My spirit wandering this summer past
Did a wondrous, curious thing behold
While traveling forgotten paths, and old
Who weave their winding way through mountains vast
For thrusting out amidst the tangled grass
I spied a crippled sign post, lost in mold
There, writ upon its face in script of gold
I read but just two words: To Sassafras
In following, it brought me to a place
Of nature's beauty so feral and fey
I might have fallen off the planet's face
For not a sign of man could I survey
Though I've tried again to find that land revered
Like whispers in the wind it disappeared
Author notes
A Petrarchan Sonnet
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Comments
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Downstairs in my cupboard I have a tiny vial of Sassafras Tea, which was a surrendipitous find, and so dear I'll never try it. When I lived in the D.C. area I finally had the occasion to see a sassafras tree: their leaves have smooth varying lobes, unlike the mulberry's serrated varying lobes. I've read it tasted a bit like root bear, but I have no idea if it's so.
If line 13 bothers you, one thing to do would be to go whole hog and make it an Alexandrine, "Although I've tried again to find that land revered" or use "Although" and delete the "again". However, the 11 syllables is not enough of a variation to bother me and make me feel it breaks the rules of a sonnet.
I love your sonnet. I love your description of the paths, and the "crippled" sign. I love your choice of the word "mold" and your choice in the sestet of "feral and fey". I love the colloquial tone of voice in the line "I might have fallen off the planet's face"
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Thank you so kindly! What an interactive comment.
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And aye, Sassafras grows all over the places I've lived, and it does smell and taste like root beer. It's used to make a drink called Sarsaparilla, which is a variation of root beer.
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Please enter an older write per the contest guidelines. Thanks.
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Hauntingly Beautiful...
It was simply enchanting and carried me away on a fairytale adventyure....beautiful.... -
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Thank you!
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This is lovely! So beautiful! I'm so glad I found your poetry: I have a beautiful read before me!
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This is very neat and magical. I counted eleven syllables in the second to last line though. Other than that, it was great. I really love the rhyme scheme of the first half. It weaves everything together. Well done.
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