…slowly unfolding female series, is rather an interesting one technically. Composed, including its title, of word-count based haiku, which, as I have discovered lately can be written in iambic pentameter. 10 syllables per line, with 5 iambic feet, which consist of a feminine (unaccented) syllable followed by a masculine (accented.) I do love additional constraints, they almost always make for an interesting sound, even if clarity is an even greater challenge. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Art
The sonnets are coming! The sonnets are coming!!!
I confess I have been a bit under the weather, however, this is not the only reason I am a bit late in posting.
I have discovered a few things about the nature of this kind of work:
First, I believe one objective was not entirely well thought out. Writing a sonnet every day, is something that can be accomplished in less than seven days. For that reason, I believe the weekend was created (perhaps by God?) In any case, working seven days a week is a recipe for ultimate disaster. I had the notion a few weeks ago, to write ahead, so that I could take the weekend–much like a normal working fellow, regardless of the freelance nature of my chosen profession. Which, alas, must be (except for kisses) its own reward. Continue reading
Such things sometimes appear synergistically in…
…ways quite mysterious. Today’s sonnet, and it’s companion are written in response or reflection to this post. These few offhand words by Lady Day struck me a certain way–sparked, one might say a memory. Regarding the nature of love, and work, and how, so very often, hard work is the very way, particularly among men, in which we most often express our love. Need it be that way? I do not believe myself to be a perfect judge of such things. I will here state that it may depend somewhat on temperament. I have found it in myself at times, to be necessary–or at least to seem so–to make myself harder and more practical–and this can, very naturally, push ones romantic nature to the back, while bringing to the fore ones desire to do such practical things as life may sometimes demand. Continue reading
Haiku introductions are…
…interesting and fun to write. Particularly sequences. However, a month or two ago, I rediscovered, by way of another poetry blogger, the non syllabic form of haiku. This using 5 – 7 – 5 word count, rather than counting syllables. I have been favourably disposed to doing those, however of late have discovered yet another way to meld my love for sonnets with my interest in Haiku. Continue reading
I thought up another: form of rhymescheme notation, and alternate of sonnet form….
The following is paraphrased as well as copy/pasted from the entry in question–see the link below for the original (which, by this time, may well have been lucased)
I came upon an old, unpolished work of mine. Not exactly in this form, but in tetrameter Originally there were 4 quatrains. The original rhymescheme was AAxA, BBxB, etc. where ‘x’ is non rhyming. I thought one could sonnetize that by Turning the non-rhyming ‘x’ into a rhyme that carries through. This was an interesting result:
At last, the dawn, in perfect form, I see
So formed, a positive reality.
It’s purple state, in perfect choir, unveil
To shine, inspiringly, its song on me.With form, and measure never void, it brings
A subtle mastery of the world it sings.
Without abash, I hear it tell a tale
Of majesty, and many more such thingsWhich burn with glory’s power, as they shine
Upon this shadow dappled world of mine.
My dreams are splendour, as they dance–prevail
With measure, and with form, and perfect line!And dance I shall, as light–as mirrors bright
Reflect–avail, ’til dark, ’til death, ’til night!
Once again, you see the compressed rhyme scheme in the ending couplet. I may post the original at some point; and I may post the altered sixteen line version, which is in iambic pentameter.
Also, on that note, I am beginning to think that, in order to more clearly describe rhymeschemes, one might perhaps use letters and numbers, or perhaps, upper and lower case letters, for different types of rhymes. And perhaps, ‘x’ might indicate lines that do not rhyme?
As an example, to describe the above, one could do the following:
AA1A, BB1B, etc. Or perhaps 11A1, 22A2, etc. Thus, one draws a distinction between the two types of rhymes–-as “ephemeral,” or immortal, or perhaps even better called, “perpetual.”
As such, one can clearly see delineated such rhymes which only last a short time, with those which carry through an entire piece, or, as may be the case, a larger part of a much larger piece.
It makes more sense to me when I look at it. What one usually sees would be AABA, CCBA, etc, but where “A” feels like a “first rhyme” “C” really feels like a “second” (or a B) but, in this kind of numbering, “C” generally means “3″ which makes the notation confusing, and one has to think about it a bit more, to decipher.
And as I think of it more, I think the appropriate version of the above would be:
AA1A, BB1B, etc.
This is because, while it is highly unlikely that there would be a large number of ephemeral rhymes, or at least those for which the alphabet could not be recycled, there could potentially be–in a very long piece–any number of perpetual rhymes. And using the lowercase ‘x’ makes sense for non rhyming lines as well.
And a compressed scheme (or lines with internal rhymes such as the final couplet here could be in brackets of some kind. For this, I have generally been using square brackets. This would give the above sonnet as:
AA1A, BB1B, CC1C, [DD][1D]
Silent sound
This is a most beautiful piece. You do such free verse very nicely. Inspiring to me. I love the spare feel. Particularly because when one is outside–among nature, as it were, one feels so small–so vulnerable. Yet, on the one hand, so much beauty surrounds us; on the other hand, it can harm, or even kill us. Part of nature’s charm is in its danger, and it is, I believe a good part of why we feel so satisfied when we tame a small portion of it.
So is my poetry…
…fairly grounded to the earth. I think this must involve my science background in some way. There is not such ambiguity as one might find in other poetry. I think I should see what the limits of my ability to blend metaphors with concrete earthly ideas might be. (or perhaps I should say “mix metaphors?!”)
In any event, the unfinished, yet famous “My love has wings…”/”Nightingale Woman” might be a worthy pursuit. Since according to lore it should have been a sonnet. Various writers have attempted to finish it while retaining, to some degree, its basic rhythm, and on the other hand, ignoring or not being able to perceive that the known lines are indeed the first two lines of a sonnet, albeit with one syllable missing in the first line–a minor point, and not at all unusual. In fact, sonnets appearing as early as 1600 observed pentametric rhythm without maintaining, in the strictest sense, iambic feet. Still the five beats are heard:
My love has wings,
slender, feathered things
with grace in upswept curve
and tapered tip
These lines are often written as above, although this strikes me as a rendering to paper ones auditory impression of the lines. But I’m no forensic expert in this matter. For all I know, these lines might have been rendered thus in the original script (“Where no man has gone before” – Gene Roddenberry) In any case, format the lines as follows and you will see their true form begin to unfold:
My love has wings, slender, feathered things
With grace in upswept curve and tapered tip…
And due, in large part, to my reading (and writing) of many many sonnets, I would further venture that these first two lines imply an English Sonnet. Here we have two stylistically similar lines, yet distinctly different. The first with its internal rhyme, and missing syllable; the second with it’s five iambic feet and alliterative ending, suggest a ABAB style rhymescheme.
