from Sonnet 56

 

Original Sonnet #56
by William Shakespeare

 

Sweet love, renew thy force, be it not said

Thy edge should blunter be than appetite,

Which but today by feeding is allayed,

Tomorrow sharp'ned in his former might.

 

So love be thou, although today thou fill

Thy hungry eyes, ev'n till they wink with fullness.

Tomorrow see again, and do not kill

The spirit of love with a perpetual dullness.

 

Let this sad interim like the oceans be

Which parts the shore, where two contracted new

Come daily to the banks, that when they see

Return of love, more blest may be the view;

 

As call it winter, which being full of care,

Makes summer's welcome, thrice more wished, more rare.

 

 

Noun Plus Seven

 

Sweet love game, renew thy forecaster, be it not said

Thy editor should blunter be than apple-jack,

Which but today by feeling is allayed,

Tonality sharp'ned in his former mildew.

 

So love game be thou, although today thou fill

Thy hungry eyebright, ev'n till they wink with fullery.

Tomorrow see again, and do not kill

The spirochete of love with a perpetual dumbbell.

 

Let this sad interleaf like the ocotillo be

Which parts the shortcake, where two contracted new

Come daily to the banker, that when they see

Revelation of love game, more blest may be the vigilante;

 

As call it winter melon, which being full of carfare,

Makes sumpweed's wellcurb, thrice more wished, more rare.  

 

 

Imagist

 

the river banks are white

town and bell covered

 

the last water moving

slows to a freezing

 

love is fast asleep

summer far away

 

tip of a branch

taps on the window

 

 

Objectivist

 

You've had enough love today.

Tomorrow you'll want more.

 

My eyes on edge for you,

the granary half-full.

 

A wave splits the shore;

a welter of shore birds scatters.

 

Touch is near the skin,

soon to be asunder.

 

Desire by the numbers—

winter all summer long.

 

Chance has brought me here.

Candlelight:  white birches.

 

               

Lounge Singer

 

Come home, baby, come back again.

You've been gone too long;

It's a world of pain you put me in.

Please bring back your song!

 

You're so sweet, you're my appetite.

Fly back tonight and sing.

Just a nibble, honey, to get us going.

A bite from you's the thing!

 

Give me a little then give me more,

Eat me with your hungry eyes.

Close them when you've had enough

You're my heart and my surprise.

 

Let's have a party, tonight no dullness

Love's the ocean in which we'll drown.

Come on, let's put our hearts together.

Love's a fool and I'm its clown.

 

Bring it back!  Shake it down south.

Burn away my winter weather.

If you don't care, I don't either.

Let it fall, light as a feather,

Yes, let it fall, light as a feather.

 

 

Free Verse

 

Sweet love, be strong. 

Don't let it be said your edge

 

is sharper than your appetite.

The snack we share today

 

makes us want

even more tomorrow.

 

You filled your

hungry eyes

 

to fullness; you'll open

them again, I promise.

 

Love can withstand

even its own boredom.

 

Let the pause in love,

like a tidal wave flooding the shore,

 

create the banks

where we can stand

 

to see love flowing back,

freshening the view.

 

What's fervently desired

is always rare.

 

We call it winter when,

being full of absence, 

 

it makes summer's tongue

more welcome.

 

 

Epigram

 

Desire is not having; what's most desired is love.

They loved the emptiness with which love filled them.