We haven't published any sonnets on IS&T for some time but this one really ticked all the boxes – in a pleasantly subversive way…
A sad soggy sonnet
She wore a lampshade on her head that day
despite the warnings of the weather man
who promised rain. She missed the bus, so ran
and splashed through floods and puddles all the way
arriving late for school, with dripping hair,
her lampshade’s tassels matted, limp and sad.
“I’m wet!” she cried. “Of course you are, you mad
deluded cow,” the teacher said, but where
a school friend has carte blanche to say such words
a teacher shouldn’t. “Ooh!” the whole class said
forgetting for a moment that a head
adorned with soggy lampshade looks absurd.
The teacher glared, the children shook with fear,
the lampshade-laden lassie shed a tear.
* Catherine Edmunds’ literary style is encapsulated in the title of her poetry collection wormwood, earth and honey. Her artwork veers between delicate portraiture, exploding dogs and decomposing toads.
www.freewebs.com/catherineedmunds/
Very absurd, Cathy — what a combination of ordinary, everyday life (missing the bus on a rainy day) and of course the Dr. Suess-esque touch of the soggy lampshade headgear with matted tassels. And the sonnet form — so precise on the one hand but rare enough to add to the sense of surreality — nice touch! I like it.
from the mad, deluded bint
please remember never [ever] turn on the lamp whilst standing in a rain-puddle.
… a sad sonnet that made me grin. very well done indeed!
daniel abelman
One of the best sonnets I've read in ages. My lampshade off to you, girl!
Cheers, John