Friday 3 June 2016

One less petal



Suppose it’s only thirteen, does it stop
being a sonnet? and suppose it’s not about
unrequited love, shakily devout?
would you agree it can still do the job?
Does an extra slant rhyme completely rob
it of meaning, the whole open to doubt?
Must every poem tow a line, never drop

its guard for even a single minute? lest
it’s called unflattering names - pseudo, fake.
If the rose had one less petal, you’d contest
its right to be a rose? Then why can’t this break
away from arbitrary rules? let it rest,
be thirteen, without being called a mistake.







22 comments:

  1. Works for me!
    Simple and yet it asks the deeper questions. Well done, Nila.

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    1. 'Suppose s/he's only xyz, does s/he stop
      being a human?...'

      Thank you, for reading, and for your understanding.

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  2. Rules are made to be broken.
    Particularly in the language of the heart.

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    1. Yes, they are indeed. Or less drastic, bend the rules to suit! :)

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  3. Thank you for this enjoyable post

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    1. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for being here.

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  4. One petal less does not make a difference. A rose is a rose is a rose. So wonderful!

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    1. Exactly! Defined by its DNA and not its appearance. Thanks for visiting.

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  5. Always had a soft corner for poor reviled number 13 :)

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    1. Me too! Actually I have one for all the primes. :)

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  6. Know the rules, then feel free to break them!

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    1. hmmm...not sure I know them well enough, but I break them sometimes inadvertently anyway..

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  7. as long as the words flow, who's counting?

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    1. Ah, I'm surprised sometimes at the numbers who do :)

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  8. Hi Nila - we all break the mould - the usual is as we expect, but it's good to be knocked out of our stupor ... making us sit up and think as we read, see, or listen ...

    If a rose had lost a petal - I'd know it's still a rose .. it has other attributes ... cheers Hilary

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    1. Hi Hilary, it would still have the same perfume, right? :)

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  9. I believe a good writer can break most any rule, when it is done for a reason, for emphasis, for art. I came this way for the AtoZ Road Trip. Enjoyed my look around so much, I'm putting you down as a follow!
    Barbara, blogging at Life & Faith in Caneyhead

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    1. Thanks for being here and the follow, Barbara. I remember your A-Z posts well - childhood memories. A treat to read.

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  10. It's not hard to break the rules, you just have to take the criticism that comes with the choice. Don't the luckiest clovers have four leaves not three? Lovely!

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    1. Well said, Yolanda! Nailed it as usual. 'Take what you want and pay the price, says God.'

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  11. Lol you put my heart out,but sadly i finally gave up the idea of manipulative sonnet ;) with due respect, literature has to be preserved :)

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    1. No intention of putting anyone out or manipulating anything...and don't really think literature is in any danger of extinction as of now :) thanks for visiting!

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