Sonnet 18 "New Landscapes" by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares

Posthumous work of the Colombian poet born in Don Matias on January 20, 1948.

Welcome to this blog dedicated to the Posthumous work of the Colombian poet Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares (my father), born in Don Matias on January 20, 1948-2010. Where I will be publishing each of the 175 sonnets from his unpublished collection 'Sonnets For The Twenty First Century And A Circadian Musical (1984-1987).' Analyzed with GPT4 and Musicalization with Udio.com (AI)... I hope you enjoy this garden of words snatched from the solitude of a locked room.

Likewise, any enthusiast of the sonnet form is invited to conduct their personal studies of Arroyave Tabares' work, as it is a collection that, although registered since 1987, has not yet been published.

Frank Duna

Sonnet 18 by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares

New Landscapes


Tides of fish bearing their accusing looks
Periodically sadden our landscape
Because human venoms crueler than hooks
To their essential flood often escape.

Floating their way toward uncertain sea
They contaminate birds with their poison 
Which in those not yet dead is hard to see
Further spreading this death withour reason.

The turbid waters make it to the main
To join more sewage and also crude oil
Coming from spills that claim these days domain
And with ugly rainbows their glimpses foil.

No more romantic, the beach welcomes those
With tarry feet who their disgust disclose.
                             ***

Analysis "New Landscapes"

Introduction

Sonnet 18 "New Landscapes" by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares is a reflection on the damage that humans are causing to the natural world, specifically to the oceans and the creatures that inhabit them.

Thematic Analysis

First Quartet (lines 1-4): introduces the theme of the poem: the impact of human actions on marine life. The “tides of fish” bear “accusing looks,” suggesting that they are victims of human cruelty. The “human venoms” that are “crueler than hooks” likely refer to pollution and other harmful activities.

Second Quartet (lines 5-8): Continues the theme, expanding the impact to birds and emphasizing the senseless spread of death due to pollution.

Third Quartet (lines 9-12): Describes the polluted waters reaching the sea, where they join with sewage and oil spills. The “ugly rainbows” could be a reference to the iridescent sheen of oil on water, a stark contrast to the natural beauty of a rainbow.

Couplet (lines 13-14): Concludes the poem with a powerful image: a beach that was once romantic now welcomes only those with “tarry feet,” likely a metaphor for those who contribute to the pollution. Their “disgust” may refer to their disregard for the environment.

Overall, this sonnet is a poignant commentary on environmental degradation and its impact on marine life. It uses vivid imagery to convey a sense of loss and to critique those responsible for the pollution. The structure of the sonnet—its division into quatrains and a couplet—allows the poet to develop his theme and then deliver a powerful final comment in the closing lines.

Syllable count for each line and Rhyme Scheme .

In "New Landscapes", the poet employs a traditional sonnet rhyme scheme, which consists of 14 lines divided into three quatrains and a final couplet. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. Let's analyze the rhyme in detail:

New Landscapes


10 Tides of fish bearing their accusing looks (A)
10 Periodically sadden our landscape (B)
10 Because human venoms crueler than hooks (A)
10 To their essential flood often escape. (B)

10 Floating their way toward uncertain sea (C)
10 They contaminate birds with their poison (D)
10  Which in those not yet dead is hard to see (C)
10 Further spreading this death withour reason. (D)

10 The turbid waters make it to the main (E)
10 To join more sewage and also crude oil (F)
10 Coming from spills that claim these days domain (E)
10 And with ugly rainbows their glimpses foil. (F)

10 No more romantic, the beach welcomes those (G)
10 With tarry feet who their disgust disclose. (G)
                                 ***