Another woman with downcast eyes
Hands folded like origami cranes
How may she cast off her old disguise?
‘Too much’ or ‘not enough’ – no surprise
“How these things should be,” he gently feigns
Another woman with downcast eyes
She builds a fortress of compromise
Forever dragging along her chains
How may she cast off her old disguise?
Surrounded by her filial spies
Unwelcome in so many domains
Another woman with downcast eyes
In darkened corners, her silent cries
Her will to survive all that remains
How may she cast off her old disguise?
In this world, always denied the prize
That the patriarchy ascertains
Another woman with downcast eyes
How may she cast off her old disguise?
Written for GloPoWriMo 2026 Day 23:
Try your hand today at your own take on a villanelle, and have the poem end on a question.
and for dVerse Poetics – Exploring the art of Gerard Sekoto
Inspired by a Substack conversation with Sunra Rainz
Today’s Daily Stoic poem:
1994ever 
How, really. So beautiful, Shaun. xo
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Thanks Selma 🙏 I’m really happy with this write.
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Wow, your prompt combo has resulted in a fab ekphrastic villanelle, Shaun, with a pertinent question and the way you begin with ‘another woman with downcast eyes’ that makes the reader think about all the women. I especially love the ‘hands folded like origami cranes’ and the subterfuge in ‘surrounded by her filial spies’. There’s more to this story, and I feel for her.
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Thanks so much Kim 🙏
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My pleasure, Shaun.
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