Here's how a sestina works:
1. Six End Words: The poem begins with six end words for the first stanza, which are then repeated in a specific pattern throughout the poem.
2. Pattern: The end words appear in a rotating pattern in each stanza, with the first word of each stanza becoming the last word of the next stanza.
3. Envoi: The last three lines, known as the envoi, use all six end words, usually repeated in a modified pattern.
"One Art" exemplifies this structure beautifully. Here's a simplified breakdown:
* Stanza 1: The end words are "lost," "places," "things," "slight," "mastered," and "art."
* Stanza 2: The end words shift, becoming "things," "mastered," "art," "lost," "places," and "slight."
* And so on... This pattern continues for six stanzas.
* Envoi: The final three lines include all six words in a condensed and impactful manner.
The sestina's structure helps Bishop create a powerful sense of repetition and loss throughout the poem. The recurring end words, like "lost" and "places," emphasize the theme of loss and the speaker's struggle to come to terms with it. The sestina's pattern allows the speaker to revisit and explore these themes from multiple angles, making the poem's exploration of loss both intimate and universal.
So, while "One Art" might seem like a villanelle due to its repetition and refrain-like qualities, it's actually a well-crafted sestina, showcasing the power of form in poetry.