A masterpiece! Bravo!

I'm enjoying your work today. Maybe we should have snow more often. :-) You are magical.

Haven't read your poetry in a very long time but I see from this gem you have not lost your touch in creating a spooky thriller so well written as all your works are. You are the consummate poet.

George

Which way shall I take the course to my reader’s hearts,
What scale and tools do I collect with,
What voyeur’s wrap I claim in readiness.
Are the ages of my father come to bear,
Or will be for next generation’s benefit:
And for sure hope luck to smile a lot,
Unless I weaken in devotion,
That I harbor this pretext,
Where course is subject to a wanton age.
Gather, flock with us; examine all to beyond:
Valiant person have surpassed our time.

what a haunting skeletal memory
with boney arms and all those lipless teeth biting
where ever he comes from this is
magic darkness seeping onto the page

Glorious Release & Damsel Flies
Vickie

Yes, lose that grip of depression. Love it. Liz

Great poem. But don't call it a Shakespearean Sonnet. Apart from the rhyme scheme (ababcdcdefefgg), it is not a Shakespearean Sonnet. So, naming it as such detracts from it and distracts me from what makes it important. It's really good. It just isn't written in iambic pentameter (soft-hard-soft-hard-soft-hard-soft-hard-soft-hard)...no problem for a poem...but a big problem for a Shakespearean Sonnet. Keep writing great poetry like this and don't worry so much about classic structures or pretend to follow them.

always a pleasure Shiela
to read your outstanding work
love & peace be with you
William

Strong impression! The metaphor is powerful and so skilfully articulated. The reaction begins with that little sparkle, that hidden strength that was waiting, somewhere. I like this.

Axilea

Refreshingly clever!!
Such an intimate and artistically crafted witness to the imposition of depression!
I too have been trying to feel deeply and surrender to this guy, to the type of lasting sadness that is grief.
Love,
Christine

Powerfully written, Sheila

excellent take on the depression thing. It does seem to eat you alive, ant take hold at the same time. kudos to the structure of this as well. ~ Morgan

Sheila, a magnificent return of your artistic pen. A difficult subject to approach with absolute objectivity. Its bite has been at all of our necks at one time or another. An unwelcomed guest at our doors. I wish you love and peace my dear friend. Jon Michael

SO know the feeling! :_ :)

What a great sonateer you are, Sheila! Rhyme's great, imagery vivid, tone consistent. Chilling as they are, I love the "bony arms and greedy kiss."

Always write, and always stay you,

xOx Phyllis xOx

Wow what a metaphic piece, masterfully done.

Eddy

The intensity of emotion is palpable, Sheila, and your writing is fine as ever. You bring the reader with you into the darkness and then back into the light. So well done! Glad to read you again! Hugs, Elizabeth

Sheila, There are people out there who seem you can shake depression off, and those are the ones who have never suffered from its devasting darkness that has aterrible hold on all you pocess.
Your description is exact!!

Always,
Deborah

the impression left in the skin of this sonnet leaves a deep bite upon the psyche ...

A beautifully crafted personification of depression–somewhat vampire-ish. Having known depression, I find it rather hard to escape. It appears that in the poem, depression is escapable.

Ron

This darkness seems more of a resignation to the inevitable...what a beautiful and pure genius of a write you have fashioned with this style...it fits your purpose well with such haunting beauty

Perfect in form and expression, Sheila, and the turn at just the right point is wonderfully done as you lead us/yourself back from the brink of this consuming abyss with a rising tone of optimism and lightening of tone and mood. Phew! May this high plateau of a safe place be enduring now. So lovely to read you again. xx

How well I understand the spirit of this. "Depression's famished abyss..." I've been battling the dread 'Black Dog' since Feb when a good friend was killed. For some reason lost interest in everything then except the basics for surviving. It changed how I look at things, how I feel, and (above all) my desire to share. Seems we are given some battles, too, that never entirely resolve; they fester on interminably, coming and going whenever someone/something touches the trigger. Gotta keep pressing forward though, that's what I keep chanting, through all of it, focusing on where the Light leads. Jack London said: “I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot." As far as I'm concerned depression exacerbates dryrot, and has, (sadly) in my experiences, vitiated the output of many aesthetic spirits. Fine creative work! As real as it gets I'm thinking. Wishing you the best ... richard

OMG!!!!! This is completely amazing! I know this darkness so very well and you have described it to perfection...truly an amazing write, Sheila...a keeper!

Hugs,
Anna

Clever, in the way that this personifies mr depression.
Then the way you take us through the dark journey of depression.

Hope all is well mrs Roy. x

as this goes on it becomes deeper
and darker and more challenging but the writing
never loses focus, your skill, form and technique
are excellent, Sheila;

it's so good to see you posting

john

To me, this is a deeply meaningful and expressive write. I can relate to the theme that you have treated through your verses here, Sheila. Thank you. Love and best wishes to you,

Regis