Sonnet 6 "When Do I Smile?" By Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares

Posthumous work of the Colombian poet born in Don Matias on January 20, 1948.

Welcome to this blog dedicated to the Posthumous work of the Colombian poet Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares born in Don Matias on January 20, 1948-2010. Where I will be publishing each of the 175 sonnets from his unpublished collection 'Sonnets For The Twenty First Century And A Circadian Musical (1984-1987).' Analyzed with GPT4 artificial intelligence and illustrated with AI tools... I hope you enjoy this garden of words snatched from the solitude of a locked room.

Likewise, any enthusiast of the sonnet form is invited to conduct their personal studies of Arroyave Tabares' work, as it is a collection that, although registered since 1989, has not yet been published.

Frank Duna

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Sonnet 6 by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares

When Do I Smile?  


If any of my dreams can reach a land
Or many of them are worth some glances 
While my closeness to this world advances 
And I see rainbows by an ocean's strand.

If I mix sorrows with castles of sand
And Swim through the blue to find romances
Or nurse my soul with a fire that dances 
As my countenance blooms to kiss a hand.

When it is so far that cold is painless 
But I feel so much that life is endless 
And thorns instead of hurting just beguile...
If deep in my mind there is not concern
For I see jungles of the oldest fern
That I do know that in my life I smile.
                 ***

Analysis "When Do I Smile?"

Introduction

Sonnet 6 by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares, titled "When Do I Smile?", is a beautiful exploration of the human experience, dreams, and the perception of reality. is a Petrarchan sonnet, characterized by its structure of an octave (the first eight lines) and a sestet (the last six lines).

Thematic Analysis

In the octave, the speaker presents a series of hypothetical scenarios, each beginning with “If”. These scenarios are filled with vivid imagery, from dreams reaching lands and rainbows by an ocean’s strand, to mixing sorrows with sand castles and swimming through blue to find romances. This part of the poem sets up a series of conditions or possibilities, painting a picture of life’s various experiences.

The sestet provides the resolution to these hypotheticals. Despite all the conditions presented in the octave, it is when the speaker sees “jungles of the oldest fern” that he knows he smiles in his life. This suggests that it’s the enduring and timeless aspects of nature that bring him joy.

The shift from the hypothetical in the octave to the certainty in the sestet is a common feature of Petrarchan sonnets, often referred to as the ‘volta’ or ‘turn’. In this case, the ‘turn’ happens at “If deep in my mind there is not concern”.

This sonnet beautifully encapsulates life’s journey, filled with dreams, sorrows, joys, and ultimately, an appreciation for nature’s timeless beauty. It’s a testament to finding joy amidst life’s various experiences and serves as a reminder to smile at life’s simple pleasures.

Rhyme Scheme

The rhyme scheme of a Petrarchan sonnet typically follows the pattern ABBAABBA for the octave and CDCDCD or CDECDE for the sestet. However, poets often vary this scheme to suit their needs. Let’s analyze the rhyme scheme of “Sonnet 6” by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares:

 Octave 

If any of my dreams can reach a land (A)
Or many of them are worth some glances (B)
While my closeness to this world advances (B)
And I see rainbows by an ocean's strand. (A)

If I mix sorrows with castles of sand (A)
And Swim through the blue to find romances (B)
Or nurse my soul with a fire that dances (B)
As my countenance blooms to kiss a hand. (A)

Sextet

When it is so far that cold is painless (C)
But I feel so much that life is endless (C)
And thorns instead of hurting just beguile... (D)

If deep in my mind there is not concern (E)
For I see jungles of the oldest fern (E)
That I do know that in my life I smile. (D)

In this sonnet, the octave follows the ABBAABBA rhyme scheme, while the sestet follows the CCDEED rhyme scheme. This variation in the sestet’s rhyme scheme is common in Petrarchan sonnets and adds to the richness and complexity of the poem.

Additional Aspects to Analyze

While we've discussed the themes, structure, and rhyme scheme of Sonnet 6 by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares, there are still several aspects that can be further analyzed.

let’s delve deeper into the analysis of “Sonnet 6” by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares:

• Meter and Rhythm: The sonnet appears to be written in iambic pentameter, which is a common metrical form in traditional English poetry and verse drama. This means each line consists of five pairs of unstressed and stressed syllables, giving the poem a rhythmic quality.

• Imagery: The sonnet is rich with vivid imagery that brings the speaker’s emotional landscape to life. From “rainbows by an ocean’s strand” to “jungles of the oldest fern”, the use of natural imagery creates a sense of awe and wonder, enhancing the theme of finding joy in life’s simple pleasures.

• Symbolism: Various elements in the poem serve as symbols. For instance, “castles of sand” could symbolize transient sorrows that are washed away with time, while “thorns instead of hurting just beguile” could represent hardships that, instead of causing pain, add to the richness of life’s experiences.

• Tone: The tone of the poem is introspective and optimistic. Despite presenting scenarios that involve sorrow and pain, the speaker maintains a hopeful outlook, finding reasons to smile amidst it all.

• Theme: The overarching theme of the sonnet is the appreciation of life with all its ups and downs. It emphasizes resilience in the face of adversity and finding joy in nature’s timeless beauty.

This multi-layered analysis provides a more comprehensive understanding of “Sonnet 6”, showcasing its depth and complexity.

(GPT4)

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Count the syllables of each line of the Sonnet

When Do I Smile?  


10 If any of my dreams can reach a land
10 Or many of them are worth some glances 
10 While my closeness to this world advances 
10 And I see rainbows by an ocean's strand.

10 If I mix sorrows with castles of sand
10 And Swim through the blue to find romances
10 Or nurse my soul with a fire that dances 
10 As my countenance blooms to kiss a hand.

10 When it is so far that cold is painless 
10 But I feel so much that life is endless 
10 And thorns instead of hurting just beguile...
10 If deep in my mind there is not concern
10 For I see jungles of the oldest fern
10 That I do know that in my life I smile.
                 ***

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Sonnets For The Twenty First Century And A Circadian Musical Written By Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares (1984-1987)

Analyzed by GPT4; Image by leonardo.ai;
First published on Nostr Protocol by franciscoarroyavet@nostrplebs.com

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