Poem: From The Deference Sonnets

From The Deference Sonnets

To KL, with Helleborus niger, the Christmas rose that by legend

sprouts in the snow from the tears of a young shepherd girl who

could not afford to buy a present for Mary’s Bethlehem child.

VI.

Passion’s flower grows not from fields content

To seaward wall it clings where all life’s wind

Does turn its face from sweetness’ frail augment

To stronger bloom, that would slight pace rescind.

My troth do you recall that where we stepped

When first we called on fates to take our hold

Was not the rose-ed path of risk in-kept,

But taste of boar’s head bloom in love’s cry bold?

Such rose by name alone at Christmas’ door

That blooms with winter’s vigour as its van

Does seek not sun, nor cosset, to outpour,

As love we could, by choosing, as we can.

Such tryst that’s made by braving such a clime,

Stands when others fall, blooms beyond spring’s time.

XI.

As nature does to blush from verdant spring,

All others’ love does grow in way of this:

A summer’s journey in its time to bring

A flowering, that’s then from age remiss.

As man from youth does grow to be in prime,

All nature’s clans but one the seasons flout:

A spring and summer play that is their rhyme,

A harvesting, by winter written out.

As hellebore I take so for my own,

All does so give of reason and its reign:

A promise full of Christmas fields rich grown,

A flourishing, that can we so obtain.

So for my love and pen my hope must be,

Our life then grown to flower, in its majority.

InReview would like to thank all its readers and contributors for making the Poet’s Corner column the success it has been for another year, and wish them a most happy and safe festive season.

Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to [email protected]. Submissions should be in the body of the email, not as attachments. A poetry book will be awarded to each accepted contributor.