"Lonely Hearts" ~by Wendy Cope

(#17)
This poem is in the form of a villanelle. It is a set of stanzas that each present a similar situation. The poem is structured similar to personal advertisements as people search for someone to be in their life. Although there are multiple different speakers and various types of people, they all have something in common. They all demonstrate the universal longing and pain people feel about being alone and longing for someone else. Each person presents a different case; however, they all end with either "Do you live in North London? Is it you?" or "Can someone make my simple wish come true?". These lines create a sense of irony. The descriptions each person gives are not actually simple at all. Although they are addressed toward anyone, they each want something very specific and difficult to find.