Swato's Squidly Sonnets

[Sibling DavidH]

No downside there for otherwise he'd lose / His very life. A prospect I'd call dim

Nice!

[Swatopluk]

A rather jumbled fairy tale (part 6)

'Be careful guys!', now said the ferryman
'There's lots of queer folk out there on the road
Though I'm secure while I am on the boat
You are fair game, if shit should hit the fan.'

He had but barely finished speaking when
A bell rang out. A gaunt man in black coat
Required passage. Pointed with brim broad
His hat concealed a face of greenish tan

By his left hand he led a sallow horse
Which pulled a cart that carried rotting hay
And when he spoke, his voice was harsh and coarse

'Hey, ferryman! There's no time for delay'
How could a frail sound carry so much force?
To hear it left no choice but to obey


A rather jumbled fairy tale (part 7)

'Avert your eyes, for he is the Ankou!'
The boatman's voice a whisper in their ear
'When he is out then someone's death is near
Don't tempt your fate, he might else come for you!'

Across the stream and back the ferry flew
All were afraid of him who sheds no tear
Except the wolf who showed no sign of fear
'Bonjour monsieur! Je suis le loup-garou.'

'Spare me your French!', the pale one did reply
'How jumbled is the nature of this tale?
If this was sound, you all would surely die

What will be next? Old Ahab and his whale?
Am I just here some extra lines to buy?
It looks as if the plot went off the rail.'

[Swatopluk]

A rather jumbled fairy tale (part 8 )

'Ahoy you guys! Will no one notice me?
I need in haste this river here to cross
I have no time to wait and gather moss
And, ferryman, I know how you get free.'

'That is my cousin.', blue boy said with glee
'He's acting as if he was here the boss
We'll get that out of him (to no one's loss)
And if we have to nail him to a tree!

So boatman get him over here and fast
The plot is in great need now to progress
Once this damned whale and one-legged guy have passed'

Indeed the story has become a mess
And true what just in jest Ankou had asked
His reasoning was sound, I do confess



A rather jumbled fairy tale (part 9)

Let's now go quickly through the next events
One life the cat lost to a passing truck
Princess and Lucky took time for a nice game of chess
(Why spoil an opportunity god sends?)

Old dog and wolf made use of an old fence
To shield from view a cautious kiss and hug
The rest drank beer from ferryman's big jug
But soon arrived the time to strike the tents

'Farewell old man, forget not what I told
You'll soon be free to leave this dismal shore
If you take action undeterred and bold

Hand to the next who comes to thee the oar
That you have wielded since the days of old
You walk away, he'll drudge for evermore


Corbies and Lordies

Above the field of battle crows do fly
The ravens gather for a festive meal
They will not wait for shed blood to congeal
To make a living where the humans die

No need for them to shout the battle cry
No need for them to wield the cruel steel
To them the warlords' slogans lack appeal
For glory or God's blessing they don't vie

The lords who cause this don't for peasants care
If some remain in uniforms to dress
To die for them. Who says that life is fair?

Don't blame the birds, they clean up our mess
Just grant them the odd eyeball here and there
They take the pawns that fall in 'Great Men's' chess

[Sibling DavidH]

Ay, 'tis yon twa corbies a' richt!

But expanded in scope.

[Swatopluk]

That old song was indeed one inspiration (but so were a few Russian songs)

[Swatopluk]

Lombard Regalia

Oh smith, let fall thy heavy hammer down
Let on the anvil sharp the metal ring
A noble task it is for our great king
Of Lombardy to forge the iron crown

Oh shuttle, fly to weave the royal gown
Adorn the collar with a gray wolf's skin
Of lead be cast the shoulder fastening pin
For luxury our lord shall not be known

A warrior he, his sceptre be a mace
Of lead the core, the edge of hardened steel
The foe in battle he'll meet face to face

When his arm strikes the enemy shall reel
And flee the field before his eyes' mere gaze
Their nobles shall before his throne soon kneel

[Sibling DavidH]

Now that one is really good.  Top marks.  Plus you're getting the old enjambement down to a fine art.  No longer always so sharply marked.

I don't know much about the Lombards.  I take it this was a real tradition?

[Swatopluk]

Well, I made most up from the popular image.
E.g. the crown (still in existence) is not made from iron but just contains an iron ring allegedly made from one of the nails used to fix Christ to the cross.
The Langobards were known to be ferocious even compared to other Germanic barbarians and to be devout Odin worshippers.
Originally the whole poem was to be about the forging of the crown but (partially due to the lack of harmonizing that with the available rhymes) got then extended to other stuff produced for the king.
The finale about the king's mace owes a lot to the national anthem of Denmark.
Somehow I have a tendency for violent imagery. Not good at all with the traditional topics of sonnets (the single love poem being a very rare exception).
I should go back to the 'challenge' to force myself to stick with less bloody stuff (even if it is based on randomly chosen words).
Until now I managed to stick with the strict Italian form. It helps to keep discipline (but as already stated it often makes the second quartet the weak part). I admit to have slipped into 'impure' rhymes occasionally (e.g. skin and ring) because otherwise I got stuck. But looking at some sonnets from 'serious' poets I find that they commit that sin on a regular base too

[pieces o nine]

I admit to have slipped into 'impure' rhymes occasionally (e.g. skin and ring) because otherwise I got stuck. But looking at some sonnets from 'serious' poets I find that they commit that sin on a regular base too

Et ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis...
ite plura scribam   





~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
My ecclesiastical Latin is rusticus, so that may be hideously wrong!

[Swatopluk]

The Descent of Ishtar

Proud Ishtar spoke 'The upperworld is mine
My sister calls the underworld her own
But I shall sit on Ereshkigal's throne
And she shall taste defeat's cup full of brine!'

She took the tablets of the laws divine
The Venus star on her brow brightly shone
And many rings carved out of precious stone
Adorned her wrists and gems her garments fine

Irkalla's guards, each time she passed a gate,
Took piece by piece her jewels and her dress
Until she was denuded and prostrate

Her sister turned on her the Gaze of Death
Imposed on her what is a mortal's fate
Down Ishtar fell bereft of life and breath


This one is almost a textbook case of orthodox sonnet structure. The quartets and tercets are clearly separated while still corresponding.
Quartet 1: Exposition, Ishtar states her goals
Quartet 2: The preparation for the task
That's the 'up' part
Tercet 1: the trip itself, reversal of the 2nd quartet
Tercet 2: Conclusion, reversal of the 1st quartet
That's the 'down' part

To rhyme -ess on -eath should make it easier for non-native speakers

[Swatopluk]

Viking Honour

What honour means will teach you this old lay
A viking walked with all the world at ease
He passed a hut when light began to cease
The cotter called and asked our man to stay

'The night is near, friend, rest from your long way
Come in with me to share my bread and cheese
Brown beer I have and mead the tongue to please
Sweet be your dreams on beds of fresh mowed hay!'

He woke up early, grass still wet from dew
His host asleep he skipped the morning meal
Instead he took all cash (and clothes too)

But soon the pangs of conscience he did feel
He turned right back, the cottager he slew
An honest man will/may rob but never steal!

[Swatopluk]

The Dweller in the Deep

In the abyss beyond the plumbline's reach
Where even slimy hagfish will not dare
To search for food, he has his hidden lair
Around it bones of whales are left to bleach

Unless a seaquake brings him near a beach
His ventures to the surface are quite rare
Then sharp ammonia (stench) will fill the air
He is no humble sea monk out to preach

Woe to the man who walks too near the swell
Woe to the ship that passes overhead
He'll pull them down and drag them straight to hell

'A myth', say some, 'as old wives love to spread'
Few that have seen him lived the tale to tell
But sailor's know, it fills their soul with dread

[Swatopluk]

At last I have finished my triplet of sonnets on The Quest of Iranon
Slightly disappointed about the results.

The Quest of Iranon I - Teloth

'Oh people, will you listen when I sing
Of golden Aira? Many songs I made
To praise the place where as a boy I played
And where has ruled my father as the king'

'Be silent, boy! For art is not the thing
That Teloth values. Singers get not paid
To Athok go to learn the cobbler's trade
Gods wish the hammer not the harp to ring'

'Ignore the old guys' orders, oh fair bard!
Instead to distant Oonai you should go
Take Romnod with you, let us soon depart'

'As my companion one thing you must know
The way is long, the Karthian Hills are hard
Into a man will little Romnod grow'

The Quest of Iranon II - Oonai

Young Romod grew into a lad quite tall
For while they travelled many years passed by
Before at last they reached the famed Oonai
But Iranon seemed not to age at all

His songs found praise there in the royal hall
And Romnod comfort (this I won't deny)
But 'Shallow joy' would Iranon oft sigh
'It cannot silence in me Aira's call'

The crowds got bored, embraced another fad
Wild belly dancers won the favor crown
And too much wine would soon kill Romnod dead

Then Iranon departed from the town
When to his friend last homage he had paid
Alone again in tattered purple gown


The Quest of Iranon III - Finis

'Oh shepherd! I seek Aira full of song
And so familiar does this land appear
I have the feeling that she must be near
I beg you, old man! Tell me I'm not wrong!'

'I know of Aira but times have been long
That last of her was spoken to my ear
By one though mad still to my heart so dear
My childhood friend. His name was Iranon'

In purple, crowned with vine leaves withering
An old man walked beneath a moon so bright
Into the quicksands, gaze unwavering

As if on golden domes was set his sight
Mankind be sad and know this night a thing
Of youth and beauty in this world has died

[Swatopluk]

A rather jumbled fairy tale (part 10)

'The witches have joined forces with Snow White
The dwarfs are led by Puss as their head goon
The ride Goat's kids, so they can be here soon
We'll set a trap, we are too few to fight

By mail we'll tell the King to come tonight
With ransom money ere yet sets the moon
Or else his daughter will be dead/get raped by noon
For his foul deeds that would just serve him right

Without a doubt he'll send the dwarfs to fetch
Us unaware that he's full of deceit
He'll soon see that in us he's found a match

Down by the road the Pale One they will meet
And will attack him thinking he's their catch
At dawn their bodies will the ravens feed'



A rather jumbled fairy tale (part 11)

His goons all gone the King did come at last
Himself to solve the problems he had wrought
But only in his own nets to be caught
In fairy-tales the bad will be down cast

Enchained the hostage she-wolf he held fast
A witch disguised as cabbage also brought
His third companion? Who else but the Goat?
(About her children's fate she was aghast)

They came down to the river and were told
That those they sought were on the other side
And that the boat just three objects could hold

'Two passengers and me' the boatman cried
'You must pay in advance in shining gold'
(I think you guessed already that he lied)

[Swatopluk]

A perilous choice

Three goblets on the onyx table stand
Of gold, of silver and of common lead
Our cruel lord, he wants to see you dead
To choose and empty one he will command

The golden cup will burn away your hand
Of furnace fire does he glow so red
No silver, frozen mercury instead
The icy touch of this you can't withstand

The leaden goblet you will not survive
If round its middle is your fingers' grip
Well-hidden poisoned thorns cut like a knife

And let the polished rim not touch your lip
Or radium cancer will consume your life
Just use a straw and safely you can sip