Working much more with blank verse than with traditional abab or abba rhyme schemes these days. Once again, my thanks to any and all who read them...

Arrant Knaves All
… Read full post »

The last four of these are blank verse, though still marginally in sonnet form. A series on love and love denied...with the last poem a reflection on the death of Michael Jackson.

 People often seem to have the strongest (and most condemnatory) opinions about others when they know not the… Read full post »

Finals, grading, and other such duties got in the way for a while, but it seems they are still there...waiting to emerge (for good, or ill, or indifference).

Once again, thanks to all who read them... 

EDIT (about 11AM PST): Adding another one at the end--came this morning. These six are… Read full post »

A cynical one, and one that definitely isn't...

The Tempter’s Refusal
I’ll not pretend to ignorance of what
You speak, nor what you are behind that mask
Of innocence. Your lies, though meant to cut,
Are foolish and transparent, as you task

Your targets with your own most shopworn sin,
Co… Read full post »

The affliction continues apace, it seems...three traditional sonnets, plus one experiment of form without form...the first two dark, the second two more optimistic (if such things matter). The first is loosely based on Paradise Lost, the second on the Zend Avesta, the third and fourth on nothing in p… Read full post »

A few more...four of them written today (Sunday), including the title piece. I fear there are too many, and too litle in them, but it has been something of an adventure to have them coming as they have. As Hamlet said to Horatio... "Something too much of this."

Thanks again, to… Read full post »

The muse...for better or worse...has been busy even while I was out of town. They're coming while on plane rides now. I guess it's better than reading the in-flight magazine...

Love’s Defense
What though I say I love you, what needs love
Its old excuse, or strong defense, by which
I… Read full post »

Two more...one in response to a colleague getting her article submission to a journal rejected (the peer-review system in academia serves strictly a gate-keeping, only-let-the-cool-kids-in function, protestations of academic integrity to the contrary...seen too much from the inside to buy that s… Read full post »

I was all set to watch the Cubs game on ESPN, but the weather in Chicago was performing its usual Spring dance of truculant non-cooperativeness, so I sat down in front of the computer instead. Four more sonnets...

Remembrance
In silent hours, when death seems sweet release,
Remembrance brings its heal… Read full post »

The nightly visitation (at least of late)...a little dark side/light side contrast.

Motiveless Malignity
Deception is a skill that can be learned
Like any other; master its technique,
And golden show, and all the world will turn
To you as if in honesty you speak.

The world hears only what it sore d… Read full post »

These are the sonnets I had posted earlier, one by one (thus causing some trouble with the feed). I am posting them here as a collection, though that collection is growing by the day (31 currently). For whatever reason, I don't quite know why, these just started hitting me about 3… Read full post »

My apologies to everyone who was annoyed by the fashion in which I posted. It won't happen again. It was a failure on my part to fully comprehend the workings of this site. My best to all...