This poem is about a shy man in love who fears to tell a woman he loves her, so he decides to write her a love poem. However, he feels too shy to write a poem and give it directly to her, so he decides to create an alter ego, a fictitious poet who writes a love poem to a woman he loves. Then the shy man decides he'll also have his alter ego create a fictitious poet to write another love poem. With these walls to hide behind, the shy man feels safe enough to write his heart, but in the final lines, he peeps from behind the walls and reveals himself. I wrote this in college as an experiment in sonnet form.
The Shy Admirer
by John Oberon
Every poet holds within a rhythm--
Music made, unheard by flesh's weak ear
Calm, eternal songs that only souls hear.
O, to hear refrains from God alone given!
Thus, though poets all are somewhat same blest,
More so is a poet who is love's slave.
Love spurs all prolific hearts with mad zest;
Hoping love songs might their hunger quick-stave.
Such a hero is our poet sitting
Pensive, pond'rous, patient brows both knitting,
Thinking hard of words most fitting;
He her grace against her beauty pitting...
Ah! New insight comes from heaven's vast heights;
He, renewed, encouraged to begin, writes:
“In heaven, beauty makes its home in all,
Surrounding, blessing creatures great and small,
Engulfing heav'n, o'erflowing God's great hall.
What man could blame if some to earth should fall?
Indeed, such prob'ly happened one Spring day:
A poet, musing, raised his eyes to see
A woman, lovely more than words could say;
A golden goddess. "Thou for me," said he.
Departing quickly homeward, trusting Art
To win or sway the heart for which he yearns,
This man decides exposing thoughts discerns
Courageous men from cowards; so, his heart
He opens, hoping final end to lonely nights.
With sweet remembrance, he this poem writes:”
“'In Eden, God knew Adam's heart's desire,
And from his flesh created Eve his wife:
A God-encompass't beauty found sweet life,
And Adam's heart first blazed with inn'cent fire.
Though Adam knew omniscient God, he Eve placed higher;
A lesser love, might man have God's edenic life
Instead of constant, vulgar, mortal strife?
Yet love made Adam risk eternal ire:
And likewise, sons of Adam oft times love
Their Eves with love outshining heav'n above.
Pray answer now, if answer you can find,
A question running foremost 'round my mind:
Will any powers staunch my love, though plots conceive,
If I an Adam be, and thou my blushing Eve?'”
Smiling, our hero rises from his chair.
Romantic visions fill his dreaming head
With future words of love most gently said
Between exceeding joyful, future pair.
Silent petitions hang in hopeful air;
An earnest prayer not for daily bread,
But soul subsistence sown through poems read,
Reaped in a sparkling smile and golden hair.
Likewise, this poem's poet oft times prays
About a certain woman lit with rays
Of youth and beauty, living near to him.
Would an auspicious fire abate, love dim,
Were't known thou'rt the woman herein thrice praised,
And I the poet in whom love has blazed?