Today I’d like to challenge you to “remix” a Shakespearean sonnet. You can pick a line you like and use it as the genesis for a new poem. Or make a “word bank” out of a sonnet, and try to build a new poem using the same words (or mostly the same words) as are in the poem. Or you could try to write a new poem that expresses the same idea as one of Shakespeare’s sonnets.
Doffing my hat to the Bard
O! how I faint when I of you do write
So all my best is dressing old words new
The perfect ceremony of love’s rite
Incapable of more, replete with you!
You should live twice,–in it, and in my rhyme
Since all alike my songs and praises be
When in the chronicle of wasted time
Those lines that I before have writ do lie!
Be thou the tenth Muse, ten times more in worth
To speak of that which gives thee all thy might
Alack! what poverty my Muse brings forth,
Why is my verse so barren of new pride!
Knowing thy heart torment me with disdain,
Kill me outright with looks, and rid my pain.
(This entire sonnet is made up of lines from various sonnets by Shakespeare. I had thought it would be easy but I have been toiling for hours reading and picking suitable lines! If you like it, you know who gets the credit, if it is lacking in any way, you can lay the blame squarely at my door!)
Brilliant! The effort shines through 🌠
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Ah! Thanks Roshni. I am so glad you think so. 😊
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amazing job Punam … what a huge task to collect and write this, it flows delightfully … the Bard maybe in danger 🙂
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Thanks Kate. Bard in danger? Never!! Lol
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lol try his style with your own words sometime, I’m sure you could match him!
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🙏❤️
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A great poem. All credit to you for compiling it.
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Thank you Sadje. 🙏
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You’re welcome 😇
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A seamlessly sewn Shakespearean sonnet the bard would smile upon, I am sure.
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An alliterative comment! Thank you so much, dear friend! ❤️
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You’re kindly welcome, my friend ❤
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Hats off dear.. 😊👒👌🏼👌🏼💕
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(Curtsying) Thank you, dear! 😊🙏💞
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😄🤗😇💕
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Wow! You did an amazing job here. This flows beautifully!
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Thank you kindly!
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My pleasure!
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Aha the feel of the Shakespearian English – a marvel indeed
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Shakespearean language is marvellous! Thank you so much.
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My absolute pleasure
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So glad you worked on this. And that Maureen profiled you today. Had a moments thought of doing same for this but having picked out one line it offered up all sorts of possibilities and so I went with that reaction.
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Thank you! I had thought it would be a breeze but sifting through all the sonnets took time and effort. It is wonderful to see it being rewarded.
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Charming and clever.
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Thank you so much!
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Oh yes, very nicely done. Much easier on the ears and eyes than my attempt. (I took only words and phrases from the last five sonnets). Congratulations on being featured!
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Thank you Manja. It feels good to be featured.
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Beautiful! I love the way you experiment with different poetry forms and how you play with your creativity in this way.
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Thank you so much Marieke. It is only during the poetry writing months of Apr and Oct, I follow the prompts and experiment with various forms. Otherwise I am quite lazy. 😊
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😊😊 you’re welcome!
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😊❤️
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This is absolutely brilliant, the effort put in, and the knowledge of Shakespeare neither of which I could ever manage. I must confess I never read Shakespeare and my knowledge of his plays is limited to Vishal Bhardwaj movies, this poem seemed literary but I confess more, I didn’t understand all the lines 😐
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Thank you so much. Though I can’t take any credit except rearranging various lines from over a hundred and fifty sonnets written by him. It took a lot of time to do so. The napowrimo very thoughtfully provided a link to his anthology. Some I had read before, some I hadn’t. Shakespeare is the one who got me interested in poetry. We studied him in school and had excellent teachers. Moreover we memorized monologues from his plays for elocution. Oops! I could go on and on! 😀
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Maybe you should go on..and upload a piece of elocution, a monologue with Shakespearean passion 😍
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Ah! That was long ago! 😀
Just as Dinkar’s Rashmirathi has elocution worthy passages.
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Couldn’t agree more on Rashmirathi ..there was one in Gulal, if you watched
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Yes. And there is a video on youtube with Manoj Bajpai doing a wonderful job.
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Yes, it’s nice too. I am bad at reading hindi, have been reading kindle version of Rashmirathi since last year 😀
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I am sure there must be a spoken version of it somewhere.
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Brilliant ❤️❤️❤️
You used those lines so very well👏👏👏
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Thank you Yasmin. I can only take credit for rearranging those lines. 🙏🤗❤️
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Very impressive ! Huzzah!
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Thank you so much!
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Rid the pain indeed, great write Punam.
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The writing was by the Bard himself, I just compiled it. Thanks Paul. 🙂
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True, but I note you wrote it up 🙂
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So I did! 🙏🙂
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🙂
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Thank you for following BrewNSpew! 🙂 🙂
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My pleasure, Eugenia! 🙂
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That is excellent. We come to your door not to blame but to celebrate.
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Thank you kindly. Much appreciated. 🙏🏽
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You’re left hanging like a dope! 😎
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As someone who comments
on the wrong peom!😲
Sorry Punam …
Don’t know how that happened? 🤔
That comment was for your
‘What Happens’ post 😎
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I’m sure this sort of thing
never happened to the Bard!?
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I guess not, but would he mind? I don’t think so! 😀
Thanks David.
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No worries, David. Such things happen. 😀
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This is brilliant. Skillful arrangement. The Bard must be turning in his grave.
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Thanks, Usha! Though I do hope he doesn’t turn in his grave.
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Woah it was definitely worth all the work. This is amazingly assembled Punam.
Merry Christmas 🎄 it’s 7am Christmas morning.
“…The tenth muse ten times more in worth”
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Thanks so much, Jude! I appreciate your generous compliment. 💙
Merry Christmas! Have an amazing time with your family, cooking and celebrating. 🤗🎄
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Delicious and sublime
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Ah! Thanks so much, Jude. ☺️💙
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Beautifully woven, Ma’am. I’m happy to be reading this. 🙂
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Aishwarya, thanks so much! 🙂
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You are welcome, Ma’am. 🙂
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