Across the lands where once his will held sway
(Save that black corner which is Belarus!)
Long since were Lenin's statues lugged away,
Their bronze recast to democratic use.
His broken marble face outstares the sky,
Thousandfold, in a distant Moscow park,
And, while new powers wrangle where it should lie,
His corpse, untended, lingers in the dark.
Yet Lenin lives! From Brest to Bering Sea
The bureaucrats keep their accustomed places;
Graft, indolence and petty tyranny
Deep graven on their unresponsive faces.
Still Lenin's spirit stalks the land... but then
It is not easy to recycle - men!
Author notes
This relates to the legacy of Communism - I hope that fits your criteria...
You may recognize in this certain echoes of works by Shakespeare and Francis Thompson. These are quite deliberate.
A contest entry
- CCCP by unknownpleasure.
301 points, ended March 28, 2007, 7 entries
Silver trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - biggest contest in allpoetry history! (i hope) need 1,000 entries!! by Gasp.
1300 points, ended July 11, 2007, 638 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Sonnets by Edna Sweetlove.
750 points, ended July 8, 2007, 13 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Contest About Russia by Sir Holy Kangarou.
500 points, ended August 14, 2007, 11 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Sonnets, sonnets, and more sonnets by RatherImaginative.
1925 points, ended September 8, 2007, 40 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - I AM A SUCKY SONNET WRITER SONNET CONTEST by Swan song.
850 points, ended January 4, 2008, 24 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Its about the poetry, not the points!!! by mcw120588.
375 points, ended June 6, 2008, 17 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - prewrites contest!!!!!!!!!!!! enter!!!!! by foreveryourslove.
1120 points, ended November 9, 1065 entries
• next poem in this contest, • Add to finalists list, or remove from contest
PLEASE do not feel obliged to comment. But if you do, please understand that it may be some time before I can acknowledge it.
Comments
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This is very smooth in flow and a lovely sonnet I love the history of this piece. Well done and good luck.
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Lines 7, 9, and 11 have too many syllables.
It is so true that for all communism is "dead" in Russia and its former republics, many of the same leaders are still in power. Given that, is it truly dead? The imagery you used underscores the sonnet's message wonderfully. Thanks so much for entering my contest! -
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I am glad you were able to respond to this poem on an imaginative level.
However, I do have to contradict you on a technical matter -namely the said lines do NOT have too many syllables!
11-syllabled lines ending in a feminine rhyme are absolutely permissible in the Shakespearean tradition Shakespeare himself did it frequently - e.g. "Farewell, thou art too dear for my possessing"... I know that some Allpoetry members seem to think otherwise - but I prefer to follow the master himself.
And line 7 has 10 syllables only. Or are you one of those people who pronouce powers as a disyllable? -
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Hmmm, you make it appear an affliction to pronounce power with 2 syllables. I'm not sure how else it would be pronounced. I've counted and recounted, and still come up with 11 syllables in line 7, but as you will.
And my mistake: it was lines 10 and 12, not lines 9 and 11 with the extra syllables.
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