A villanelle is a traditional poetic structure with two recurring refrains. Though it has its origins as a form that recounts pastoral scenes, it has been used for many purposes, particularly as a reflection on loss and letting go of the past. This is a villanelle on the subject of thanksgiving, and on the subject of grief.
We give thanks for the life you led,
Mere hours after you breathed your last,
Let down at last your weary head.
We wish you could be here instead,
Though knowing it is right you’ve passed,
We give thanks for the life you led.
We listen now to hymns we read
To help, though we would hold you fast,
Let down at last your weary head.
We brush away the tears we’ve shed;
Our comforts fail to stand steadfast;
We give thanks for the life you led.
We stood our vigil by your bed,
And there, hearts frail and overcast,
Let down at last your weary head.
We heard short lines of scripture said
To still the hearts of mourners massed.
We gave thanks for the life you led,
And let down at last your weary head.