24 Hours and the Sky: 8 Sonnets

Here I am again with more sonnets! This set of 8 is based around the sky and times of day.

Sun

A warm soul is he of many faces

Limpid and pale on a chill winter's morn

Yet when the spring comes how fast he races

To summon the daffodils from the lawn

And summer's image is so hot and bright

His broad beam inviting a sleepy trance

How golden he turns in the autumn light

As leaves of all colours take up their dance

But oft does he hide in a shroud of grey

Dull in his journey from dawn until dusk

Sometimes he burns those who walk at midday

Sparing no saint nor thief nor soul at busk

This giver of life fickle in his ways

Is predictable in his yearly phase

Moon

Ancient yet youthful is her form so pale,

Sometime rotund and sometime slight as fae,

As thru' the night's velvet skies doth she sail,

To aid the trav'ller who has lost his way.

On winter nights she wears rings of all shades,

A halo remains in spring's coolest air,

In summer she late arrives in the glades,

And autumn's harvest sees her smile so rare.

Yet some nights she shyly hides behind clouds,

Or turns her dark back to the weary soul,

And lamplight must govern the nightly crowds,

For darkness is friend only to the mole.

Again thru' the sky this pale lady rides,

This lighter of ways, mistress of the tides.

Stars

At moonrise in countless number you'll see

Kings and Queens of such marvellous brightness

Fine jewels in each patch of night velvety

Distant monarchs each with their own lightness

How far they are from our homeland humble

Yet strong enough that we know each by name

And even should one form take a tumble

We know its path: can calculate its aim

Tho' with each sunrise these royals do fade

Obscured behind the daytime's lightened skies

After the sun has made his grand parade

They reappear to soothe our weary eyes

Eternal bodies so noble and bright

Those Lords and Ladies of infinite night

Space

How great and boundless this eternal place,

Where wanderers traverse between the stars!

Our lives are but an atom on its face,

A speck of dust is this green Earth of ours.

In this vast place you'll find existing all,

Whether in past present or future born,

Each particle is here within this hall:

Pinpoints of light that do this place adorn.

Be not misled by dread of endless dark,

For tho' this place seems shadowed to the eye,

Upon this black do colours make their mark--

Bold nebula suspended in the sky.

So even if you cannot see it clear,

Bright colour lurks in ev'ry shadow near.

Sunrise

Into nothing each dark night gently fades,

The once-black sky to sunlight does give way,

And slowly lightens to soft pastel shades,

Heralding the start of another day.

And heark! How the birds do that silence break:

That hush that reigned within the shadowed night,

Their grateful songs of joy do others wake,

To look above and glimpse the changing light.

Yet transient this moment and how fine,

This transformation magic of the cloud,

Those pastel skies grow vibrant and they shine,

Gold-edged by splendid sunshine they enshroud.

Fleeting though this moment may seem to be,

It happens every day for all to see.

Day

A firmament blue does stretch out above,

Oft clothed in soft clouds of white and grey,

Or sheathed out of view like a hand in glove,

By a blanket sky the sun can't allay.

Yet all go out when light covers the land,

No matter if rain falls or purest snow,

E'en if wind blows the storm can't disband,

Folks who have things to do--places to go.

But by that blue are summon'd larger crowds,

And hot sun doth entice into its rays,

Oiled worshippers unwary of the clouds.

As each relaxed within the sunlight lays.

Only day with its sun can offer this:

Light enough to work, warmth enough for bliss.

Sunset

Heaven's eye to the horizon descends,

And dims to a glow like the blacksmith's fire,

And to the evening skies that flame doth lend,

Bright crimson and gold for all to admire.

From trees little birds sing their evensong,

As they settle in for the darkest hour,

And overheard by those who pass along,

Their cheery tune brings smiles to faces dour.

Tho' brief this moment of dazzling display,

Before that shining globe does sink below,

Even the darkest night will yield to day,

As promised by the sky's bright evening glow.

The gift given by this orb's daily flight:

Kaleidoscope colour before the night.

Night

For sleep, the sun hath settled 'neath the land,

And moon illuminates the shadow'd lane,

As dark descends and cheery friends disband,

To travel home upon this earthly plane.

All creatures do within their beds enshrine,

Their weary bodies unto slumber sweet,

And diamonds in an endless sky do shine:

With silence is this firmament replete.

Yet tho this time is under reign of peace,

Remember others live within the dark,

For in the shadows wakeful eyes increase:

As badger, bat and owl with fox do lark.

No stillness shall this vast time e'er contain,

For all night's creatures do this darkness reign.


These bring my total up to 24 sonnets, as so far I've succeeded in writing one each day this month! Next sonnet post will be the final one,  with the month's last seven sonnets. I might write something serious, or might be a total weeb and write them about favourite anime characters (because why not).