Love

Paraphrasing William Shakespeare and Paul of Tarsus and Sosthenes in Ephesus

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A Poetry Riddle

“I have five feet!”
“Five feet you say?”
“Why do you three more
Than me for I have only two
That get me through my day?”

“I have five feet
A beating heart
A pulse that pumps in time
A rhythm that just rocks my feet
To tap the ‘di-dum’ rhyme”

“Now I’m confused”
I say to you
“I’m baffled and perplexed
What thing with feet has more than two
That speaks? Whatever next?”

Sonnet To Will Shakespeare

So trying something a little different especially for children, but hopefully adults can enjoy this as well.

If Music Is The Food Of Love

If music is the food of love
Then words will also be
The rhythm of an inner soul
That’s beats so wild and free

The metre of a heart’s desire
Expressions vent so true
Transcending destiny and life
As lexicon imbue

The passion of sweet harmonies
That dwell within so pure
And cadence of life’s symphony
Cross staves that dance for sure

The tonic of all emphasis
That swells to thus define
That music as the food of love
Tangos with words entwined

Sonnet To The Bard

Shakespeare, poetic prince with priceless crown
From age that’s gone yet still imprints on me
The bard, the playwright, son of Stratford town
Words eloquent for all eternity
Where time has no beginning and no end
The alpha and omega of such verse
That goes before to now so greatly penned
Across the literal sea and universe
But not esteemed throughout his own short life
That spanned just five decades and then two years
A man who countered academic strife
Yet now as national poet is revered
       Still ghost of Shakespeare haunts the world’s huge stage
       As man with many parts survives the age

This was long thought to be the only portrait of William Shakespeare that had any claim to have been painted from life, until another possible life portrait, the Cobbe portrait, was revealed in 2009. The portrait is known as the ‘Chandos portrait’ after a previous owner, James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos. It was the first portrait to be acquired by the National Portrait Gallery in 1856. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sonnet To Infinite Love

Love heralds in the sun, the stars, the moon
The universe beyond and milky way
The essence of the sea it does festoon
Love’s ocean depths and mountain’s height display
With radiance ablaze in its pure light
Love’s hope embracing planetary zeal
Unchanging, constant, sure and ever bright
It harnesses, protects. Love is the deal
And yet it is has no limits, will not wait
Cannot be summoned or called in at will
Love is not bound in fear or found in hate
Nor held a hostage tethered or kept still
       For love a force that is forever free
       Extends beyond; goes past infinity

Sonnet to the Spring

What leads the eye as life slowly appears?
Through misted dawn the sun beams forth her rays
What sights behold the oracle so clear?
As morn dispels the night, awakens day
And sound rings true through fragrant fresh new air
As peel of bells echo across the dale
And resonance vibrates in ear so fair
The choir of birds sing out behind the veil
But wait the skein of geese fly out of sight
And caw of crow breaks coarse save feel deaths sting
As winter bit and bid a last goodnight
The summer heat to soon burn out the spring
          Still cowslip, bluebell and the first cuckoo
          Emerge afresh; the verdant earth renew

Did you know that today (23rd April) would have been Shakespeare’s 450th birthday? He surely was the master of all sonnets – having attempted this my first sonnet, what it would be to be able to write as prolifically as the famous bard.  

Hatchlands Park (Photo credit: Mabacam)