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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.
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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.
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Andrew Yeager is a Lutheran pastor who lives in Decatur, Indiana.
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.
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.
Your Villanelle for the Prodigal Son is beautiful in rhythm, imagery and truth. Thank you.
What a superbly sculptured sonnet. A beautiful, sublime, well- constructed poem. Well written, Andrew.
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!