Notes About The Poem

For the  Shakespearean Sonnet Poetry Contest of Craig Cornish

A Leaf in the Woods

I find myself upon the woodland’s floor.
Adrift am I each time wind starts to blow.
My brothers and my sisters are no more.
How long I’ve wandered I don’t even know!
I yearn for days of warmth when all was green
and birdsong filled the air. I miss my home.
I feel wind’s fury as I now careen.
My fate I dread. Oh, how long must I roam?
My color that changed crimson has grown dim.
Has God a care for me? I've withered small.
The cold comes creeping and the sky’s gone grim.
I tremble, sorrowing to see snow fall.
If verdant bliss awaits each dying tree,
what of its leaves? May snow come bury me.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2026

Poem

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Guptar Avatar
September 11, 2026 at 9:06 AM
Congratulations dear poetess on your win in this contest with a personification sonnet, putting yourself in the shoes of a leaf to tell its tale on a sorrowful tone.Wishing you a blessed day.
Watts Avatar
September 11, 2026 at 3:59 AM
Hi Andrea Congratulations on making the selection I enjoyed your poem Descriptive and a little sad Brrrr Cheers Chris
Richards Avatar
September 11, 2026 at 2:26 AM
Congratulations, Andrea.
Godwin Avatar
August 22, 2026 at 3:57 PM
This is beautiful but I find myself further confused about iambic pent. Maybe we can review this together sometime. I'm sure this will place. I didn't even know you could stop a sentence mid-line. All I do not know ... I tell you or I would if I knew the list. CayCay
Richards Avatar
September 11, 2026 at 2:25 AM
Sorry for butting in. There is an article here at PS which might be of interest: "Scansion in Poetry."
Dietrich Avatar
August 22, 2026 at 9:57 PM
Yes. Just table it for now. Iambic meter isn't always what you expect. It all depends on the placement of words. Sometimes a word normally stressed will become UNstressed by the other words you place next to it. Something to be discussed by phone
Godwin Avatar
August 22, 2026 at 7:34 PM
Sweetie, you put such effort into that and it's not one that confused me. Bless your entire heart entirely. aDRIFT am I each TIME wind (isn't wind a word that should be stressed?) 'My COlor THAT changed CRIMson' (isn't THAT a word that shouldn't be?) 'CREEPing AND the sky’s' (AND makes no more sense to me than THAT). It may be like long and short vowels in the 4th grade, I'm hopeless. Shall we table this for now? It's still early in your world but my brain has curled up for sleep. I am posting a new poem, so I hope I'm alert enough to handle that!!!!
Dietrich Avatar
August 22, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Sweetie. If you mean this line: I feel wind’s fury as I now careen. Let me show you how it is Iambic pentameter (it just happens to have ten syllables within shorter words) I will give strong stress all caps/ alternating with weak stress , syllables NOT bolded: I FEEL wind's FUry AS i NOW caREEN. The stressed parts are feel, fu, As, now and reen. Well, when I say that line, that's how I am thinking it in my mind. I wish I could get thru to you by phone. It'd be easier to explain that way!
Kendrick Avatar
August 22, 2026 at 2:31 PM
I like the personification of the leaf. I could feel its anguish as if it were a person lost in the woods. Way to go. Thank you for sharing this one with us. 👏✍️. Sara K.
Hind Avatar
August 11, 2026 at 10:20 PM
beautiful, love the two last lines
Crandall Avatar
August 9, 2026 at 3:33 PM
Nice meter - well done, poor little leaves!
Empress Avatar
August 9, 2026 at 3:55 AM
I really love the cadence of your rhymes and also the subtleness of your alliterations as well as the beautiful manner youv painted imagery sweet andrea! Ofcourse you must write for any sonnet contest, cus you know what you are doing! My sonnet is unmetered and unfinished Hah Best wishes Sending you light always 🌹🌹🌹
Etgen-Baker Avatar
August 8, 2026 at 4:01 PM
well constructed and flowing sonnet...especially liked the last two lines.
Gifford Avatar
August 8, 2026 at 8:48 AM
A very touching poem, beautifully written, Andrea. Wishing you a beautiful weekend my poet friend.
Gibbons Avatar
August 8, 2026 at 8:33 AM
Wow Andrea fantastic sonnet ✍️😍 hey you'd give Shakespeare a run for his money ❤️‍🩹✨ hugzzz friend have a blessed 🙌 weekend
Dietrich Avatar
August 8, 2026 at 3:58 PM
Not as good as Shakespeare but I have written many more sonnets than he did . Haha Thanks, Dorothy
Trifiatis Avatar
August 8, 2026 at 6:40 AM
This is a captivating poem whose true meaning becomes more apparent as we grow older. However, one thing never changes, my dearest Andrea: God's love and care for each...leaf!😍
Dietrich Avatar
August 8, 2026 at 3:59 PM
Yes. You got my meaning. Thank you
DiMino Avatar
August 8, 2026 at 5:16 AM
Yes, the leaf and we...subject to Nature's laws, perhaps in death only free? Deep poem with many profound allusions.
Daniel Avatar
August 8, 2026 at 3:33 AM
Ah! The leaf's lament, beautiful👏
Smith  Avatar
August 8, 2026 at 3:33 AM
What a sorrowful leaf. Such a well written sonnet.❤️
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