Caught in the Headlights

In the sizzling silent dead of night,
pain grips with talons,
like an owl in the headlights
with eyes of blood red.
Snowy wings soar high
towards the glimmer of dawn
with an aching sigh.

Pain rotates like an owl’s head
caught in the headlights,
talons and beak glisten red,
cutting like scissors.
I lie on my bed,
the owl fades into darkness,
my pain has been fed.

Kim M. Russell, 11th March 2021

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My response to dVerse Poets Pub Meeting the Bar: Seguidilla

Grace is our host this Thursday, with a new form: the seguidilla, which began as a popular dance song of Spain. She tells us that the verse form, which has an alternating long-short rhythm, became established and then branched into variations by the 17th century. She describes the seguidilla as:

  • stanzaic, written in any number of 2-part septets;
  • syllabic, 7-5-7-5 5-7-5, with a slight pause between L4 and L5 suggesting L4 should be end-stopped;
  • rhymed by assonance xAxABxB or xAxABAB. x being unrhymed. True rhyme is generally not used;
  • composed with a volta or change in thought between L4 and L5;
  • sometimes serves as a conclusion for another verse.

I love the example she has given, which is by Paul Hansford.

Today we are writing seguidillas.  We choose our own themes and set the mood.  If one stanza is not enough, we can continue to add, following the seguidilla pattern of rhyme and number of lines.

31 thoughts on “Caught in the Headlights”

    1. I too prefer your way, but I’ve had the most awful migraine headaches lately, which have been keeping me awake, waking me up, and manifesting in nightmares. Bring on the dancing girls – please!

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  2. That is some pain: pain grips with talons, cutting like scissors (yikes). That glimmer of dawn brings a relief.

    Love the septets, knowing how challenging it is to make one.

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  3. Having just recovered from sinusitis I can relate very well to the sleeplessness! This is brilliantly executed, Kim! Especially love; “Pain rotates like an owl’s head caught in the headlights.” Yes! 💝💝

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  7. Hope you can get some pain free sleep tonight Kim! I directly thought of migraines, and how horrible it is to just lie there, needing dark, sleep and rest, but only getting the first. I know migraine sometimes can lead to good art, but personally I’d rather skip the pain.

    This line especially resonated with me “Pain rotates like an owl’s head” I know that feeling all to well.

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  9. *OUCH* – I’m so sorry you’ve been in pain, Kim. The repetition of words you used was incredibly powerful – like being hit over the head with the image you were trying to paint – how appropriate!

    Yours,
    David

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  12. I really admire this complimentary set Kim … pray your suffering is relieved soon! Feel this more clearly demonstrates the format for me, thanks.

    Several have posted about insomnia, grateful that I sleep well.

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