"Sacramento River Valley" by BierstadtA Love Sonnet and Other Poetry by Andrew Yeager The Society February 11, 2024 Culture, Love Poems, Poetry, Villanelle 5 Comments . Love Sonnet The glint of summer’s evening leaves a glow upon her cheek, so soft and plain and fair— the glister of the twilight hours show the rosebuds, luminescent in her hair. And all the earth now sings a lovely song— and all her creatures praises do employ as if, to bless my love so loud and long the very birds with trilling chirr for joy. And I am perfect with contentment here: the timbre of her quiet voice intones. To die within an instant moment near would only serve to bring contentment home. What should I say for love so full and sweet? A prayer to Love for lovers’ bliss is meet. . . Villanelle for the Prodigal Son I pull this rock upon its chain held fast by fetters on my feet across a beachhead in the rain. My ankles, weary and in pain, no traveler I dare to meet— I pull this rock upon its chain. The chain I made when out to gain the world, I left my Father’s street— sandcastle-building in the rain. How free was I, and fully sane, but now I trudge with fevered heat. I pull this rock upon its chain. How many live their lives in vain by heeding voices of deceit toward futile projects marred by rain? I look toward hillock’s lifted plane for mercy from those fettered feet. I pull this Rock upon its chain across a beachhead in the rain. . . Andrew Yeager is a Lutheran pastor who lives in Decatur, Indiana. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Trending now: 5 Responses Roy Eugene Peterson February 11, 2024 Your love sonnet with unusual but sensitive sounds such as “glister” and “chirr” add luster to the depth of the love I feel in your heart and are on display in this precious poem. Love sonnets are works of art like a portrait in an art gallery and touch me when I read especially romantic ones like yours. The Prodigal Son verses bring to mind Charles Dickens and the chains forged in life. Your apt description would make a prodigal son weep. Thank you for both poems and the stirrings of my heart. Reply Angel L. Villanueva February 11, 2024 These days, love poems do not seem to be as esteemed as they once were. I know I still enjoy reading as well as writing that type of poetry. In my view, such expressions of love for one’s mate light up the heart, keeping alive the memories from when they first fell in love. I very much enjoyed reading your sonnet. The feeling of love comes through in your words, and the use of imagery paints a blissful scene. The parable of the Prodigal Son is an instructive one. I like the use of that parable as a theme for your villanelle. Dealing with the consequences and burdens of choices made in pursuing what the world offers can be discerned in the above lines. Thank you for sharing. Reply Gigi Ryan February 11, 2024 Your Villanelle for the Prodigal Son is beautiful in rhythm, imagery and truth. Thank you. Reply Gary Borck February 13, 2024 What a superbly sculptured sonnet. A beautiful, sublime, well- constructed poem. Well written, Andrew. Reply Margaret Coats February 14, 2024 An incomparably natural love song, Andrew, with the beloved appearing in and fading into natural images. Nature finishes off with birdsong, turning directly toward the lady’s quiet voice as it perfects the experience of the lover. Yet the concluding prayer manages to move decorously beyond even this. Admirable! Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Roy Eugene Peterson February 11, 2024 Your love sonnet with unusual but sensitive sounds such as “glister” and “chirr” add luster to the depth of the love I feel in your heart and are on display in this precious poem. Love sonnets are works of art like a portrait in an art gallery and touch me when I read especially romantic ones like yours. The Prodigal Son verses bring to mind Charles Dickens and the chains forged in life. Your apt description would make a prodigal son weep. Thank you for both poems and the stirrings of my heart. Reply
Angel L. Villanueva February 11, 2024 These days, love poems do not seem to be as esteemed as they once were. I know I still enjoy reading as well as writing that type of poetry. In my view, such expressions of love for one’s mate light up the heart, keeping alive the memories from when they first fell in love. I very much enjoyed reading your sonnet. The feeling of love comes through in your words, and the use of imagery paints a blissful scene. The parable of the Prodigal Son is an instructive one. I like the use of that parable as a theme for your villanelle. Dealing with the consequences and burdens of choices made in pursuing what the world offers can be discerned in the above lines. Thank you for sharing. Reply
Gigi Ryan February 11, 2024 Your Villanelle for the Prodigal Son is beautiful in rhythm, imagery and truth. Thank you. Reply
Gary Borck February 13, 2024 What a superbly sculptured sonnet. A beautiful, sublime, well- constructed poem. Well written, Andrew. Reply
Margaret Coats February 14, 2024 An incomparably natural love song, Andrew, with the beloved appearing in and fading into natural images. Nature finishes off with birdsong, turning directly toward the lady’s quiet voice as it perfects the experience of the lover. Yet the concluding prayer manages to move decorously beyond even this. Admirable! Reply