Villanelle

This month I’m writing villanelles instead
of sonnets, although to be honest, I’ve
just screwed myself by not planning ahead.
My writing tends to be off-top-of-head-
style. Sonnets were worthy ground to prove.
This month, I’m writing villanelles instead,
though: and, well, they’re trickier to bend
to random, thoughtless rhymes (bees in a hive).
I’ve screwed myself by not planning ahead.
Take this example: slanted rhymes, enjambed
stanzas, poor scansion, phrases forced to rhyme.
“This month, I’ll just write villanelles, instead,”
I thought, “No problem!” Idiot! I’ve said
a lot of stupid shit before, but I’ve
really screwed me by not planning ahead
this time. But hey, look here: I’ve almost made
it to the end of this one. If I can have
a month of writing villanelles, instead
of screwing up, I’ll start to plan ahead.