I thought I heard an owl call at dawn.
At once my thoughts by reverence were pawned.
I realized that fate comes at scheduled rounds,
my death the first of other ones.
I saw my funeral, like tapes rewound.
It rained a little, at the lonely grounds.
In January, sullen snows did rain,
my undead heart arrested by the cold.
I did not see the clouds which hailed the dead
or flutterings of birds that sought my bed.
The worms, so bitter, had no great effect.
Tears fell on deafened ears that rotted well.
For pearly gates await no sickly soul,
but solitude’s a gift for public holes.
...I'm sorry...I don't get it. I get some of it, but that just makes it worse.
ReplyDeleteActually, I just don't get the last two lines. I really like the idea that the Death god just sweeps everyone up at once, instead of running here and there. Very logical.
ReplyDeleteI know, eh? Death is such a logic nerd. Um, well, the last two lines doubt heaven, "pearly gates" an allusion to the "pearly gates of heaven", which wait for believers. However, "sinners" and "non-believers" have solitude and rest and don't get to go to heaven, portrayed in this sonnet as a gift for the public, not just the elite few who "believe". Sorry to any religious readers!
ReplyDeleteI really like this sonnet too, especially the last two lines. Also I admire how you can keep a serious tone even with rhyme, I generally hate rhyme but this is so well done. Oh, and yes, the idea of death being an ordered event is interesting.
ReplyDeleteRhyme is a funny thing and hard to handle sometimes (a bit annoying too sometimes). However, I like the effect it gives in this one! Thanks Hillary :) Death has an interesting place in people's minds. It's very intriguing and has a lot of different viewpoints attached to it.
ReplyDeleteohh, I see...but how do the two lines connect to each other?
ReplyDeleteSo basically, one line pretty much outlines how heaven's only open for believers but in the very last line, it's contrasted with the thought that solitude, rest, etc. in a grave (a "public hole") is for anybody.
ReplyDeleteis so nice/deep/cool/awesome, that I want to kick myself for not realizing it. well, I never was very good at riddles.
ReplyDelete