(1) Write an "honest" poem and/or a "dishonest" poem, and
(2) Write a "dialog" or "conversation" poem.
These two seemed to fit so well together. Right away I thought of writing about a dialog between an honest character and a dishonest one. I struggled all day, though, trying to come up with something. Then I heard a song by singer-songwriter Nick Lowe about a guy who buys cheap roses try to placate his wife or lover into keeping that relationship alive, and I thought I'd run with that theme. I also tried to do my friend Vince Gotera's invented form, the "terza rima haiku sonnet", but I found that, at least for this poem, I needed a lot more syllables. So here is my "regular" Shakespearean sonnet:
Last Bouquet
Love's promise in cellophane lace
Or dead giveaway?
Or dead giveaway?
- Nick Lowe, "Stoplight Roses"
My dear, come see these flowers that I brought
for you - I thought you'd like a special treat.
I have no love for
roses that you bought
from homeless guys who
sell them on the street.
How can I gain your trust, how to preserve
the spark of passion both of us could share?
You can't, because
I've nothing in reserve;
that spark was snuffed
before your last affair.
Will you have feelings if I go away?
Just for the flowers, strangely, I feel sorrow.
We'll live to curse
and fight another day,
but like our
marriage, they'll be dead tomorrow.
I always thought our love could be much more.
Just leave - and take those roses to your whore.
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