Heartfelt thanks to the four brave Charioteers who entered January’s competition. I must confess that I was disappointed not to see a contribution from our Edinburgh lawyer, but that’s the way the haggis crumbles, I guess. Only joshing, JM – I know your time is constrained.
In order of appearance –
- Janus’ first entry – a neatly encapsulated sermon with a deftly crafted final couplet, tarnished a smidgen by a tongue-twisting departure from accepted meter in the third line.
- Low Wattage – a beaut admonishment in the spirit of the Bard; this has the comforting feel of a genuine sonnet. I really enjoyed it, and I could almost brush aside the slight metrical departures and convince myself they were fully intended and absolutely appropriate.
- Araminta – Tee hee! A novel and courageous approach to the iambic pentameter! But the second stanza gets into its proper stride, and the third begins equally well. The sentiment is boldly presented, the last line a triumph!
- Janus’ second entry – splendidly accurate attention to meter, but only by the use of execrable spelling. If this had originated from a chav on a sink estate, it might be forgiven, but it didn’t, and the author’s intrusive irritation detracts from its appeal.
- Soutie – outdoing Araminta, a wonderfully innovative interpretation of the sonnet form. Ignoring that, and turning a blind eye to the typos (one of Boadicea’s favourites has crept in, I see), it’s a super poem with a clear message for the Age of Aquarius!
Again, thanks to all four of you for some great entertainment.
The winner? Low Wattage, by a country mile! 😆
Boadicea's Chariot 
Thank you, Bearsy for your generous comments. I agree my sonnet got off to a shaky start. It did cross my mind to rewrite the first stanza but Other Things made this impossible.
Chaos, although, a useful state as regards the Photography Competition (when I locate my battery charger), is not conducive to creativity.
Another win for LW. Well done that poet!
“a wonderfully innovative interpretation of the sonnet form” That bad! 😉
Considering I’d never read a sonnet ’till about a week ago and that I thought that a waterstone was something that you used to sharpen a knife I still wanted to enter.
Thanks to Wiki I don’t think that I completely embarrassed myself (did I?)
Thanks for the kind words Bearsy, I’m pleased that it ‘entertained.’
LW, well done. A victory for polymetric verse!
Bearsy, I fear you missed the point of my departure into New English à la GBS, which informed the spelling and the lack of fancy punctuation! Not sure what intrusive irritation involves either.
Thank you Bearsy, you are generous. It was shaky and I still find this form incredibly difficult, so much so that I was at a loss to improve it.
Janus: Polymetric, yes very apt.
I will give the February contest some thought.
Congratulations to all. They were all splendid examples; all excellent.