Man - Kind?, Sonnet Options

[Larry]

Man – Kind?

A man, empty inside, but outward mien
belies the fact that soul and heart are scarred
by life’s experience and what was seen
so long ago when nation’s children warred

for reasons, yet unknown. Much like today,
where youth is wasted in some foreign land
and leaders of the world have naught to say.
I feel it’s time for peace and love; demand

to know why some would lead us down that path
while death, disease and sickness seem ignored.
Take heed of those instead of greed and wrath
for this small world is dying by the sword.

New Edens wait upon a spectral shore
where waves of peace may susurrate once more.

[Larry]

Hey Daniel,

I’m glad you prefaced your sonnet with the “tongue-in-cheek” comment so I wouldn’t take umbrage from what you so eloquently pointed out about word usage.

Below is my condemnation of the educational system which has devolved to the lowest common denominator’s level. Descriptive and idea-inclusive words are very dear to me in that there are so many levels to understanding what is being said. My English teacher in high school, Dr. Elmer Baker, insistently filled our young minds with strange and wonderful new words in both his speeches and lesson plans. I think his favorite book was the Encyclopedia Britannica with which he figuratively utilized to pound knowledge into our collective fertile minds. For that, I will be forever grateful. He always said, there is nothing common about common sense except for the word “common”! Exemplary knowledge is what one should strive to attain.


Commode-ious Assimilation

Compost will decompose for lowly worms
and other tiny creatures who will eat
the residue of winter. Even germs
partake of these comestibles, compete

for their fair share until there’s nothing left...
Rotting the perspicacious, obtuse words
are used instead and meaning is bereft
of connotations. Nuance is in sherds

and mediocrity now dominates
the patois with new idioms’ nonsense.
No eloquence in what one now creates
because the English teachers will dispense

with cultivating edified young minds
and spoon-feed pap excreted from behinds.