In honor of the Olympics, unrevised, uncensored, and without comment
A Sonnet to Helen (1998)
A thousand sunsets blaze up at your smile.
A thousand moonbeams on your fair skin dance.
A thousand times you simply sat there while
a thousand hearts grew tender at your glance.
A thousand sculptors, all divinely skilled
could not create so statuesque a build.
A thousand poets, muses' chosen few
could not compose the grace I see in you.
A thousand stars lay twinkling in your eyes.
A thousand souls melt with your dulcet song.
A thousand pains lay veiled in beauty's guise.
A thousand things so right hide all that's wrong.
Your face, which sent a thousand ships to sea
does drive a thousand daggers into me.
A thousand sunsets blaze up at your smile.
A thousand moonbeams on your fair skin dance.
A thousand times you simply sat there while
a thousand hearts grew tender at your glance.
A thousand sculptors, all divinely skilled
could not create so statuesque a build.
A thousand poets, muses' chosen few
could not compose the grace I see in you.
A thousand stars lay twinkling in your eyes.
A thousand souls melt with your dulcet song.
A thousand pains lay veiled in beauty's guise.
A thousand things so right hide all that's wrong.
Your face, which sent a thousand ships to sea
does drive a thousand daggers into me.