A sonnet for Jasmine

A budding of white with green stalk so soft
Like fetal fingers of a garden nymph
Tiny drops of nurture push aloft
The gentle scent creating soothing symph-
-ony. Blooms reveal loudly notes in harmony
To dress a maiden’s song, to chant ancient
Prayers in chains framed for gods, formally
Presented. Bushes as aromatic bastions
To keep the outsiders lulled. I remember
These innocent floral sweets in arrangement,
Looking like liquorice swirls bicolored,
Divided arm-wise by wise hands on payment
On pavement; wearing on my hair Jasmine
From childhood, a fragrant tea stirring still.

(C) HumanityAshore from Flickr. CC BY-NC-ND2.0
Jasmine buds (c) HumanityAshore from Flickr. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

 

The poem was inspired by today's prompt at The Daily Post: The Transporter
Tell us about a sensation — a taste, a smell, a piece of music — that transports you back to childhood.

Also, I am practicing my sonnet writing skills. This is my second attempt, ever. All comments (and especially critiques) are welcome.

47 thoughts on “A sonnet for Jasmine”

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  2. What a beautiful sonnet, Sam! And so fragrant too. Loved the last lines – “Divided arm-wise by wise hands on payment
    On pavement; wearing on my hair Jasmine
    From childhood, a fragrant tea stirring still.”
    So evocative. Nothing compares to the fragrance of jasmine – in a bowl offered to the gods or on bedside, in hair or in tea.

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      2. Let’s see. I don’t know how it’ll be organised. If it’s anything like the course I am on then you work in the hours you can. There are assignment deadlines and discussion forums to keep checking in on. this is just my second online course and my first MOOC so let’s see. Excited! 🙂
        Current course is going well. The learning curve is super steep but helpful. Just 4 weeks ago I started consciously thinking about how to improve my imagist skills and now I am writing sonnets so there you go. 🙂 It’s hard and the coming assignment is a killer – villanelle or sestina (linked verses). Gosh! You’ll be able to read my efforts here 😉

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      3. I’ve never even heard of villanelles or sestinas. And not sure I can even write structured poetry, if I try and force writing my mind seems to rebel and refuses. I forced myself to write a sonnet, but that was mainly procrastinating from housework lol 🙂

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      4. I didn’t think I could do it either. It’s an interesting process I’ve come to realise. It’s very much a struggle for me. I needed an instructor and a group that’s struggling along with me. It’s difficult to understand it just from guide books. I don’t know how much the MOOC will dwell on formal poetry. But one major thing I’ve learnt is that poems need revisions. Something I never used to do.
        Also, I love the way you procrastinate! 😉

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      5. Yes, I did a one-day poetry workshop last year and we discussed revisions. We workshopped two poems of mine, and initially was going to add my originals to my book, but have decided after doing two rounds of editing to go with the workshopped ones. I think the editing process with a professional editor has helped me to ‘let go’, and realize my first attempts can actually be better, and there is always room for improvement. 🙂 The only thing is, like in IT the more I learn, the more I see how much I don’t know, it is sometimes more comfortable to be blissfully unaware lol. After that poetry workshop I never wrote again for about six months it made me feel that overwhelmed 🙂

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      6. I agree with you. It is overwhelming. I am a biologist and I have felt the same everyday. The bottom-line always is to do what the poem needs even if it is not “textbook”. That way you don’t lose your spirit/voice for the sake of a form. 🙂

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