Sonnet X

A Love, Those worshipped, friends and family
Were with whom one shared love in days of old.
This was true of poets and royalty,
Knights and peasants, alike, so I’ve been told.
However, I, being an atheist,
Have reserved nothing of love in my heart
For ‘Those worshipped’, as appeared on the list.
Instead, for Thee I have reserved that part.
Hence, when I say I have more to offer
To Thee, in terms of love, than all back when,
I mean it! For in my mortal coffer
Is love for Thee that was ne’er meant for man.
Before Thee, I called myself atheist,
But now, I know I am more Paganist.

07.20.95 – 07.29.95

.

———————————————————————————————————————

Copyright by Minh Tan on listed dated of completion
and published in Perspectives, ISBN 0-9686250-0-2.

———————————————————————————————————————

.

Notes to this poem…

Sonnet IX

In picking flame azaleas for Thee,
I rob the world of a little colour.
Not much, maybe, but know that to some bee,
The world now appears a little duller.
In picking roses and orchids for Thee,
I steal from the world a few charming sights.
Few, perhaps, but realize that some bee,
Must now travel farther for its delights.
Yea, ’tis true! In picking flowers for Thee,
I leave the world a less beautiful place.
However, in giving flowers to Thee,
I change that with smiles I bring to Thy face.
Hence, whilst picking flowers leaves me uneased,
For reason of Thee, my mind is appeased.

06.21.95 – 06.30.95

.

———————————————————————————————————————

Copyright by Minh Tan on listed dated of completion
and published in Perspectives, ISBN 0-9686250-0-2.

———————————————————————————————————————

.

Notes to this poem…

Sonnet VIII

To you, who move with graceful elegance…
To you, in the beautiful attire…
To you, with the seraphic appearance
That betrays a being who is higher…
Every time I am within your presence,
I slow down so that I can admire
Your mystique that holds me in reverence
And makes my heart melt like frost by fire.
Once immersed in your glowing radiance,
I stop to let your beauty inspire
Forth streams of passions of which’s sole essence
Is poets’ hearts melted by desire.
Oh, if only you were always near by,
There’d be proof that some streams never run dry.

03.20.95 – 03.28.95

.

———————————————————————————————————————

Copyright by Minh Tan on listed dated of completion
and published in Perspectives, ISBN 0-9686250-0-2.

———————————————————————————————————————

.

Notes to this poem…

Sonnet VII

One day I was introduced to Cora.
A girl quite shy, quiet, cheery and sweet,
Most gentle, serene, subtle and discreet.
She was a girl with a charming aura.
Some days later, I once more saw Cora.
This time, she was direct, yet, soft and sweet,
Confident, certain and not so discreet.
There and then, she had more air than aura.
When I queried, I found to my surprise,
She was Sara, and not Cora in disguise.
After a moment, the thought trickled through,
Sara and Cora! ah! Twins! There are two!
One with an aura, the other, an air,
They were the MacKay twins, and what a pair!

02.09.95 – 02.16.95

.

———————————————————————————————————————

Copyright by Minh Tan on listed dated of completion
and published in Perspectives, ISBN 0-9686250-0-2.

———————————————————————————————————————

.

Notes to this poem…

Sonnet VI

I knew a friend who went on vacation
Without a map to guide himself around.
He did not set out a destination,
And that, suffice to say, he never found.
He wandered carelessly from place to place,
Very casually checking things out.
He took things as they came, at his own pace,
Very casually roaming about.
As time passed, he found he was truly lost.
In panic, he dropped the baggage he brought,
Ran off, and left those he knew with the cost
To pay for remains, and what remained not.
The baggage he left was put in the sod,
Whilst he, my friend, fled to the home of God.

01.18.95 – 02.09.95

.

———————————————————————————————————————

Copyright by Minh Tan on listed dated of completion
and published in Perspectives, ISBN 0-9686250-0-2.

———————————————————————————————————————

.

Notes to this poem…

Sonnet V

In Thee, these features, five, my eyes they saw,
Count with me, in the mirror over there:
One set of star-filled eyes beyond compare.
View, too, the smile da Vinci could not draw,
Etched on the lovely face without a flaw.
The fourth, the long and flowing flaxen hair.
The fifth, the form dimensioned without err.
Heed this, my Love, Thou leavest me in awe!
Yea, I know that similar praise, and more,
Hath seen Thine eyes too many times before,
Except in mine is hidden what I mean,
As clouds hide rain that make the grasses green.
Read down the left, ere Thee and poem part,
The message lies in each line, at the start.
(I COVET THY HEART)

07.09.94 – 01.31.95

.

———————————————————————————————————————

Copyright by Minh Tan on listed dated of completion
and published in Perspectives, ISBN 0-9686250-0-2.

———————————————————————————————————————

.

Notes to this poem…

Sonnet IV

I could compare you to a summer’s day,
Or, if you prefer, to a winter’s night.
I could compare you to how children play,
Or what they bring in pleasure and delight.
Perhaps your tastes prefer the sugars sweet,
Or would the feel of velvet touch you more?
Perhaps the sounds that hearts of lovers beat,
Or twinkling stars are stuff that you care for?
Pick any flower blooming in the spring,
Or any leaf that’s turning in the fall,
Pick stones of worth, bright rainbows, songs birds sing,
Or oceans, clouds – pick anything at all!
All lovely things I can compare you to,
But there’s not one that can compare to you.

08.10.94 – 01.11.95

.

———————————————————————————————————————

Copyright by Minh Tan on listed dated of completion
and published in Perspectives, ISBN 0-9686250-0-2.

———————————————————————————————————————

.

Notes to this poem…

Sonnet III

Before we two part from each other’s sight,
My sweetheart, I would like to ask of you…
Give me a kiss to dream about tonight,
So I may dream of you the whole night through.
Kiss me, my love, and tuck me in a cloud,
As far away from this world as could be,
Up high where only angels are allowed,
Where I’d feel as if you were still with me.
Turn off the stars in the sky with that kiss,
And turn on the ones that are in my eyes,
So I may see past bounds of heaven’s bliss,
And dream of ecstasies but known in lies.
So won’t you give me that kiss, my sweetheart,
To dream about tonight while we’re apart?

02.24.94 – 05.23.94

.

———————————————————————————————————————

Copyright by Minh Tan on listed dated of completion
and published in Perspectives, ISBN 0-9686250-0-2.

———————————————————————————————————————

.

Notes to this poem…

Sonnet II

Whenever I see roses that are red,
I think of violets that come in blue,
For they prompt sweet memories in my head
Of the time I first set my eyes on you.
And when I see roses that are yellow,
I think of cherry blossoms that smell sweet,
And I recall how all seemed so mellow
Just looking at you, having yet to meet.
But when I see roses that are pure white,
To mind comes thoughts of orchids that are wild,
For they remind me of the stunning sight
I saw when you first caught my gaze, and smiled.
From then on, I could no longer presume,
That Spring had come, when I saw flowers bloom.

04.17.94 – 05.04.94

.

———————————————————————————————————————

Copyright by Minh Tan on listed dated of completion
and published in Perspectives, ISBN 0-9686250-0-2.

———————————————————————————————————————

.

Notes to this poem…

Beethoven and His Fifth Symphony (Sonnet I)

Who else could start a symphony like that,
Except the music titan Beethoven?
A Man for all mankind to marvel at,
For He lived life as none had ever done.
With Fate already knocking at His door,
With claim on His ability to hear,
The Man replied with notes, in groups of four,
And drove Fate back in awe, respect and fear!
He boldly vowed to ‘take Fate by the throat!’
To persevere until the very end!
For win or lose, He knew that with each note,
To newer heights His greatness would ascend!
He kept composing, much to Fate’s dismay…
But even Fate, knew when to walk away!

08.01.92 – 08.21.92

 

.

———————————————————————————————————————

Copyright by Minh Tan on listed dated of completion
and published in Perspectives, ISBN 0-9686250-0-2.

———————————————————————————————————————

.

Notes to this poem…