HTRLLAP Chapter 4

All sonnets sourced from sonnet.org

Arthur J Lockhart - Lux et Umbra

In the black flower of midnight--at the heart

And midmost auricle of secrecy,

There lies the golden fire-seed that shall be

The day's broad blossom. Softly fall apart

The silken leaves of dreams; and lo! thou art,

Sweet morn of expectation, dewy-drest!

While all the spectres that the dark infest,

Soon as the East doth his keen lances dart,

Show angel faces. Why avert the shade--

The solemn vigil--the mysterious power,

Filling the soul with awe, stirring the clod,

Bidding the bones to quake? 'Tis thus arrayed

In dusky calyx lies heaven's shining flower.

Our Angel leads through gloom to show us God.

Squarish: check.

Rhyming pattern: lines 1-8, and lines 9-14. It's Petrarchan!

Message: Good can come out of darkness.

Katharine Lee Bates

Tree of Song

An idle tree, whose timber builds no ships,

Whose wilding growth is all unfit to trace

Trim parallels in park and market-place,

Yet precious for the fragrant dew that drips

From blowing sprays to comfort fevered lips,

For lilt of hidden birds, for changeful grace

Of leafy shade that sunbeams interlace,

For heaven's dear blue about the spiring tips.

The world's great highway takes no heed of it,

Though paths wind thither through the April green.

The earth's blind forces feel no need of it;

Yet was there shaped, before the shaping hours,

A subtle league and sympathy between

This rhythmic tree and all effectual powers.

Squarish: check.

Rhyming pattern: Irregular distribution of some -ips and -ace. It is Petrarchan because she changes a little on line 9, indicating a topic for the first 8 lines and a change for the last 6.

Message: Even if society perceives you as worthless, you're not.

William Baylebridge

Flesh and Spirit

No! 'twas the questing dream that first achieved her--

More sensed for knowing no material part,

More real that no false outward eye perceived her,

Too gross, but that pure eye within my heart.

Nor feigned I, as my spirit so embraced her,

These arms encumbered might; ah! could they too,

Would she not fade as vision e'er effaced her,

As loves in this weak flesh so often do?

In flesh she might escape me, might expire

In the vicissitudes through flesh that range;

But, being the shadow of my heart's desire,

She could not pass beyond me, could not change.

O paradox! Want food--you are richer fed!

Lack the coarse crumbs--you find diviner bread!

Squarish: check.

Rhyming pattern: oh look! ababcdcdefefgg. SHAKESPEAREANNNNNN.

Message: I have no idea. You think he's talking about a woman, or is it food?