Suzette Richards Poet Sonnet

Notes About The Poem

Out of the Darkness

Between grains of ancient fine sand
desert roses hidden from sight—
Colourful, exquisitely fanned.
They formed in darkness; pressure shaped.
Each perfect corolla agape
in floral whorl of sharp crescents;
fluorescent and phosphorescent.   
 
Against injustices they railed—
within shed tears, I saw their plight.
In our moral duty we’ve failed.
Their troubled spirits to immerse  
in laughter which abounds in verse. 
Pococurante obedience.
Parting: an Aubade in a sense.

POET'S NOTE
Updated 25th Aug with the mosaic rhyme in the final two lines:
obedience & Aubade in a sense.

Recommended reading: Desert rose selenite/gypsum.

POETIC FORM: Saraband sonnet (I used the BASIC French rhyme scheme, extended).

The Saraband(e) derives its name from a fast erotic dance of the 1500s of Mexico and Spain which originated in the East. It is a stanzaic form imitating the dance steps and written in any number of septets. The various forms consist of tercets (axa—‘x’ being unrhymed) or triplets (aaa); the chief difference being in the rhyme schemes of the quatrains: English (axa bcbc), Spanish (aaa bcbc), Italian (axa bccb OR aaa bccb), and French (only axa bbcc). Each subsequent stanza repeats the rhyme scheme set in the first stanza, but in the longer Saraband poems it is not unusual to mix Spanish, Italian and/or French septets. Any metrical foot; any metrical line—some authorities insist on octal syllabic lines rendering it minor art (= 8 syllables per line) but this is not cut and dry. 

Saraband Sonnet: It comprises 2 septets. Rhyme scheme: It depends on the form chosen. In the sonnet form, the rhyme schemes have been extended for the French variant (aZa in the tercets where 'z' rhymes), and Italian variant (aba cddc—thus, an addition ‘b’ in the tercets). Some examples can be found where the rhyme scheme for the second septet is progressive. It may be octasyllabic, iambic or trochaic tetrameter, or an extra foot (iambic pentameter) may be added to conform to the basic sonnet. The volta is at L8. I have experimented with the rhyme scheme: aza bbcc, dzd eeff.

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Joseph P. DiMino August 23, 2021 at 9:35 PM Very lovely imagery. Such exquisite use of language. For me, the desert in bloom is always entrancing. Suzette Richards August 24, 2021 at 6:09 AM Thanks for the compliment, Joe :))

Quoth Theraven August 22, 2021 at 3:56 PM Hello Suzette, Hey there. Your poem 'Out of the darkness' left me swimming. And the sonnet's form has piqued my interest. I agree with Regina, it is beautiful. You, teacher of a Saraband sonnet, suits you well. Desert Rose Selenite, a type of Selenite formed from a combination of water, wind, and sand. Perhaps the loneliest blooms, the ones we crave the most, and you captured every grain in fine style. -Richard Suzette Richards August 23, 2021 at 1:30 PM Oh, such high praise. I am blushing :)) Thanks, Richard.

Regina Mcintosh August 21, 2021 at 5:03 PM I love this! I might try it sometime. You've done an incredible job with this beautiful write. God bless you always, Love, Gina Suzette Richards August 21, 2021 at 9:56 PM Thank you, Regina. :))