Sonnets

We have been studying sonnets in English 291.  I seriously like them.  Shakespeare is a genius (I know, hardly a revelation) as are many others: Wyatt, Sydney, Surrey, Spenser, Sidney.  Recently we were given the assignment to write a sonnet.  So in the spirit of show and tell, I'm sharing.

First is the sonnet I composed for my class assignment.  If you could all not let my kids know I wrote about some parental frustrations, that would be great:)

Then there is a totally silly sonnet about our cat.  It came about because while I was still considering what my subject matter should be for the sonnet assignment, Gary gave our older cat the salmon drippings from his plate after dinner one night.  Her reaction was so intense that we teased how I should write a love sonnet about it.  So I did.

And finally, the dumbest of the sonnets.  We each had to present a Shakespearean sonnet to the class.  Mine was number 36.  The professor challenged us to do something creative in our presentation, so I wrote a sonnet about Shakespeare's sonnet 36.  Other than being 14 lines long and following the proper rhyme pattern, there is nothing about its subject like that of a real sonnet, but oh well!



The Waiting Game

Fruit of my loins I cannot deem to train,
The hamper settles not within her breast.
Her closet parts to shower fiercest rain,
On beds and lamps its bowels come to rest.
Of grace and gentle nature does she brim,
All happy songs, serene until I dare
Suggest that socks should not the desk to trim,
Then quickly dodge as darts hiss through the air.
Yet still when kneeling words I speak at night,
Soft to my mind and heart she wends her way.
For mess, affront, and wounded heart aside,
A timid hope and patience doth reside.
I plead for youth that time will guide its way
Petition tortured tongue in place of blight.


Feline Discovery

Tonight my routine dinner was disturbed
The crunchy, tuna-fishy grain did not
Clink ‘round my bowl, I found I was perturbed
As meow mix from my master have I sought
But lo, aroma tickles at my nose
Desire takes me, oh what heav'nly scent!
For salmon scraps to feline smell as rose
What bliss and glory give, my mind is bent
Upon a taste, my belly asks for more
A kingly feast, now lick the last bits clean
A taste of heav’n, and I, a seafood whore
But old, dry food will once again be seen
And I my nose shall turn, while holding wish
For tuna-fishy’s not the same as fish!

 
Sonnet 36
 
Song 36, we'll analyze by line
Shakespearean rhyme, iambic meter true
Some words repeat, as ‘honoured’ and ‘mine'
The second line to words of Paul allude
Some antonyms are used like ‘spite,’ ‘delight’
And ‘one’ paired with, ‘alone’ are synonym
The characters of love, belov’d are right
So now review the problem of the hymn
Find two in love who now as one can’t be
These two must part by scandal yet unnamed
One lover pleads, "do not acknowledge me"
For it would never do to bring you shame
The final couplet serves to say once more
He needs her reputation be secure