Sonnet 9 by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares:
A Forgerful Bliss
Gaia swashed me with waves of compassion 1
When, between many, I gathered love
As she knew that time would wear my hot passion
To look instead for silent royal dove.
Mother nature gives to all its dower
In which we choose from different things:
The games of zeal, or the quests for power
And what is needed to become earthlings.
A gypsy train of stars each evening
With its beauty clothes the strands of my soul
But now I look for the one that singing
Will take me through where other magics stroll.
All my days will share a forgetful bliss
And quaint glories with smiles I will dismiss.
***
1-. Gaia = earth personified.
Sonnet originally written in English by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares.
Analyzed by Chatgpt, Claude+ and www.howmanysyllables.com
Analysis of "A Forgerful Bliss" by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares
This sonnet is written in the typical Shakespearean style, with 3 quatrains followed by a rhyming couplet. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The poem uses formal diction and references to classical mythology and naturalistic imagery to convey the themes of the fleeting nature of passion and the pursuit of more profound love.
The octave (first two quatrains) introduces the idea that the speaker's initial passionate love has faded over time, using the metaphor of Gaia's compassionate waves wearing away his "hot passion." The sestet (last 6 lines) then expands on this by contrasting fleeting "games of zeal" and quests for power with the "silent royal dove" - a symbol for deeper love and connection. The "gypsy train of stars" is a metaphor for transient beauty that "clothes the strands of my soul" but will ultimately leave. The final couplet reinforces the overall theme by stating that the speaker's days will be filled with a "forgetful bliss" as the trivial pleasures and "glories" of the past now fade from memory.
In summary, this sonnet utilizes the traditional sonnet form and poetic techniques to convey in a rather Petrarchan manner the speaker's philosophical reflection on the transitory nature of superficial desire and love, contrasted with the pursuit of more profound meaning. The diction and use of natural symbols gives the poem a pastoral quality reminiscent of 19th century romanticism.
Here are a few more observations about the poem:
- The title "A Forgetful Bliss" is an apt summary of the main theme explored in the sonnet. The oxymoronic pairing of "forgetful" and "bliss" suggests finding joy in leaving behind superficial pleasures and transitory beauty.
- The natural and celestial imagery throughout gives the poem a dreamy, wistful tone. References to Gaia, stars, waves, soul, magic, etc. create a poetic atmosphere and also symbolize deeper themes.
- The poem reflects on the passage of time and how initial passions fade, but suggests one can find meaning by "look[ing] instead for silent royal dove" - a symbol of profound love. So there is a sense of maturation and gaining wisdom with age.
- The meter and rhythm flow smoothly with a consistent iambic pentameter and rhyming quality, as is common for most sonnets. The language is lyrical and reflective.
- There are classical allusions to Gaia, symbolizing Earth, and "gypsy train of stars" suggesting a wandering band of celestial bodies. These help establish a mythic, metaphorical quality.
- The volta or turn happens at the beginning of the sestet, where the poem shifts from focusing on passion fading to finding deeper meaning symbolized by the "silent royal dove".
- The themes explored are quite common for sonnets of this era and style - love, beauty, desire, meaning, transcendence, eternity, etc. So in this sense it evokes a traditional sensibility.
- Overall it's a thoughtfully crafted sonnet with layered metaphorical meaning, reflecting on profound themes in a poetic style and form. The naturalistic language and classical allusions help give it a romantic quality, despite some notions of disillusionment.
Analyze the rhyme of the poem in detail
Sure, here is an analysis of the rhyme scheme in the sonnet:
The rhyme scheme of the poem follows the typical Shakespearean sonnet pattern of:
ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
Where A rhymes with A, B rhymes with B, and so on. Let's look at each quatrain and the couplet:
Quatrain 1:
A: compassion - passion
B: love - dove
A: passion - compassion
B: things - dower
The rhyming of "compassion" and "passion" connects the fading of passion with Gaia's compassionate waves. The rhyme of "love" and "dove" links profane love with the symbol of deeper love, the "royal dove". So the rhyming reinforces the key themes introduced in the first quatrain.
Quatrain 2:
C: evening - singing
D: soul - stroll
C: singing - evening
D: stroll - soul
Here the rhyming of "evening" and "singing" suggests the transient, fleeting nature of the "gypsy train of stars", while "soul" and "stroll" rhyming implies the speaker's soul is wandering, like the stars. Again the rhyming pairs strengthen the metaphors and symbolism.
Quatrain 3:
E: bliss - dismiss
F: glories - stories
E: dismiss - bliss
F: smiles - glories
In the third quatrain, "bliss" and "dismiss" rhyme to highlight how the speaker can find joy in dismissing the trivial pleasures of the past. "Glories" and "stories" rhyme to characterize those pleasures as transient tales, now fading from memory.
Couplet:
G: blessed - caressed
The final rhyming couplet reinforces the conclusion, suggesting the speaker will feel "blessed" to have the trivial pleasures of youth "caressed" away by time.
So in summary, the rhyme scheme is quite regular and traditional for a Shakespearean sonnet, and serves to emphasize the key metaphors, symbols and themes introduced in each section, ultimately accentuating the central message around finding meaning by leaving behind superficial joys. The rhyming pairs are also natural, not forced, giving the poem a smooth and pleasing quality when read aloud. (claude+)
The poem "A Forgetful Bliss" by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares follows the traditional English sonnet rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, with each of the fourteen lines ending with a rhyme.
In the first quatrain, the end rhymes are "compassion" and "love" in the first two lines, followed by "passion" and "dove" in the second two lines. These rhymes emphasize the speaker's relationship with nature and their search for a deeper and more enduring love.
In the second quatrain, the end rhymes are "dower" and "things" in the first two lines, followed by "power" and "earthlings" in the second two lines. These rhymes highlight the contrast between pursuing ambition and living a simpler life as an "earthling."
In the third quatrain, the end rhymes are "evening" and "soul" in the first two lines, followed by "singing" and "stroll" in the second two lines. These rhymes emphasize the speaker's appreciation of the beauty of the night sky while also suggesting their longing for a deeper connection with something more profound.
In the final couplet, the end rhymes are "bliss" and "dismiss." These rhymes serve as a conclusion to the poem, emphasizing the speaker's desire for a forgetful bliss and a simple life that is free from the burden of material possessions.
Overall, the rhyme scheme in the poem creates a sense of unity and structure, while also emphasizing the key themes and ideas explored in the poem. The use of end rhymes helps to create a sense of musicality and rhythm that adds to the overall beauty and flow of the poem.
It's also worth noting that the use of end rhymes in the poem helps to create a sense of closure and resolution, particularly with the final rhyming couplet. The rhyme of "bliss" and "dismiss" serves as a conclusion to the poem, emphasizing the speaker's rejection of material wealth and their desire for a simpler and more contented life.
In addition to end rhymes, the poem also contains internal rhymes, which occur within a single line of poetry. For example, in the second line, the words "many" and "passion" contain an internal rhyme, while in the fourth line, "silent" and "royal" also contain an internal rhyme. These internal rhymes help to create a sense of musicality and rhythm within the lines of the poem, adding to its overall beauty and elegance.
Overall, the use of rhyme in "A Forgetful Bliss" serves to create a sense of unity and musicality, while also emphasizing the key themes and ideas explored in the poem. The use of end rhymes and internal rhymes helps to create a sense of structure and closure, while also adding to the poem's overall beauty and flow. (chatgpt)
Count the syllables of each line of the poem
(www.howmanysyllables.com)
A Forgerful Bliss
10 Gaia swashed me with waves of compassion
9 When, between many, I gathered love
11 As she knew that time would wear my hot passion
10 To look instead for silent royal dove.
10 Mother nature gives to all its dower
9 In which we choose from different things:
10 The games of zeal, or the quests for power
10 And what is needed to become earthlings.
9 A gypsy train of stars each evening
10 With its beauty clothes the strands of my soul
10 But now I look for the one that singing
10 Will take me through where other magics stroll.
10 All my days will share a forgetful bliss
10 And quaint glories with smiles I will dismiss.
What other analysis is worth doing on the poem?
Another analysis that could be done on the poem "A Forgetful Bliss" by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares is a thematic analysis. The poem explores several key themes, including the speaker's relationship with nature, the search for deeper meaning and purpose in life, and the tension between material wealth and a simpler, more contented existence.
The first quatrain introduces the theme of the speaker's relationship with nature, as they describe being "swashed" with "waves of compassion" by Gaia, the personification of the earth. This sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which emphasizes the speaker's appreciation of the natural world and their desire for a deeper connection with it.
The second quatrain explores the tension between pursuing ambition and living a simpler life. The speaker describes how Mother Nature gives us a "dower" of different things to choose from, including the "games of zeal" and the "quests for power." However, the speaker suggests that to become a true "earthling," one must seek a simpler, more contented existence.
The third quatrain emphasizes the speaker's appreciation of the beauty of the night sky, while also suggesting a longing for something more profound. The use of the image of a "gypsy train of stars" creates a sense of wanderlust and adventure, while the speaker's search for the one that will "take me through where other magics stroll" suggests a desire for a deeper spiritual connection.
Finally, the concluding couplet emphasizes the speaker's desire for a forgetful bliss and a simpler, more contented life. The use of the word "quaint" suggests a sense of charm and old-fashioned simplicity, while the idea of dismissing "glories" with a smile suggests a rejection of material wealth and a focus on the simple pleasures of life.
Overall, the poem can be seen as a meditation on the beauty and importance of nature, as well as a reflection on the search for deeper meaning and purpose in life. The themes of simplicity, contentment, and spiritual connection are all emphasized throughout the poem, creating a sense of unity and coherence that adds to its overall beauty and power.
(chatgpt)
