Form Fridays... a day late

The sonnet is perhaps the most familiar poetry form in America - or at least the most familiar among American high school students who bother to pay attention in class. I don't remember when I first was introduced to the sonnet, but I was probably in my "if it rhymes, it's not serious poetry" phase. Bah! That makes me laugh in retrospect. The first time I tried to seriously write a sonnet, it kicked my butt! I had the nerve to bring it to a workshop where it was totally shredded by the facilitator (good times). So, this isn't a first draft, but it definitely isn't finished. I'm beginning to see a pattern.

NPM #13


"Photograph"

I had some pictures on the window pane.
The adhesive was caked up on the glass -
made foggy by a chilly autumn rain
that came with lightning's shriek and thunder's bass.

I see my old self in the photograph,
jealous that she's with my lover there.
Apparently he is making her laugh.
While I brood all alone and watch from here.

My present self, she despises my past,
and blames her for the heartbreak that we share.
The former says she could have made it last,
and it's my fault he's out of love with her.

But facing facts, that all I have is me,
We promise we'll be better company.
***


Again, I have done substantial editing while transcribing. I've strayed a bit from the rigidity of the form, which is surprising because I can be such a stickler for the rules. (It's a curse.) It's strange how being a little loose with the form has tightened up the poem itself. I'm still determined to write a good sonnet that obeys all the rules - just not today.