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a collection of literature from poets, bards, songwriters, and skalds in the SCA

Sonette XXX

olivier's picture
olivier
Poem (Canso): 

Up a difficult and dangerous way
Do I take my leave of this hellish place.
Stumble I oft to approach Heaven’s space
And without beauty’s aid I me dismay.
These fears with single glance I could allay,
But want I not to heed that liar base
And risk return alone in full disgrace.
Yet even now cries cock again for day
Without a glimpse in sight of long shadow
That might from her stretch to before mine eye
And grant me relief without breaking vow,
But nothing comes to send that fear awaye.
In full pain I reject that urge to love
The one whose loss did joy of life remove.

Documentation / Explanation (Razo): 

1. “Up a … hellish place.”: I did not want to mimic the Inferno too closely here, as Dante and Virgil exit Hell by moving through a small, dark chasm that can be interpreted as Satan’s anus. I was also inspired by Petrarch's letter about ascending Mt. Ventoux and its similarity to the difficult climb of the soul towards Heaven. 
13. “In full pain … life remove.”: Orphos makes a mistake here in assuming that his denial of acknowledging Euredissa (by voiding Hades’ wager) is the same as a denial of their love altogether.