I await for your return every night
across the great sea, with each stroke & breath
you swim, following the path of my light
towards my arms, scented of lilac wreath
How bold are your lips, How strong are your arms
taking me to the highest peaks on earth
Your pleas of passion, readily disarms
sun-flaming my skin, pale as crescent moon
until a storm thunders, rising alarm
casting veil of darkness, mighty waves drown
your body- cold - piercing my side, deep blight
I throw myself from the high tower, doomed-
Choosing death, for without you every night
I'm a shadow, ever searching your light
Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Poetry form: Terza Rima Sonnet - 14 lines. I have used the following pattern: A1. b. A2... b. c. b... c. d. c... d. a. d... A1. A2.
Each night Leander would swim across a stretch of sea to meet his lover Hero, a priestess of Aphrodite. She would guide him by holding up a lighted torch. One night, during a storm, Leander drowned. The grief-stricken Hero threw herself from a tower. Here, the two dead lovers are shown in their tragic, final embrace.
A very good take on the mythology ... thanks for sharing :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you GS ~
Deletewow...way to rock the sonnet form grace....really moving as well...to live without the one you love...i would surely find myself on the end of that tower as well ready to jump...smiles...cool bit of story telling and nice emotional turn...
ReplyDeleteThis was my option for last Saturday's poetics on myths but decided to use the story for today's sonnet ~ Thanks for the lovely words ~ Smiles ~
DeleteThis is really classic beauty in the form of a sonnet, great like classic poetry.. and a story of love and death.. tragedy.
ReplyDeleteWow.
Thank you Bjorn ~
DeleteWhat a marvelous combination, mythos & terza rima sonnet; terrific impact, and romantic injection simultaneously. I love to write from myth and legend, finding the fantastical mired in the skirts of history.
ReplyDeleteSkirts of history, I like that ~ Thank you Glenn ~
Deletevery cool weave of sonnet and greek mythology....and deeply felt...so difficult to live on when the one you love is no longer there...
ReplyDeleteThank you Claudia ~ This was a fun challenge ~
DeleteThis is beautifully woven, Grace. Wonderful to read about such strong love.
ReplyDeleteIncredible again, just simply awe inspiring, I adore this Heaven.
ReplyDeleteThank you Matthew ~
Delete"Your pleas of passion, readily disarms
ReplyDeletesun-flaming my skin, pale as crescent moon
until a storm thunders, rising alarm"
Grace, I love this part! Perfect.
Awesome turn - a great subject you chose. Wonderful work.
Thank you Miriam ~
DeleteIt is hauntingly beautiful. The first stanza echoes my missing my husband (though he will return one day). And I am definitely a shadow without my light.
ReplyDeleteLovely sonnet, love the inspiration.
That is sad, I hope he returns one day ~ Thank you ~
DeletePlaying with myth as up it you steam, with such a serene stream.
ReplyDeleteThanks Pat ~
DeleteWe are shadows without our light.
ReplyDeleteWell done.
Anna :o]
Yes, we are ~ Thank you Anna ~
DeleteSo sad...but informed me of another myth I've previously missed out on.
ReplyDeleteLove how you've focussed on the traditional myth through a very personal and intimate perspective, and then used the framework of the terza rima to impose an even more classical atmosphere on the story.
ReplyDeleteGrace,
ReplyDeleteLovely write, the ending lines captured me within the pain of love.
You do so well with this form, and you have numerous memorable lines. The ending really stuck with me.
ReplyDeleteGrace, this was perfectly lovely and also quite sad. I didn't recognize the mythology behind the poem until I read your process notes, so thanks for that.
ReplyDeleteAs it was, I still felt keenly the loss of love as unbearable for the woman. God, I hope I never get like that, though! At least I live on the first floor... wink! Amytoad
calling with such a passion
ReplyDeleteI do a happy little penguin dance every time you do rhymes, Grace :)
ReplyDeleteSuccessful use of the form to dramatize a powerful tale. Well done.
ReplyDeleteNice pairing of form and content. That's something I have trouble with.
ReplyDeletewow...so visceral...evocative and heartfelt. Your ability to take these prompts and create such gorgeous pieces.
ReplyDeleteOh, the things we'll do or endure to be near to our love. That ending is a hammer, it hits hard.
ReplyDeletepositively stunning. I think this form flowed well with your tale of tragedy.
ReplyDeleteTo be so in love to be able to write such a sonnet is quite the accomplishment. I know it's not hard for you to do, but it is written so well and the melancholy ring throughout via use of the form makes this a classic, as Bjorn says ;)
ReplyDeleteOh lovely, these poetic forms just seem to suit your style...beautifully written!
ReplyDeleteas classic as the tale itself. Loved the effect of rhymes steming seemingly from the same word - arm, disarm...
ReplyDelete...Grace you lived up to the classic approach in writing a Terza Rima sonnet with the right dose of sadness & solitude throughout the entire piece... smiles... loved it!
ReplyDeleteNice treatment of the Greek myth.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful as always. I plan on returning to reread this.
ReplyDeleteI wrote about how hauntingly beautiful this poem was to me on my blog.
ReplyDelete