The Art of Saving: A Villanelle

Location

The art of saving isn’t hard to master.

Just a few months of training will do. Still,

 The first death always feels like a disaster.

 

We spend countless hours studying and working,

Pushing our limits and strengthening our will.

The art of saving isn’t hard to master.

 

The first day on the job is exhilaration,

An anticipation of challenges that test our skills.

The first death always feels like a disaster.

 

The day was almost over and all had been quiet,

When suddenly, it’s time. There’s a scramble, nothing is still.

The art of saving isn’t hard to master.

 

A car is overturned, another on fire.

Their screams are heard for miles, so loud we can feel.

The first death always feels like a disaster.

 

We pull them out, one at a time, their dead faces

Look at us blamefully, accusingly, ‘till

The art of saving isn’t hard to master,

But the first deaths are always a disaster.

Comments

Additional Resources

Get AI Feedback on your poem

Interested in feedback on your poem? Try our AI Feedback tool.
 

 

If You Need Support

If you ever need help or support, we trust CrisisTextline.org for people dealing with depression. Text HOME to 741741