19 Comments
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Brooklyn Crane's avatar

"I must not rest, nor hoard familiar dust." It's remaining in what's comfortable that impedes us from finding more--more joy, more treasure, more thrill. Beautiful sonnet! The flow of enjambment gives the form a different air.

Kelly Trost's avatar

Thomas, your sonnet truly is masterful! I've very much enjoyed it.

Thomas McKendry's avatar

Thank you Kelly!

Kelly Trost's avatar

You’re welcome, Thomas! The comment is well deserved.

Narcisse Tardif's avatar

I was a bit confused for a second while looking for a Catholic theme in this one until I realized I was reading a tribute to Ulysses, after which almost everything made so much more sense. I enjoyed the enjambment in the beginning and at the end.

Thomas McKendry's avatar

There is a strong memento mori theme running through this one which is a very Catholic idea. I don't often write with explicitly religious themes, I just assume my Catholicism will assert it's influence on everything I write. I don't see how it can fail to. Thanks for reading!

Claire Adderholt's avatar

Magnificent.

Klonker's avatar

I'm glad to discover you. I knew there had to be a stack which realizes that poems should have metre.

I have loved Tennyson's Ulysses even before I ever read it, for it is the spirit of the original 1960s _Star Trek_.

Thomas McKendry's avatar

Thanks for reading! If you want to find other poets who write some wonderful metered verse check out the other stacks that I subscribe to on my profile page.

Marian L Thorpe's avatar

'not the coast/First sighted but the empty map onward/compels the hungry heart.' Tennyson would approve, I think. I know I do!

Thomas McKendry's avatar

I'm glad to hear it! 😊

James's avatar

This is all fantastic, but "the music of the distant funeral drum, / the dusk-light wind that puffs this mortal sail" is sublime. Brilliantly done, and a great choice of painting to go beside it!

Thomas McKendry's avatar

Thank you James! I felt an impressionist painting was in keeping with the theme.

Ann Collins's avatar

to craft this fervent urge

.

Isn't it interesting when a word (an idea? an image?) keeps catching your attention?

The word *fervent* has been italicizing itself for me all winter.

This is a beautiful sonnet.

Thomas McKendry's avatar

For me it was the "sympathetic thrill", that had been in my mind all week. I can't lay claim to the rest, thank Tennyson for most of it. 😂

J. Tullius's avatar

#Ulysses. Nice work. :-)

Thomas McKendry's avatar

It's not exactly subtle is it 😅

JESL's avatar

*Es macht nichts.* We all labor in the sight of mountains, the giants of English letters. I positively revel in it. It's good to engage our fathers.

You keep picking up that impossible bow, mon frere, and hurl thy rythmed shafts into the airs of our speech.

Good poem, btw,very, very nicely built.

Dr. Jonathan E. Wilson's avatar

Very nice! I too am yearning for that vista unexplored.