Contemporary poets have often played with the formula of the sonnet to create poems that relate only in name to the traditional works. In this collection of new work, poet Paul Buchheit sticks closely to the classic sonnet, a form which had its origins in the Renaissance era as a means of, mostly, expressing romantic longing. The term “sonnet” comes from the Italian for little song (sonetto) and originally consisted of strict rules (14 lines, iambic pentameter, rhyme). Of course, the likes of Shakespeare and Francesco Petrarca were masters of the form and by adhering to the rigidity of tradition Bucheit sets himself up against some of the literary greats. It’s a difficult task but there are moments of great beauty and exquisite insight in SONNETS OF LOVE AND JOY for which Buchheit should be applauded.
Some of the best moments in this collection come when Buchheit addresses and investigates the natural world, not only in the sonnets that make up the “Joy Of Nature” section but scattered amongst his other themed pieces. In “Exquisiteness”, a lovely poem that appears in the “Love of Another” section, he writes of birds singing and the dawn rising,“ the first of purple, pink, and milky spangles blink beneath the golden haze.” In “Succumbing to You” he is more blunt but no less effective with the opening line, “Your smile excites me like a sudden burst of sun from dreary skies.” Though, by their very nature, most of Buchheit’s sonnets are old fashioned, this isn’t to presume they are especially dated. He writes in contemporary language and, though troubadours and cherubs make frequent appearances, the poems are very much of the 21st century. Easy to understand and relatable, the works are often clever but they are never difficult. Interspersed within the text are a number of photographs and reproductions of paintings. These serve to break up the sections but there are too many and the stock photos chosen–of flowers, children, birds etc,–add little to the enjoyment of the collection and, if anything, are more of a distraction from Buchheit’s words.
SONNETS OF LOVE AND JOY collects beautifully crafted and unapologetically old fashioned poems on a variety of subjects. Paul Buchheit’s skills as a poet are clear and traditionalists will find much to treasure in this contemporary call back to the poetry of the past.
~Kent Lane for IndieReader