Sonnet for Zombie Bill

[akirlu]

Earlier today I spotted this post over on James Nicoll's LJ. All unknowing whose birthday (or more correctly, baptismal date) it was, I answered that if I could resurrect any author at the height of their powers knowing they would be brains-craving zombies, I would choose William Shakespeare. Well, then Abi over at Making Light started a sonnet thread in honor of Shakespeare's birthday, and silliness came bubbling forth. Ergo, in honor of National Poetry Month and my favorite English playwright, I give you:

Sonnet for Zombie Bill, on the Anniversary of His Baptism

Behold, what soul would I a zombie make
What long-dead penman to this life renew?
For whose gilt words would brains forsake…
…well, not my own, if giving yours would do…

The puzzle posed, its answer must contain:
No English language poet can compare
If giving up one’s living mind’s in train,
No lesser author’s work is worth the dare.

So Bill-the-Bard we bow our heads to thee,
And hope to live to see your next Act III.

Comments

[holyoutlaw.livejournal.com]

Hilarious.

[davidgoldfarb.livejournal.com]

I hate to nitpick (oh, who am I kidding? I love to nitpick) but you're wanting four lines to be a proper sonnet.

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Ah, well, not for nothing do they call me Quatrain-short-of-a-sonnet Girl.

[greenshadows.livejournal.com]

LOL! Was about to offer the same criticism but your response fixes everything. ;)

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Well, I may try to pull a final quatrain out of my butt one of these days, but I am a wee bit rusty, not having tried the sonnet form in, oh, several decades, I'd say.

[holyoutlaw.livejournal.com]

If "quatrain short of a sonnet" is not on the Shakespearean Insult Generator, it should be.

http://www.pangloss.com/seidel/Shaker/

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Bravissimo! (Which the spellchucker thinks might want to be Pianissimo or Braveness instead.)