Explain the Difference Between a Villanelle, a Sestina and a Ghazal

Villanelle, sestina, ghazal: three names thrown around in poetry workshops with no explanation of what actually separates them. This lays out the defining rule of each, what kind of feeling or subject each one suits, and a plain decision guide, so you can pick a form on purpose instead of guessing.

Explain the difference between a villanelle, a sestina, and a ghazal in plain English for someone who has never written formal poetry before. For each form, cover: the rule that defines it (repetition pattern, line count, rhyme scheme), what kind of subject or feeling it tends to suit best, and one short, well-known example description (no need to quote the full poem, a one-line description of what it does is enough). Finish with a simple decision guide: if the writer wants to obsess over a single idea, which form to try first, and why.