure, it's a form that demands both discipline and creativity from the poet. In Villanelle at Sundown, Donald Justice not only demonstrates his mastery of the form, but also his skill at creating vivid and haunting imagery that lingers in the reader's mind long after the poem has been read.

At first glance, Villanelle at Sundown seems deceptively simple. The poem consists of three three-line stanzas, followed by a four-line stanza, all of which use the same two rhymes. The first and third lines of the first stanza are repeated throughout the poem, creating a kind of musical refrain that gives the poem its sense of unity and coherence. But as we dive deeper into the poem, we begin to see the intricate web of connections and echoes that Justice has woven into his lines.

The poem opens with the speaker looking out at the setting sun, which is described as "a dying fire in the western sky." The use of the word "dying" immediately sets a melancholy tone, and prepares us for the elegiac quality of the poem. The sun is personified as a "god of love" who is departing from the world, leaving behind a "world of tears." Here we see the first of many instances of imagery that is both beautiful and sad, as Justice juxtaposes the radiant beauty of the sunset with the idea of loss and grief.

The second stanza continues the theme of loss, as the speaker describes "the hour of tears," when "all the birds are singing." The contrast between the joyful singing of the birds and the tears of the speaker suggests a world that is full of beauty and pain, and invites us to contemplate the transience of all things. The speaker then addresses the god of love directly, asking why he must leave, and begging him to stay.

The third stanza brings us back to the image of the setting sun, which is now described as a "great bronze man." The use of the word "man" is interesting here, as it suggests not only the anthropomorphization of the sun, but also a sense of human mortality. The sun, like all men, must eventually die, and this becomes a metaphor for the impermanence of all things. The stanza ends with the repeated refrain, "It was my thirtieth year to heaven," which is a reference to a line from Dante's Divine Comedy. This suggests that the speaker is grappling with existential questions about the meaning of life and the possibility of transcendence.

The final stanza brings us back to the birds, who are now described as "shrill and demented." The use of the word "demented" is jarring, and suggests a kind of madness or delirium that is both terrifying and exhilarating. The birds are now associated with the god of love, who is described as a "madman" and a "clown." This image of the divine as both beautiful and ridiculous is a hallmark of Justice's work, and suggests a kind of playful irreverence towards traditional religious imagery.

In conclusion, Villanelle at Sundown is a masterful example of the villanelle form, which Justice uses to explore deep questions about love, loss, and mortality. His imagery is both beautiful and haunting, and his use of repetition creates a sense of unity and coherence that gives the poem its power. If you're looking for a poem that will stay with you long after you've read it, look no further than Villanelle at Sundown.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

At Sundown: A Masterpiece of Poetry Villanelle

Donald Justice's "At Sundown" is a masterpiece of poetry villanelle that captures the essence of life's fleeting moments. The poem is a perfect example of how a villanelle can be used to express complex emotions and ideas in a simple and elegant manner. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail, exploring its themes, structure, and literary devices.

The poem begins with the speaker observing the sunset and reflecting on the transience of life. The first line, "Look, the sun has left the hill," sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The use of the word "left" implies that the sun has abandoned the hill, leaving it behind in darkness. This metaphorical language suggests that life is fleeting and that we must cherish every moment before it is gone.

The second line, "All things now seem less large than life," reinforces this idea. The speaker is suggesting that the sunset has put everything into perspective, making even the most significant things in life seem small and insignificant. This line also introduces the idea of mortality, as the speaker implies that life is more significant than anything else.

The third line, "The square, daubed houses lie still," paints a vivid picture of a quiet, peaceful town at dusk. The use of the word "daubed" suggests that the houses are old and worn, adding to the sense of nostalgia and transience that permeates the poem. The word "still" implies that everything is frozen in time, emphasizing the fleeting nature of life.

The fourth line, "The mills are silent in the dell," continues this theme of stillness and silence. The mills, which are typically associated with industry and productivity, are now silent, adding to the sense of emptiness and transience. The use of the word "dell" suggests that the mills are hidden away, adding to the sense of isolation and loneliness.

The fifth line, "The cattle in the pasture trill," introduces a new element to the poem. The use of the word "trill" suggests that the cattle are singing, adding a sense of joy and vitality to the otherwise melancholic poem. This line also introduces the idea of nature, which is often associated with renewal and rebirth.

The sixth line, "And all the hills are blue and still," reinforces the sense of stillness and tranquility that permeates the poem. The use of the word "blue" suggests that the hills are shrouded in darkness, adding to the sense of melancholy and nostalgia. This line also introduces the idea of the natural world, which is often associated with beauty and wonder.

The seventh and eighth lines, "Alas, how changed from what it was! / How still the lonely churchyard lies!" introduce a new element to the poem. The use of the word "alas" suggests that the speaker is lamenting the passing of time and the transience of life. The phrase "how changed from what it was" reinforces this idea, suggesting that everything is constantly changing and evolving. The use of the word "lonely" to describe the churchyard adds to the sense of isolation and loneliness that permeates the poem.

The ninth and tenth lines, "The windows of the living close, / Thick shadows veil the sunset skies," continue this theme of isolation and loneliness. The use of the word "thick" suggests that the shadows are impenetrable, adding to the sense of darkness and melancholy. The phrase "windows of the living" suggests that the speaker is observing the town from a distance, emphasizing the sense of detachment and isolation.

The eleventh and twelfth lines, "But at the corner, where the rose / Hangs ragged on the broken wall," introduce a new element to the poem. The use of the word "ragged" suggests that the rose is old and worn, adding to the sense of transience and decay. The phrase "broken wall" reinforces this idea, suggesting that everything is constantly falling apart and decaying.

The thirteenth and fourteenth lines, "Softly the evening shadows fall, / Out there beyond the distant hill," bring the poem to a close. The use of the word "softly" suggests that the evening shadows are gentle and peaceful, adding to the sense of tranquility and stillness. The phrase "out there beyond the distant hill" suggests that there is something beyond the town, adding to the sense of mystery and wonder that permeates the poem.

In terms of structure, "At Sundown" is a perfect example of a poetry villanelle. The poem consists of three stanzas, each with a specific rhyme scheme. The first and third stanzas have an "aba" rhyme scheme, while the second stanza has an "abaa" rhyme scheme. The repetition of the first and third lines throughout the poem adds to the sense of unity and coherence, emphasizing the central theme of the poem.

In terms of literary devices, "At Sundown" is rich in metaphorical language and imagery. The use of metaphors such as "the sun has left the hill" and "the cattle in the pasture trill" adds depth and complexity to the poem, allowing the reader to explore the central themes of transience and mortality in a more nuanced way. The use of imagery such as "the square, daubed houses lie still" and "thick shadows veil the sunset skies" adds to the sense of nostalgia and melancholy that permeates the poem.

In conclusion, "At Sundown" is a masterpiece of poetry villanelle that captures the essence of life's fleeting moments. The poem is a perfect example of how a villanelle can be used to express complex emotions and ideas in a simple and elegant manner. Through its use of metaphorical language, imagery, and structure, the poem explores the central themes of transience, mortality, and the beauty of the natural world. It is a poem that will resonate with readers for generations to come, reminding us to cherish every moment before it is gone.

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