Not a Shakespearean Sonnet

Gold cherry
Poem of the week

By Philip Sidney

Sat, 23 Apr 2016
  • 5965 reads
21 comments
 

Performance poet put sounds in mouths

to spit across the stage in firey streams,

living dreams, from ancient times,

making shadow shapes on shifting scenery.

 

Rub his words together to make heady smoke

that smells like alchemy of the mind,

breathe in the scent of strange, that colours life

with the magic of imagining.

 

Life is story, dreary a facade

and sleep is just a slip away,

so stoke the past into the present,

decipher burning wonders, before

 

tiny writing on tissue paper dissolves

into air, into nothingness

Certificate 12
Poem

Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

A way with words! Preserved now electronically, I presume, but, even years ago when I was in secondary school, I remember a teacher (not an easy teacher to get on with) unlocking so simply what I was feeling was like a new language, and couldn't work out the sense of it all. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Hi Rhiannon.  Shakespeare does seem difficult at first, and then when you get it - just wonderous!  :)

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

I love the idea of rubbing words together to make heady smoke - that's a killer image!

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thanks insert :)

 

Thanks for the cherries. smiley

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Can't think of a better choice for today's Facebook and Twitter Pick of the Day!

Get a great reading recommendation everyday.

If you haven't already liked/followed us on Facebook and Twitter please do, and please share with your friends

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thank you so much!  smiley

Submitted by Jewel Serpent on

What a way to honour him! You really hit it on the ball with this poem. Like others have mentioned, some fab inagery going on here.
Congrats on pick of the day!!

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thanks Jewel Serpent! smiley

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Wonderful.  A fitting tribute to the Bard himselfsmiley

Tina

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thank you Tina!  smiley

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Helen

Yes, how nice of you to tribute Shakespeare when all the attention this month was on the Queen. A lovely poem.

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thank you Jean!smiley

Submitted by VeraClark on

This carefully constructed piece slips off the tongue with all the essential ingredients of Shakespeare. It's our Poem of the Week.

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Holy Moly!  Thank you so much Vera - and W.S!  smiley

Submitted by celticman on

yeh, better than shakespeare, most of whose stuff I find a bit boring.

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

I'm going to get your comment framed celticman! laugh

Submitted by celticman on

if in doubt Phliip, print the legend. 

 

Submitted by Steve on

It's a very nice poem. I like the way it slips and slides, but it feels more like a Rimbaud poem loosened with Shakespeare.

There are 2 main plays that reveal Shakespeare's personality. One is Hamlet which is Shakespeare going through a mid-life crisis. The other is the Tempest. I think you chose the Shakespeare of the Tempest.

 

Submitted by Linda Wigzell Cress on

What a brilliant poem. Old Will would be proud!

Linda

Submitted by Linda Wigzell Cress on

 

Linda

Submitted by Pat G on

A true  sonnet. The line breathe in the scent of strange had me thinking, It's what this is all about.