The Walter Robin Manuscripts
The Sonnets

My thoughts of you are like the rain,

A cleansing calm that o’er me flows.

My joy and wit grand heights attain,

Like sprouts of spring new virtue grows.

The friendly clouds bring welcome gray

Yet cast no shadow on my soul,

And shield my heart from desert day

With lightning flash and thund’rous roll.

And if this storm brings passion’s flood,

To carry doubt and fear away,

To cleanse the heart and heat the blood,

Then whisper so, and in the day

We two are one, know then the sky

Shall weep for joy, and so shall I.

Author's Notes

My first sonnet. I was actually trying for a Shakespearean style, but miscounted the syllables. However, I have found one example of a Shakespearean sonnet using 8 syllables per line, rather than the usual pentameter.

Quadrameter is somewhat easier to handle, and I do like the bouncy effect. However, you are generally limited to one- and two-syllable words in order to make the iambics work out.

Copyright © 1996, Andy Borman (Walter Robin). All rights reserved. Contact to reprint.