{"id":20000,"date":"2025-06-25T12:21:37","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T17:21:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/?p=20000"},"modified":"2025-06-27T12:16:36","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T17:16:36","slug":"versatile-villanelle-sizzling-villanelle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2025\/06\/25\/versatile-villanelle-sizzling-villanelle\/","title":{"rendered":"Versatile Villanelle &amp; Sizzling Villanelle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\"><strong>Versatile Villanelle &amp; Sizzling Villanelle<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-social-links-is-layout-765c4724 wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-facebook  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61556140010887\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12c0 5 3.7 9.1 8.4 9.9v-7H7.9V12h2.5V9.8c0-2.5 1.5-3.9 3.8-3.9 1.1 0 2.2.2 2.2.2v2.5h-1.3c-1.2 0-1.6.8-1.6 1.6V12h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.3v7C18.3 21.1 22 17 22 12c0-5.5-4.5-10-10-10z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-instagram  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/boudin_mcneese\/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12,4.622c2.403,0,2.688,0.009,3.637,0.052c0.877,0.04,1.354,0.187,1.671,0.31c0.42,0.163,0.72,0.358,1.035,0.673 c0.315,0.315,0.51,0.615,0.673,1.035c0.123,0.317,0.27,0.794,0.31,1.671c0.043,0.949,0.052,1.234,0.052,3.637 s-0.009,2.688-0.052,3.637c-0.04,0.877-0.187,1.354-0.31,1.671c-0.163,0.42-0.358,0.72-0.673,1.035 c-0.315,0.315-0.615,0.51-1.035,0.673c-0.317,0.123-0.794,0.27-1.671,0.31c-0.949,0.043-1.233,0.052-3.637,0.052 s-2.688-0.009-3.637-0.052c-0.877-0.04-1.354-0.187-1.671-0.31c-0.42-0.163-0.72-0.358-1.035-0.673 c-0.315-0.315-0.51-0.615-0.673-1.035c-0.123-0.317-0.27-0.794-0.31-1.671C4.631,14.688,4.622,14.403,4.622,12 s0.009-2.688,0.052-3.637c0.04-0.877,0.187-1.354,0.31-1.671c0.163-0.42,0.358-0.72,0.673-1.035 c0.315-0.315,0.615-0.51,1.035-0.673c0.317-0.123,0.794-0.27,1.671-0.31C9.312,4.631,9.597,4.622,12,4.622 M12,3 C9.556,3,9.249,3.01,8.289,3.054C7.331,3.098,6.677,3.25,6.105,3.472C5.513,3.702,5.011,4.01,4.511,4.511 c-0.5,0.5-0.808,1.002-1.038,1.594C3.25,6.677,3.098,7.331,3.054,8.289C3.01,9.249,3,9.556,3,12c0,2.444,0.01,2.751,0.054,3.711 c0.044,0.958,0.196,1.612,0.418,2.185c0.23,0.592,0.538,1.094,1.038,1.594c0.5,0.5,1.002,0.808,1.594,1.038 c0.572,0.222,1.227,0.375,2.185,0.418C9.249,20.99,9.556,21,12,21s2.751-0.01,3.711-0.054c0.958-0.044,1.612-0.196,2.185-0.418 c0.592-0.23,1.094-0.538,1.594-1.038c0.5-0.5,0.808-1.002,1.038-1.594c0.222-0.572,0.375-1.227,0.418-2.185 C20.99,14.751,21,14.444,21,12s-0.01-2.751-0.054-3.711c-0.044-0.958-0.196-1.612-0.418-2.185c-0.23-0.592-0.538-1.094-1.038-1.594 c-0.5-0.5-1.002-0.808-1.594-1.038c-0.572-0.222-1.227-0.375-2.185-0.418C14.751,3.01,14.444,3,12,3L12,3z M12,7.378 c-2.552,0-4.622,2.069-4.622,4.622S9.448,16.622,12,16.622s4.622-2.069,4.622-4.622S14.552,7.378,12,7.378z M12,15 c-1.657,0-3-1.343-3-3s1.343-3,3-3s3,1.343,3,3S13.657,15,12,15z M16.804,6.116c-0.596,0-1.08,0.484-1.08,1.08 s0.484,1.08,1.08,1.08c0.596,0,1.08-0.484,1.08-1.08S17.401,6.116,16.804,6.116z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Instagram<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Dustin Brookshire<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><br><strong>Versatile Villanelle<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><em>Topping is not for the grieving, for those who need to be filled up and forget their own emptiness. \u2013 Joseph Osmundson, \u201cDouble or Nothing\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Topping isn\u2019t for those in the midst of grief.<br>Don\u2019t have a pity party and sit around and cry.<br>A broken heart loves when time is a thief.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">To get over someone, you need new beef<br>off a new menu\u2014yes, from a brand-new guy,<br>but remember, topping doesn&#8217;t mix with grief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Take deep breaths and lie like a leaf<br>until your legs hit the air. Ankles high&nbsp;<br>breakup-sex steals the hurt like a thief.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Think of bottoming as sweet-sweet relief.&nbsp;<br>Friends noticing a liquid diet won\u2019t pry.&nbsp;<br>They know the soap opera of topping and grief.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">We\u2019ve all been there\u2014 questioning the belief&nbsp;<br>that we\u2019ll find the one before we die,<br>before time does what it does, like a thief.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Honey, you\u2019ll be able to pull off a verse motif&nbsp;<br>with ease, no con, without even being sly.&nbsp;<br>Lust isn\u2019t for those in the midst of grief,<br>even if your broken love will be taken by a thief. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">___________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Sizzling Villanelle&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">It is easy enough to devise the plan.&nbsp;<br>A compliment followed by another. I knew<br>I&#8217;d have&nbsp;an affair with this married man.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A doctor with a wife and kids and a minivan.<br>He&#8217;s bisexual and always horny, eager to screw.<br>Usually, it&#8217;s easy enough for him to plan,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">whether the wife\u2019s on a girls\u2019 trip or during the span<br>of time she&#8217;s at the salon. Yes, it&#8217;s true<br>I&#8217;ve been hard up for an affair with a married man.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Sex delicious as a steak out of a sizzling pan<br>is what I need. No want. No desire. You<br>see\u2014&nbsp;it&#8217;s easy enough to devise a plan&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">when men are so damn predictable. You can&nbsp;<br>lead a man by his dick when his balls are blue.<br>You&#8217;ll end up in bed with a married man<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">or in a parking&nbsp;lot giving a hand job in a sedan.&nbsp;<br>Is this villanelle rooted in lies, or is it true?&nbsp;<br>You should know lying&nbsp;can be part of the plan.<br>Maybe I will have an affair with a married man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Dustin Brookshire\u2019s<\/strong> (he\/him) fourth &amp; latest chapbook is <em>Repeat As Needed<\/em> (Harbor Editions, 2025). He is a co-editor of <em>Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology<\/em> (Madville Publishing, 2023) and editor of <em>When I Was Straight: A Tribute to Maureen Seaton<\/em> (Harbor Editions, 2024). More at <a href=\"http:\/\/dustinbrookshire.com\/\">dustinbrookshire.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>__________<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"438\" height=\"211\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15484\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg 438w, https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1-300x145.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2025\/06\/25\/ricegay\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"19997\">\ud83e\udca0 Back<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2025\/06\/25\/climax-is-the-closest-thing-to-surrender-fermentation-daydreaming-in-starbucks-that-my-husband-is-queer\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"20007\">Next \ud83e\udca1<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">To learn more about submitting your work to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/boudin-submissions\/\">Boudin<\/a><\/em> or applying to McNeese State University&#8217;s Creative Writing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/mfa-application-submissions\/\">MFA program<\/a>, please visit Submissions for details.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Versatile Villanelle &amp; Sizzling Villanelle Dustin Brookshire __________ Versatile Villanelle Topping is not for the grieving, for those who need to be filled up and forget their own emptiness. \u2013 Joseph Osmundson, \u201cDouble or Nothing\u201d Topping isn\u2019t for those in the midst of grief.Don\u2019t have a pity party and sit around and cry.A broken heart&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[231],"tags":[75,145,18],"class_list":["post-20000","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pride","tag-boudin","tag-poetry-2","tag-poetry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20000","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20000"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20000\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20146,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20000\/revisions\/20146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20000"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20000"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20000"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}