A Merry Sonnet

I always getbthe feeling that the sonnet form brings out the sadness in writers. I don't know why, but here is my antidote to the blues

 

A MERRY Sonnet

 

 

 

 

 

Please ask yourself, consider do, just why

It is that writing sonnets seems so sad.

That fourteen tens seem oft to make one cry,

And speak not future joys, but good times had.

 

Such woe is not the way I wish to tread.

No! ’tis for me sheer sweetness to write verse.

My poetry consists of cake, not bread,

Of open sports car, rather than of hearse.

 

So shave the quill, and pen a merry rhyme,

That scansion’s jolly metres may be spread;

That laughter be not thought of as a crime,

And humorous be the thoughts within your head.

 

Though sad men will forever be thought dull,

The cheerful poet’s cup of life is full.

 

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                John Berry   2002

Reviews

[R J Askew]

I, too, think humour is key to life. And don't see why sonnets should be sad. So I enjoyed this one. It also shows your range in subject choice. But I just plain like it. I once wrote something and someone said of it, in a surprised, disapproving way, 'it's very optimistic'. I was stunned. But, it seems many, especially heavy intellectual types prefer crepescular gloom than a good belly laugh. Life is just sooooooo serious for them. Poor sods. Let there be laughter! Just don't crash the MG into the back of the hearse! This poem feels similar to the Sixth Sense poem, in that it is about an attitude of being, but this one I instinctivly agreed with. I think the last two lines are bang on. Having said that, I do do good crepescular gloom, but find I have to be in a good mood to do so. Like quill/will and note the l's and m's in the last 6 lines seem pleasing for some reason. Is m a particularly pleasing letter I wonder.

[Faith Jones]

This is a lovely sonnet John, but you would have to change the word "humorous" to "witty" or "funny" for it to scan perfectly. Or did you want to break out? In that case it worked beautifully.
I couldn't find the photo! There is no "photo" archive in the list. I went through all the rubrics, too. Never mind.

[Gandré]

I thought this is such a classically written sonnet, clever and having and showing good spirits!! It turns everything to positivism, stimulating poem, and it deserves a closed and contemplative reading, I loved this "So shave the quill, and pen a merry rhyme,
That scansion's jolly metres may be spread;" This was also entertaining in a sophisticated way. thanks for sharing, be well. l.gandr�

[Fabian G. Franklin]

YES, A very cheerful, lifting write, thank you for the uplift.

[Fran Marie]

Such woe is not the way I wish to tread.
No! 'tis for me sheer sweetness to write verse.
My poetry consists of cake, not bread,
Of open sports car, rather than of hearse.

Oh, I love this! this is so true of Sonnets~

They seem to be so full of drama

and woe is me type verse much of the time

much more so than merry blithe and jolly rhyme!

Tho~ I am asking for Sonneteers to lend me thy tears~ I'll consider this as Tears of Laughter~

and I like the thought of the sports car rather than the Hearse~ lol~

THanks John, for submitting this lovely penned sonnet to the Sonneteers/Tears Contest~

Fran Marie