Do not thou name me;
For, by this very naming,
Shalt thou name thyself.
Do not thou brand me;
For, by this vile branding,
Art thou, so branded.
Monthly Archives: February 2015
Sonnets in Lyrical couplets–the gateway drug… Possibly?
Having recently discovered a sonnet in lyrical couplets by Kipling, [“When Fear Came,” I believe it is titled, in the 2nd “Jungle Book”] and having written one myself, albeit as a character rather than as myself, I was put in mind of the above possibility. As such I would like to write a few more couplet sonnets. But also….
I feel perhaps, I might write a series of sonnet like forms ranging from completely freeverse to completely structured. I feel that in such a way one might bring someone along a bit toward realising that sonnets are not so very hard to understand.
Of course, even if they were, one may still have the experience of hearing one read aloud; for the sound itself, is quite beautiful even without full comprehension. Still, sonnet form is relatively simple; and even if classical topical structure is maintained (e.g. a sonnet reading essentially: “Consider this… But wait, what about this?” this turn or ‘volta’ most often occurring at the ninth line but often delayed till the very last; and sometimes, though rarely, earlier than that) quite easy to understand.
I feel this sequence I describe in the second paragraph is a bit of “cheating” perhaps, because the first few examples would be quite easy to write; however, I have been wondering in what way I might reward myself for having passed my sixth month mark, and perhaps this might be fitting. I cannot, for example, think of any further paid services at this time in which I would desire to engage; therefore, I am reduced to content related rewards, I fear!
It is possible, I suppose, that the following are related articles:
- A Terza Rima Sonnet and Challenge: Promise Me (readinpleasure.wordpress.com)
- Want to Write a Sonnet? (editingaddict.com)
- Sonnet (rodriguezerika15.wordpress.com)
- My Attempt At Writing A Sonnet – A Summary (gaelanhamilton.wordpress.com)
- Sonnets (roseanna2126.wordpress.com)
- Sonnet (rosamariayanez.wordpress.com)
- Sonnet (erniehuerta.wordpress.com)
- In a few days will repost a sequence… (davidemeron.com)
Libertarian Shakespeare « Poetry « The ObjectOpus
This appears to be #7 in a sequence; or at the very least, a series of some kind.
Plutarch, of liberal instance, coming forth
In prose, historically reconciled
With fate, persuaded Shakespeare that more worth
Brief freedom has alive and undefiled
Than longevous disgrace enslaved. One must
Consider in accord with courage what
To do, by daily judgment deeming just
Those deeds that quicken liberty. So thought
The poet when Marcus Brutus he perused,
Not from the manly tenor of that book
Withdrawing. Civic wisdom was infused
Into his spine, which would not lightly crook
Upon consensus. Forcibly erect,
No slavish bent he’d suffer in defect.
Sonnet VIII: His Hand
Look ye upon this hand and then suppose
Ye know its master’s strength; as must it be
perceived, its width and length are plain to see,
conceived for war or mercy as he chose.
From grace to passion, powerful it flows’
To keep ye captive; both extremes agree;
Enrapt, gave ye desire with strength to free
Such still and racing hearts as passion knows.’
To bate thy breath, its mastery displayed,
To touch thee known, or thee beyond compare,
And bind thy strength, or thee thy beauty there;
Command in both, this hand shall be obeyed:
Such frailty and such power thus are swayed;
Perfection to ensnare, succumb, prepare!
This sonnet is part of a short sequence; click here to read it all:
Intro 8: He Touches
For whom is this hand
For thee in strength, or tender,
Or for thee in war?
Reverse Petrarchan/Reverse Italian Sonnets:
In the sequence Regarding the Male form, You will see an atypical rhymescheme in Sonnet #3, this is what may be termed a “Reverse Italian,” or “Reverse Petrarchan,” if you prefer the more formal name.
Also in this sequence, the piece directly preceding this one is a more direct companion. Sonnet #2 in the sequence is a conventional Italian or Petrarchan.
I enjoy reversing forms in order that I might see how they work, sound, feel, etc. A Petrarchan is difficult to reverse, because in the first section you have
ABBA, ABBA,
which when reversed gives one BAAB, BAAB, which is identical in sound. So I can see the best possibility here might be to reverse one quatrain which gives:
ABBA, BAAB, which does have a unique sound.
Also the second section of a Petrarchan–the final six lines–are never set to one form so they may be
CDECDE, or CDCDCD, or CDECED, or even occasionally, CDCDEE,
which is something of a rarely; but even Petrarch did it that way once. You will see any number of possibilities in the final six lines. Except you will never (that I know of) see something like:
CCDEDE, which a reverse of CDCDEE,
So that seems a logical target for a Reverse Petrarchan.
All this together gives
ABBA BAAB CCDEDE,
One could perhaps try CCDEED, or possibly a third use of C, but the couplet really must, I think, be in lines 9 and 10.
Sonnet VII: Gilded Fire
What gilded fire hast thou within me lit
When once thou hast so deep thy fingers prest;
What hale, such perfection doth acquit
When light-acquainted fire doth bestow?
From lightest dost thou brush, to deepest touch;
For verge thou mee as though of thine possessed:
From out thy mastery, ownership as such
For mee, this fiery lightning set aglow.
May’ once, an I escape thee, light as well;
Might fire as hast thou lit be thus expressed;
May’ hearty lightning mine, and flame impel;
Might I, thine elements alight, thee know?
Can I, thy lightning’s fyre, reflect as blest;
Come I, as thy desire shall overflow?
This sonnet is part of a short sequence; click here to read it all:
David Emeron: Sonnets 