Sonnet 6 by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares

When Do I Smile?

If any of my dreams can reach a land

Or many of them are worth some glances

While my closeness to this world advances

And I see rainbows by an ocean's strand.

If I mix sorrows with castles of sand

And Swim through the blue to find romances

Or nurse my soul with a fire that dances

As my countenance blooms to kiss a hand.

When it is so far that cold is painless

But I feel so much that life is endless

And thorns instead of hurting just beguile...

If deep in my mind there is not concern

For I see jungles of the oldest fern

That I do know that in my life I smile.

***

Sonnet written by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares. Analyzed by GPT4 and www.howmanysyllables.com

Image by Leonardo.ai

Copyright 1989

Analysis of "When Do I Smile?"

Sonnet 6 by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares, titled "When Do I Smile?", is a beautiful exploration of the human experience, dreams, and the perception of reality. It is written in the traditional sonnet form, with 14 lines and a specific rhyme scheme.

The sonnet begins with the speaker questioning the value and reach of his dreams. He wonders if they are worth attention and if they can reach a significant destination. This could be a metaphor for the speaker's aspirations and hopes, and their potential to be realized.

The speaker then describes his relationship with the world, using vivid imagery such as "rainbows by an ocean's strand" and "mix sorrows with castles of sand". These images suggest a sense of beauty and transience, as well as the intermingling of joy and sorrow in life.

In the third quatrain, the speaker talks about the paradox of feeling so much that life seems endless, yet being so far removed that cold becomes painless. This could be interpreted as the speaker's struggle with emotional intensity and detachment.

The sonnet concludes with the speaker expressing a sense of peace and contentment. Despite the challenges and complexities of life, he finds reasons to smile in the beauty and resilience of nature, symbolized by the "jungles of the oldest fern".

Overall, this sonnet explores themes of dreams, reality, emotional experience, and the beauty of nature. It suggests that despite life's hardships, there are always reasons to smile and find joy. (GPT4)

Analyze the rhyme of the sonnet 6 in detail

Sonnet 6 by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares follows the English or Shakespearean sonnet form in terms of its rhyme scheme. An English sonnet consists of three quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a final rhymed couplet. The rhyme scheme is typically ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.

Let's break down the sonnet:

1. If any of my dreams can reach a land (A)

2. Or many of them are worth some glances (B)

3. While my closeness to this world advances (A)

4. And I see rainbows by an ocean's strand. (B)

5. If I mix sorrows with castles of sand (C)

6. And Swim through the blue to find romances (D)

7. Or nurse my soul with a fire that dances (C)

8. As my countenance blooms to kiss a hand. (D)

9. When it is so far that cold is painless (E)

10. But I feel so much that life is endless (F)

11. And thorns instead of hurting just beguile... (E)

12. If deep in my mind there is not concern (F)

13. For I see jungles of the oldest fern (G)

14. That I do know that in my life I smile. (G)

So, the rhyme scheme of this sonnet is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, which is characteristic of the English sonnet. This structure allows for a logical progression of thought, with each quatrain developing a distinct idea or argument, and the final couplet providing a resolution or summary. (GPT4)

Count the syllables of each line of the poem (www.howmanysyllables.com)

When Do I Smile?

10 If any of my dreams can reach a land

10 Or many of them are worth some glances

10 While my closeness to this world advances

10 And I see rainbows by an ocean's strand.

10 If I mix sorrows with castles of sand

10 And Swim through the blue to find romances

10 Or nurse my soul with a fire that dances

10 As my countenance blooms to kiss a hand.

10 When it is so far that cold is painless

10 But I feel so much that life is endless

10 And thorns instead of hurting just beguile...

10 If deep in my mind there is not concern

10 For I see jungles of the oldest fern

10 That I do know that in my life I smile.

***

Analyze the aspects that have yet to be analyzed

While we've discussed the rhyme scheme and general themes of Sonnet 6 by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares, there are other aspects that can be analyzed, such as its meter, use of imagery, and the volta.

1-. Meter: The sonnet appears to be written in iambic pentameter, which is a common meter in English poetry and traditional for sonnets. Iambic pentameter consists of five pairs of unstressed and stressed syllables per line. However, there are some variations in the meter throughout the poem, which can be seen as a way to create emphasis or to reflect the natural rhythms of speech.

2-. Imagery: The sonnet is rich in imagery, which is used to convey the speaker's emotional states and perceptions of the world. For example, "rainbows by an ocean's strand" and "jungles of the oldest fern" evoke a sense of beauty and wonder, while "mix sorrows with castles of sand" and "thorns instead of hurting just beguile" suggest the intermingling of joy and sorrow, and the paradoxes of human experience.

3-. Volta: The volta, or turn, is a shift in the poem's argument or theme that typically occurs between the octave (the first eight lines) and the sestet (the last six lines) in an Italian sonnet, or before the final couplet in an English sonnet. In this sonnet, the volta can be seen in the final couplet, where the speaker moves from questioning and exploring his experiences to a statement of certainty and contentment: "For I see jungles of the oldest fern / That I do know that in my life I smile." This marks a shift from introspection and uncertainty to affirmation and acceptance.

4-. Symbolism: The sonnet also uses symbolism to convey deeper meanings. For instance, the "jungles of the oldest fern" could symbolize the ancient, enduring aspects of nature and life, while the "fire that dances" could represent passion, creativity, or the spirit.

5-. Tone: The tone of the sonnet shifts from questioning and introspection in the quatrains to affirmation and contentment in the final couplet. This reflects the speaker's journey from uncertainty and exploration to understanding and acceptance. (GPT4)

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