Author’s note: it’s been a very long time since you’ve last heard from the author. The author (Arthur) is feeling the itch again, and is catching up on that by sharing some treasured poetry from the past little while. [Author's note in note: This blog entry has been ported from another blog, and minor content edits have been made for clarity.]
The poem below helped me win the "Grand Prize" in a 2020 poetry contest. 2020 is not even close to over, even though it feels like it's already been about four years. Regardless, the seasons have changed, and this poem tries to capture that. It is a Shakespearean sonnet as a dialog between a winter spirit and a spring spirit whose relationship is coming to an unfortunate end. This poem, more so than my previous "award-winning" poem, I believe was justified in achieving "Grand Prize".
It started as raw material capturing the romantic angst and yearning present on earlier entries of this blog. That was potent crude oil. In fact, I read those posts and old journal entries for inspiration and motivation for one of the sonnet's character's. Dozens of drafts and revisions—and several peer reviews—are to thank for its final, refined form. You can see the raw fuel of this creation below.
Anyway, here is the poem.
VAIL (a spirit of winter)
A glacier crawls more quickly than the dark,
When all my waking thoughts surround your flame
I'd break my cracking chest and sighing heart
To know just one more day could stay the sameVERNA (a spirit of spring)
A new day dawns, I must now flee to grow,
To fly like wind, unbounded, free, and true,
To taste the dew, see all there is to sow
By letting go, the sky turns gray to blueVAIL
Let go? I feel I'm frozen in the pastVERNA
Be gentle with yourself, the present's thereVAIL
I cry to see no way our future lasts
But want for you to fly in warmer airVERNA
I see your heart as hearth, and mine the sun
This is to say, goodbye, my wintry one