I wrote my first sonnet in 2002 after reading all of Shakespeare’s sonnets, carefully and out loud at least three times each. This was “Shithouse Sonnet,” rightly located at the bottom of this list. This was also near the beginning of my work with poetry, and at the time I was very much focused on the ghazal. It would be another ten years before I tackled the sonnet again, mostly because I was busy exploring the application of various schools of poetry to other structured forms along with free verse, but also because I felt the sonnet is already well represented in English.
When I did come back to the sonnet, it was mostly just out of curiosity. I wanted to see what my sonnet would look like after ten years of studying poetry. The second is titled “Inheritance,” next up from the bottom. Compared with the first sonnet, the second demonstrates with crystal clarity the effect ten years of study can have on one’s development as a poet.
My sonnets are organized into three lists, one for each of the sonnet variations I’ve explored. Each list is arranged from the most recently written poem to the oldest.
Spenserian Sonnets
This sonnet form was invented by Edmund Spenser, author of the famous/infamous 16th century epic—and unfinished—poem The Faerie Queene. In fact, his sonnet is basically an extension of the stanzaic form he used throughout his epic, which had the end-line rhyme scheme of ababbcbcc.
For his sonnet, Spenser simply extended the pattern of the first nine lines another three before capping with a couplet, giving us ababbcbccdcdee. These can be written as a single 14 line stanza, three quatrains and a couplet or a 12 line stanza followed by a couplet. I tend to favor the single 14 line stanza.
The Painter (February 2016)
An online friend disclosed that he had lost his toddler son to drowning in 1982. I looked at my own toddler son, feverishly exploring his new world, and was moved to write this poem for him in memory of his long departed child.
Winter Relief (April 2014)
This poem is inspired by the image of an old man who used to trundle his bicycle up an down the avenues near my job at dawn throwing birdseed to the fowl from a neon-orange 5-gallon bucket that hung from a handlebar.
Flutter (February 2014)
The moment I felt the kick of my unborn son in my wife’s belly, the way I see the world changed entirely—a complete change in perspective and disposition that’s difficult put into words. But maybe this poem offers some small insight.
Petrarchan Sonnets
Developed by Italian poets during the 13th century, this is the original sonnet form. So it is also called the Italian sonnet. Francesco Petrarca, Italian Renaissance poet, popularized the sonnet during the 14th century by writing a great many of them.
This sonnet form is arranged in two sections, the first eight lines—or the octave—and the final six lines—or the sestet. Generally, the octave is used to present a problem, idea or meditation while the sestet is used to express a solution, antithesis or reflection. The end-line rhyme scheme of the octave is always abbaabba, but the rhyme scheme for the sestet can vary. Usually, it is one of cdecde, cdcdcd or cddcee. However, I’ve explored beyond these bounds.
Loss (September 2013)
After my wife lost two uncles, one to cancer and the other to heart disease, I was moved to write this poem. Here I allegorize the process of slowly losing a loved one to disease. This poem may now only be found in my book,
an inkling hope.
The Rarest Gem (August 2013)
Although it was some interactions I observed at a Starbucks store that inspired this poem, the idea that peace of mind is “the rarest gem” has been in mind since at least my adolescence. Here I use vivid imagery to convey the notion.
The Bridge (July 2013)
The imagery is inspired by San Francisco’s
Golden Gate Bridge as viewed from the north. But here the bridge represents the function of memory looking back in time. This poem may now only be found in my book,
an inkling hope.
The Manuscript (June 2013)
For this poem I envisioned a man at the end of his long life wanting to tell the story of how he lived with and overcame powerful, lifelong desires to hurt others. This was inspired in part by
Robert Service’s poem, “
A Hero.”
Wordplay (May 2013)
Here I use imagery and metaphor to suggest that poetry may no longer be an art form, but has instead become a mere medium for the undisciplined venting of strong emotion. This poem may now only be found in my book,
an inkling hope.
Stumble (May 2013)
My day job involves working with at-risk youth, some of which have been convicted of felonies. The goal in part is to help them evolve the way they see and approach relationships. This poem was written for one such youth.
Falter (April 2013)
This poem pays homage to the miracle of prayer while commenting on what often seems like its utter futility. Or maybe such prayers are answered in ways that just defy understanding. Now only available my book,
an inkling hope.
Refraction (April 2013)
Here I use the refraction of light as a metaphor for the transmission of one’s inner light into and throughout the lives of others. This poem, now only available in my book,
an inkling hope, is written in memory of my wife’s aunt.
The Boulder Climber (March 2013)
I have no personal interest in boulder climbing, or even in climbing in general. But after listening to a friend talk tirelessly about boulder climbing for several months, I thought I’d apply it as a metaphor for moving forward in life.
Coming Together (October 2012)
This beautiful three part poem was written for a friend of many years who asked me to write something to commemorate her wedding. The Petrarchan sonnet itself is part III. This poem may now only be found in my book,
an inkling hope.
Shakespearean Sonnets
In the 16th century, Sir Thomas Wyatt discovered Petrarca’s sonnets while in Italy and translated many of them to English, thus introducing the sonnet to English literature. However, it was Wyatt’s contemporary, Shakespeare, who popularized it with his 154 masterfully crafted sonnets.
However, neither of these poets devised the rhyme scheme associated with this sonnet form. Credit here goes to Wyatt’s friend, Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey. Surrey co-edited the English translations of Petrarca’s sonnets with Wyatt, deciding that they should use the rhyme scheme ababcdcdefefgg. These can be broken into three quatrains and a couplet or written as a single 14 line stanza, in which case the closing couplet is often indented.
Wither (February 2014)
One day I saw a man in his 50s throwing out plants that were mostly dead. The image of it stayed with me throughout the day until I found myself drafting the first few lines of this poem, supposing an ultimate reason for their removal.
Aftermath (February 2013)
This is the second of two sonnets written for the 2
nd anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March of 2011. Here I focus on the loss and tragedy. This poem may now only be found in my book,
an inkling hope.
Stirrings (February 2013)
This is the first of two sonnets written for the 2
nd anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March of 2011. Here I focus on the animistic side of such events. This poem may now only be found in my book,
an inkling hope.
Coming Together (October 2012)
This beautiful synthetic ode was written for a friend of many years who asked me to commemorate her wedding with a poem. The Shakespearean sonnets are parts I and II. This poem may now only be found in my book,
an inkling hope.
Tropic Rose (July 2012)
Here I use the hardiness and beauty of a rose cultivar called “cherry parfait” as a metaphor for the resiliency of faith and service-oriented life of a close friend of the family. This poem may now only be found in my book,
an inkling hope.
Desert Rose (June 2012)
Here I use the resilience, fragrance, and beauty of a rose cultivar called “ebb tide” as a metaphor for the dedication, uniqueness, and loyalty of a close friend of the family. This poem may now only be found in my book,
an inkling hope.
Afterglow (June 2012)
This was written after a friend posted a moving status update on Facebook in memory of his mother. It was her birthday, but she had passed some years before—cancer. This poem may now only be found in my book,
an inkling hope.
Tryst (May 2012)
Here I imagine an old man at the end of his life sitting down with his thoughts at the place where he and his long dead love would meet in youth. He is ready to pass on. This poem may now only be found in my book,
an inkling hope.
Inheritance (May 2012)
This perfectly crafted sonnet uses imagery and metaphor to reflect on the ultimate consequence of overpopulation—our children’s inheritance of a dying world. This poem may now only be found in my book,
an inkling hope.
Shithouse Sonnet (August 2002)
Here I ponder the base and often hateful scribbles found on the walls of public restrooms, hence the title. Considering the ubiquity of such graffiti, I found myself wondering if the overall state of American society was reflected therein.
