Sonnet 27 by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares:
The Invisible Peril
I
At times God seems to be out to delate
Man's greed, so extravagant in its modes
Ignoring life and its natural lodes 3
To expand power and obliterate.
His pain he begins to exuviate 5
To his chores of DISCOVERY reload
For stronger force in the contest to goad 7
Trying the last loss to recuperate.
His best dreams become gladiatory
With a passion always refractor 10
Saying it is progress and invention.
He vows to his dead ones, children and all
That a shield in heaven he will install
To save the world with his best intention.
***
3-. lode = any abundant or rich source.
5-. to exuviate = to cast off.
7-. to goad = to prod into action.
10-. refractory = hard to manage
scattering in all directions.
The Invisible Peril
II
But a day arrives to stunt human fate
And the elite of his knowledge explodes
As his CHALLENGER'S pride for once erodes
To humble him around this fatal date.
Epitomizing the achievements of late
Along these technological space roads
His masterly minded opulent odes
Can tell stories that hurt and desolate.
Unquenchable thirst for flames of glory
Has been pilaster of his history
Since before he reached civilization.
So happy with wonders of a fireball
He readily prepares to climb sky walls
To force instincts of colonization.
***
Invisible Peril
III
Dispossessed of calm to wait and debate
The unknown peril he says he decodes
Forgetting contingential nodes
And COLUMBIAN racing he perpetuates. 4
Trained by fiction he starts to populate
What he believes will be his new abodes
And carelessly he takes aloft his loads
Advancing toward war or to war relate.
Confrontations become compulsory
As a chance to use his repertory
Stepping over those without protection.
These value what they have ever so small
And fortell an irreversible fall
From which it is hard to reposition.
***
4-. Columbian = of the discoverer Christopher Columbus.
The Invisible Peril
IV
Who cares if it is a matter of hate?
Ensuing destructions will pass his bodes, 2
Races, continents, flags, brotherhood codes,
His owm survival he must subjugate.
But for him honor is the only mate
And his INDEPENDENCE each day he implodes:
In his brain that bits of fear each day clothes,
His love and fear he tries to isolate.
If some day he still has a memory
It will be less than an allegory
And uncertainty his conventions.
He ratifies with invisible call
Those nuclear X-ray lasers so tall
They will erase for sure his contentions.
***
2-. bodes = commands.
Sonnet written by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares. Analyzed by GPT4 and www.howmanysyllables.com
Image by Leonardo.ai
Analysis of "The Invisible Peril"
Sonnet 27 by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares, titled "The Invisible Peril," is a series of four interconnected sonnets that explore humanity's relentless pursuit of power, knowledge, and progress, often at the expense of the natural world and human values. The poem highlights the dangers of unchecked ambition and the potential consequences of humanity's actions.
In the first sonnet, the poet suggests that God may be trying to curb humanity's greed and destructive tendencies. The speaker describes humanity's relentless pursuit of progress and invention, driven by a desire to protect and save the world. However, this pursuit is marked by a gladiatorial and refractory passion, suggesting a violent and unmanageable nature.
The second sonnet focuses on the consequences of humanity's pursuit of knowledge and power, as exemplified by the Challenger disaster. The poet emphasizes the unquenchable thirst for glory that has driven human history and the readiness to explore and colonize new frontiers, even at great risk.
In the third sonnet, the poet criticizes humanity's impatience and inability to wait and debate the unknown perils of their actions. The speaker highlights the potential for war and conflict as humanity advances into new territories, disregarding the values and protections of those who are vulnerable.
The final sonnet explores the consequences of humanity's pursuit of honor and independence, suggesting that this drive may lead to self-destruction. The poet warns that if humanity continues on this path, its memory may be reduced to an allegory, and its conventions will be marked by uncertainty. The mention of "muclear X-ray lasers" implies the potential for devastating weapons that could erase humanity's contentions.
Overall, "The Invisible Peril" serves as a cautionary tale, urging humanity to reconsider its relentless pursuit of power, knowledge, and progress, and to recognize the potential consequences of its actions. The poem emphasizes the importance of reflection, debate, and a more measured approach to progress, lest humanity's ambitions lead to its own downfall.
"The Invisible Peril" not only serves as a warning but also as a call to action for humanity to reevaluate its priorities and values. The interconnected sonnets emphasize the need for a more balanced and thoughtful approach to progress, one that takes into account the potential consequences of our actions on the natural world, human values, and our own survival.
The poem encourages readers to reflect on the importance of patience, dialogue, and a deeper understanding of the unknown perils that may accompany our pursuit of knowledge and power. By doing so, we can potentially avoid the devastating outcomes that unchecked ambition and greed can bring.
Furthermore, "The Invisible Peril" invites us to consider the importance of empathy and compassion in our interactions with others, particularly those who are vulnerable or marginalized. By recognizing the value of all individuals and communities, we can work towards a more inclusive and equitable society that prioritizes the well-being of all its members.
In conclusion, Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares' "The Invisible Peril" is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that urges humanity to reexamine its relentless pursuit of power, knowledge, and progress. By highlighting the potential dangers and consequences of our actions, the poem serves as a reminder of the importance of reflection, dialogue, and a more measured approach to progress. Ultimately, the poem calls for a shift in our values and priorities, emphasizing the need for empathy, compassion, and a greater respect for the natural world and all its inhabitants. (GPT4)
Analyze the rhyme of the poem in detail
"The Invisible Peril" is a series of four interconnected sonnets, each consisting of 14 lines. The rhyme scheme of each sonnet follows the traditional Shakespearean sonnet pattern, which is ABABCDCDEFEFGG. This means that the first and third lines rhyme with each other, the second and fourth lines rhyme, and so on, until the final two lines, which form a rhyming couplet.
Analyzing the rhyme scheme in detail for each sonnet:
Sonnet I:
A - delate (1)
B - modes (2)
A - lodes (3)
B - obliterate (4)
C - exuviate (5)
D - reload (6)
C - goad (7)
D - recuperate (8)
E - gladiatory (9)
F - refractor (10)
E - invention (11)
- all (12)
G - install (13)
G - intention (14)
Sonnet II:
A - fate (1)
B - explodes (2)
A - erodes (3)
B - date (4)
C - late (5)
D - roads (6)
C - odes7)
D - desolate (8)
E - glory (9)
F - history (10)
E - civilization (11)
F - fireball (12)
G - walls (13)
G - colonization (14)
Sonnet III:
A - debate (1)
B - decodes (2)
A - (3)
B - perpetuates (4)
C - populate (5)
D - abodes (6)
C - loads (7)
D - relate (8)
E - compulsory (9)
F - repertory (10)
E - protection (11)
F - small (12)
G - fall (13)
G - reposition (14)
Sonnet IV:
A - hate (1)
B - bodes (2)
A - codes (3)
B - subjugate (4)
C - mate (5)
D - implodes (6)
C - clothes (7)
D - isolate (8)
E - memory (9)
F - allegory (10)
E - conventions (11)
F - call (12)
G - tall (13)
G - contentions (14)
Consistent rhyme scheme throughout the four sonnets contributes to the poem's overall structure and coherence. The rhyming couplets at the end of each sonnet serve to emphasize the main theme or message of that particular section, providing a sense of closure and resolution. The use of the Shakespearean sonnet form also connects the poem to a long tradition of English poetry, which often explores themes of love, beauty, and the human condition. In the case of "The Invisible Peril," the form is used to address the darker aspects of humanity's pursuit of power, knowledge, and progress. (GPT4)
Count the syllables of each line of the poem
(www.howmanysyllables.com)
The Invisible Peril
I
10 At times God seems to be out to delate
10 Man's greed, so extravagant in its modes
10 Ignoring life and its natural lodes
10 To expand power and obliterate.
10 His pain he begins to exuviate
10 To his chores of DISCOVERY reload
10 For stronger force in the contest to goad
10 Trying the last loss to recuperate.
10 His best dreams become gladiatory
9 With a passion always refractor
10 Saying it is progress and invention.
10 He vows to his dead ones, children and all
10 That a shield in heaven he will install
10 To save the world with his best intention.
***
The Invisible Peril
II
10 But a day arrives to stunt human fate
10 And the elite of his knowledge explodes
10 As his CHALLENGER'S pride for once erodes
10 To humble him around this fatal date.
11 Epitomizing the achievements of late
10 Along these technological space roads
10 His masterly minded opulent odes
10 Can tell stories that hurt and desolate.
10 Unquenchable thirst for flames of glory
10 Has been pilaster of his history
10 Since before he reached civilization.
10 So happy with wonders of a fireball
10 He readily prepares to climb sky walls
10 To force instincts of colonization.
***
The Invisible Peril
III
10 Dispossessed of calm to wait and debate
10 The unknown peril he says he decodes
8 Forgetting contingential nodes
10 And COLUMBIAN racing he perpetuates.
10 Trained by fiction he starts to populate
10 What he believes will be his new abodes
10 And carelessly he takes aloft his loads
11 Advancing toward war or to war relate.
10 Confrontations become compulsory
10 As a chance to use his repertory
10 Stepping over those without protection.
10 These value what they have ever so small
10 And fortell an irreversible fall
10 From which it is hard to reposition.
***
The Invisible Peril
IV
10 Who cares if it is a matter of hate?
10 Ensuing destructions will pass his bodes,
10 Races, continents, flags, brotherhood codes,
10 His owm survival he must subjugate.
10 But for him honor is the only mate
11 And his INDEPENDENCE each day he implodes:
10 In his brain that bits of fear each day clothes,
10 His love and fear he tries to isolate.
10 If some day he still has a memory
10 It will be less than an allegory
9 And uncertainty his conventions.
10 He ratifies with invisible call
9 Those nuclear X-ray lasers so tall
10 They will erase for sure his contentions.
***
What other analysis is worth doing on the poem?
In addition to analyzing the rhyme scheme, several other aspects of "The Invisible Peril" are worth examining to gain a deeper understanding of the poem:
1-. Imagery and symbolism: Analyzing the imagery and symbolism used throughout the poem can help reveal the poet's intentions and the emotions they aim to evoke. For example, consider the images of destruction, such as the Challenger disaster, and the potential for war and conflict. These images serve to emphasize the dangers of humanity's relentless pursuit of power and knowledge.
2-. Tone and mood: Examining the tone and mood of the poem can provide insight into the poet's attitude towards the subject matter. In "The Invisible Peril," the tone is cautionary and somber, reflecting the poet's concern for humanity's future if it continues on its current path.
3-. Diction and word choice: Analyzing the poet's choice of words can reveal the nuances of meaning and the emotions they aim to convey. For example, words like "gladiatorial," "refractory," and "subjugate" suggest violence and resistance, while words like "debate," "protection," and "compassion" imply a more measured and empathetic approach to progress.
4-. Themes and messages: Identifying the central themes and messages of the poem can help clarify its purpose and significance. In "The Invisible Peril," key themes include the dangers of unchecked ambition, the consequences of humanity's actions, and the importance of reflection, dialogue, and empathy in addressing these issues.
5-. Structure and form: Analyzing the structure and form of the poem, including its use of the Shakespearean sonnet form, can provide insight into the poet's intentions and the overall impact of the poem. The interconnected sonnets create a sense of unity and coherence, while the consistent rhyme scheme reinforces the poem's themes and messages.
6-. Historical and cultural context: Considering the historical and cultural context in which the poem was written can help illuminate its meaning and significance. For example, understanding the events and concerns of the time, such as advancements in technology, environmental issues, and global conflicts, can provide a deeper understanding of the poem's themes and messages.
By examining these aspects of "The Invisible Peril," readers can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the poem and its significance, as well as a greater appreciation for the poet's craft and intentions. (GPT4)
