Friday, January 16, 2009

Sannet 1: the Answer to the Profile Random Question

Read the poem first, then the explanation.

Sa when a mathematician makes a sheet
Of paper black with math-words writ in ink
And then with balance, equalness, mind fleet,
Solves it, jumps up and can't find words to speak;
Sa when a person steps upon a stage,
Encountering the foe most fearfully,
Sits upon his chair, begins, and plays,
He finds that he has won most joyfully;
Sa when the vision-blest souls, as gazelles
Do prance a dance upon Elysian hills
All gazing up upon the brightest wells
Of light Divine; transfixed but with free wills;
So is this small experience of bliss:
Children running through a water-sprinkler's fizz.

My random question was: What would be the name of your ballet inspired by children running through the sprinkler.

The meaning of "Sa"

"Sa" is a clause used only in poetic similies. It roughly means the same thing as "As," but with one subtle difference. In many poetic similies, one half of the simile, the half inside the "As" clause, is a 'common half,' the half that is assumed by the poet to be understood by the reader. The other half of the similie is the uncommon half, the half that the common half sheds poetic light upon. The limitation of this structure is that although many things may be used to enlighten one thing in the same sentence, the use of one thing to enlighten many things is a bit awkward. "Sa" gets around this difficulty by putting the things to be enlightened in the dependent clause.

English Sonnet form
All lines in Iambic pentameter
Rhyme Scheme: ABABCDCDEFEFGG
The GG lines summarize the poem

2 comments:

Ancient Greek Philosopher said...

Is this an english lesson?

Old Fashioned Liberal said...

Of course. If you treat it that way.