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Overview
“One Art” is a villanelle by the American poet Elizabeth Bishop, which first appeared in her final collection, Geography III (1976)
. Not only is “One Art” Bishop’s best-known poem; it’s also among the most famous examples of the villanelle, a notoriously strict form that features a rigorous rhyme scheme and two refrains. The challenge of managing such a complex form nicely mirrors the central challenge described in Bishop’s poem, which is about finding the grace to master the art of losing what’s most dear.Read a summary & analysis, an analysis of the speaker, and explanations of important quotes from “One Art.”
