I Count the Clock

A response "sonnet" to Shakespeare's "When I Do Count the Clock that Tells the Time"

When I do count the clock that tells the time,

he lords it over me, I am still young

but not for long, time steals away the dreams

of summer days that did not end, now they

are never long enough, and months are always far too long

and money far too short before the bills

are due again, and then again, and then once more

and I Count the clock, or he Counts himself

and steals the golden crown for his head

and gives this silver one to me, the silver crown

of wisdom, exhaustion, wearing thin, he

laughs because he lords it over me,

as his gears keep turning endlessly,

and I wear down. 

Author's Note

While this poem is based on the sonnet by Shakespeare, I intentionally did not strictly hold to Iambic Pentameter, so in that sense it is more of a "blank verse sonnet". Feel free to critique any other aspect of the poem, just keep in mind that it is intentionally varying from normal sonnet conventions. Thanks all! :)

Reviews

[Nwanna Onyeka Benedict]

it is a nice poem. I love it.

[Carissa Faulk]

Thank you! :)