The Star and the Rose

I'm writing Shakespearean-style sonnets for a project in my Medieval Reenactment Group. I know that there are a couple inverted feet where it's not really iambic...but...oh well. We can't all write as well as ol' Will, you know. I am completely FINISHED! YAY!


The Star and the Rose
Sonnet the First

Upon the night she rides betwixt the brows
Of angels and heaven's divinity.
On Gaea's firm and gentle earth he grows,
The roots and blooms of love's prosperity.
For he the Rose did she the Star so love,
Prick'd hard by thorns whose wounds tore at her heart
As she, the Star, did watch so far above.
But though her light could shine and love impart,
Remain'd it did fix'd firm in darkened times;
She watched as He did for another bloom.
Though He did Love the Star with love sublime,
To cry his blood for her would be his doom.
Though Aphrodite watched with kindly eye,
For Star and Rose to Love would be to die.

The Star to Her Love the Rose
Sonnet the Second

To thee, my Rose, whose blooms provide such Love--
Whose whispers come to me in nightly winds--
I give to thee my whole, my treasure troves.
For thee I have committed greatly sins;
Have driven from my side those whom I knew,
And loved. Thou art my Rose, your thorns and bloom.
For each enchanted night I love anew--
With ev'ry meeting passion dost resume.
You fashion poems from the rivers' flow,
And sing those loving whispers to my ear.
For I, your Star, to thee my love bestow
And I shall love thee whom I hold so dear.
I shine for you to live, to bloom in light,
To come to me and drive away the night

From the Rose to the Star
Sonnet the Third

For thee, my love, I bloom my fronds of blood;
The blood of hearts fresh dipp'd in Love divine.
O you have given me a lover's flood,
So I to you shall mine own heart consign.
But I do fear that thine sweet light cannot,
Shine forth the warmth that Father Sun provides.
But knowing this to you means close to naught,
I shall my buds to you, my Love, so guide.
And though my life cannot through this last long,
To love for any time is to be whole.
For while I love, O Star, my heart is strong-
So I to you, my love, do grant my soul.
And though I fear the death I know must come;
I give myself to Love and so succumb.

The Star Berates the Rose
Sonnet the Fourth

My Rose, wherefore art thou afraid to Love?
Dost thou not know that Love's light shines so fair;
That Love more than all else dost shine above
The meager light that Father Sun could share?
Do not, my heart, resign thyself to fear
sweet love. For she, goddess Desire protects
All those for whom to Love is held most dear.
Your love in fear of death I must reject,
Until your heart dost come to me in whole.
My light, though it cannot such warmth bestow
Can shine, with love, enriching thine sweet soul.
For love, my Rose, shall set thy blooms aglow.
Though it shall pain my rays to turn askew,
If you still love in fear of death- adieu.

The Star and Rose Joined In Heavenly Love
Sonnet the Fifth

The Rose to his sweet Star did give his heart,
Unfettered by the fear of his demise.
And to the Rose the Star did love impart,
As she his sweetened blooms in light baptized.
Though Rose felt so the pain of lacking Sun,
The wilt endangered blooms signalling death,
The Star and Rose entwined became as one.
And he so felt the love in ev'ry breath
Of light the Star did send from each night sky.
The Muses told in tales of their sweet love,
And how the Star and Rose all laws defied-
Enrapturing the universe above.
There are such tales of love in this our time,
But none of love so great and so sublime.

The Rose Hardens Toward the Star
Sonnet the Sixth

Erato of the great love songs- she sang
Of such sweet love the Star felt for the Rose;
But poor Melpomene- the toll she rang
And brought her tragedy in sorrow'd prose.
The Rose in his weak heart still fear'd to die,
And Love did lose its force in fear's great face.
Each night he turned his blooms to darkened sky,
But Sun's warm light the Star could not replace.
His Love and Fear they fought in monst'rous brawl
To dominate the craven, shrivel'd heart;
But as he watch'd his leaves begin to fall,
The fear in his dark core did hate impart.
His vanity and pride had won the war,
And Love was in his hardened heart no more.

The Star Reacts With Rage
Sonnet the Seventh

My Rose, may your enthorned and sickly wealth
Itself begin to burn in streaks of fire;
My soul erupts, enraged by 'timely' death,
Our love destroyed by barb'd and poison'd pyre.
And oh, my heart, your pain 'gainst mine is pale.
To you I charge the task of wiping clear
The blood-soaked rays of softened light that failed
To hold enthralled in love my Rose, so dear.
And tho' my love belongs to thee e'en still,
My broken heart shall not be broken long.
Your Love could not my dreams of Love fulfill,
I answer now to Ares' battle song.
An Amazon I find myself to be;
And fi'ry wrath shall now be born on thee.

The Star Seeks Revenge
Sonnet the Eighth

The Star by rage and broken love made swift
Beseech'd the Sun in tears and muted light.
Oh Sun, she said, my Rose has made a shift
And left my love with all its graceful might.
He left my side for yours Oh Mighty Sun,
For fear of his own true and present death.
Oh pain, my soul is an embroiled one,
A Duncan to the wiles of cruel Macbeth.
Do help, oh Sun, to mend my broken heart-
To teach the Rose that Love is not a ruse.
A lesson in true love do please impart-
That Love should be the thing we always choose.
My heart it breaks; my light it turns to fire;
And Sun, revenge dost shattered heart require.

The Light of the Star Fades Away
Sonnet the Ninth

The Sun he heard the Star's own vengeful plea
And pitied this poor Star and her disgrace.
The weak and petty Rose the Sun decreed
Would face the light of pain and learn his place.
Rose wilted 'neath relentless light and fire;
His blooms of blood turned dry and caked away.
The Star's cruel pain, her cold and vengeful ire
Did fade from red-hot fire to misty gray.
My Rose, my Love, what have I done to you?
Consigned your life to my own broken heart!
Your blooms were once so red and bloom'd so true!
Oh Gods! My love's destroyed and pulled apart!
And as the light of Star began to die-
The Star fell slowly from the darkened sky.

The Star Dies and is Remembered
Sonnet the Tenth

In weakened light and broken love the Star
Succumbed to anguished tumble from the sky.
The sea, another home to death afar,
Allowed the sick and painèd Star to die.
The Muses sang and Gods, they mourned so deep
That clouds and storms built up to cleanse the earth.
The rains, enriching life for Rose, did weep,
An' Star so gave unto the Rose rebirth.
With sacrifice of Love the Star forgave--
That even Rose could not have e'er forgot.
Renouncing vengeance, Star her love could save,
So Rose received the life renewed he sought.
As for the Star, behold the sky this night;
And see, perhaps, her burning, lovely light.

The End