Rhymeless Villanelle

To sleep in a house without cats,
say something Robert Creeley wouldn’t,
explain where the French Revolution went wrong,

pedantically explain how leather forms
a second skin, why bronze is soft.
To sleep in a house without cats.

To arrange for an accident to take place,
and leave out the unnecessary parts,
explain where the French Revolution went wrong.

To forgive interruptions, be content with
a dry field for playing ball. To be content
to sleep in a house without cats.

To draw a picture of ink with pencil—
glass quill on a nightmare day—
explain where the French revolution went wrong.

Feather of glass, paper of bronze,
menacing skin of leather ball!
To sleep in a house without cats,
explain where the French revolution went wrong.