A Villanelle* Through Time

By Leif Gregersen • Volume 39, Number 9 • November 2018

We fight a war with time that never ends
Death will find us all and send us on our way
Anyone believing they are immortal just pretends

In our youth we cling to lovers and to friends
Our lives seem to be filled with joy, laughter and play
We fight a war with time that never ends

We think by being wise, good, and noble time extends
But as our time goes past we can truly only pray
Anyone believing they are immortal just pretends

Growing older we often find ourselves victims of the trends
We fear to challenge the insolence of youth and simply walk away
We fight a war with time that never ends

In our desperate final years, we take what God and fate to us sends
Infirmity and weakness allow us nothing but what comes our way
Anyone believing they are immortal just pretends

And I say to you my true love as I try to make amends
I can’t open my heart to you and still neglect to say
We fight a war with time that never ends
Anyone believing they are immortal just pretends

_Leif lives in McCauley. His books can be found at the Edmonton Public Library or at Mint Health + Drugs on 96 Street. You can visit his website at www.edmontonwriter.com

*A vilanelle is a 19-line poem with two rhymes, five tercets, and a quatrain. The first and third lines of the opening tercet recurring alternately at the end of the other tercets and both are repeated at the close of the concluding quatrain.

More in this issue

Janis Irwin MLA
Vista Housing

Neighbourhood Views

Volunteer With Us!

We are always looking for new writers and photographers, as well as ideas for future stories. We also regularly need block carriers to help with the delivery and distribution of the paper. Email Paula with your submissions, feedback, ideas, and availability. We also ask that contributors read our Editorial Guidelines and that all volunteers read and agree to our Code of Conduct.

Next Issue . . .

Volume 41, Issue 2 will be published March 15, 2020. Articles and photos concerning community news, events, and opinions are welcome. We also accept submissions of poetry and cartoons. Deadline: February 20, 2020. Send submissions to: editor@bmcnews.org. Articles should be 400 words or less and accompanied by photographs (JPG, in high resolution) when possible.