Sonnet 15 "We Have Erected A Reboant Shrine" by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares

Posthumous work of the Colombian poet born in Don Matias on January 20, 1948.

Welcome to this blog dedicated to the Posthumous work of the Colombian poet Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares (my father), born in Don Matias on January 20, 1948-2010. Where I will be publishing each of the 175 sonnets from his unpublished collection 'Sonnets For The Twenty First Century And A Circadian Musical (1984-1987).' Analyzed with GPT4 artificial intelligence and illustrated with AI tools... I hope you enjoy this garden of words snatched from the solitude of a locked room.

Likewise, any enthusiast of the sonnet form is invited to conduct their personal studies of Arroyave Tabares' work, as it is a collection that, although registered since 1989, has not yet been published.

Frank Duna

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Sonnet 15 by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares

We Have Erected A Reboant Shrine


We please our yearnings with well known decors
And live dreams that others had in the past 
But we have grown to the present records 
By killing landscapes to the every last. 

We also climbed to the tops of the art
And chose from there our most cherished symbols 
But we have pains now that never depart
And owe life to other gods and idols.

We have erected a reboant shrine 
By falling pray of our idolatry 
The ravening atom will not decline 
To make earth into a cemetery. 

Some day man will come from his false pretense 
And will say, "let us stop all this nonsense!".
                  ***

Analysis "We Have Erected A Reboant Shrine"

Introduction

Sonnet 15 by Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares, titled "We Have Erected A Reboant Shrine," explores themes of human progress, idolatry, and the consequences of our actions. The poem is structured as a traditional sonnet with 14 lines, written in iambic pentameter and following the rhyme scheme ABABCDCDEFEFGG.

Thematic Analysis

In the first quatrain, the speaker reflects on how humanity has satisfied its desires by using familiar decorations and living out dreams that others have had before. However, this progress has come at a cost, as we have destroyed landscapes in the process.

The second quatrain discusses humanity's achievements in art and the adoption of cherished symbols. Despite these accomplishments, the speaker acknowledges that we now experience persistent pain and have become indebted to other gods and idols.

The third quatrain introduces the central image of the poem: a "reboant shrine" that has been erected as a result of humanity's idolatry. The speaker warns that the destructive power of the atom, likely referring to nuclear weapons, threatens to turn the earth into a cemetery.

In the final couplet, the speaker expresses hope that humanity will eventually recognize the folly of its actions and put an end to the destructive behavior, calling it "nonsense."

Overall, this sonnet serves as a critique of humanity's pursuit of progress and the consequences of our actions, while also offering a glimmer of hope for change and redemption.

Structure and Rhyme Scheme

In English literature, the two main types of sonnets are the Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet and the Shakespearean (English) sonnet, each with its own distinct rhyme scheme.

Here’s the sonnet with each end rhyme labeled:

We please our yearnings with well known decors (A)
And live dreams that others had in the past (B)
But we have grown to the present records (A)
By killing landscapes to the every last. (B)

We also climbed to the tops of the art (C)
And chose from there our most cherished symbols (D)
But we have pains now that never depart (C)
And owe life to other gods and idols. (D)

We have erected a reboant shrine (E)
By falling pray of our idolatry (F)
The ravening atom will not decline (E)
To make earth into a cemetery. (F)

Some day man will come from his false pretense (G)
And will say, "let us stop all this nonsense!". (G)

The rhyme scheme of this sonnet is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, which is characteristic of a Shakespearean sonnet. This structure includes three quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a final rhymed couplet. The quatrains usually introduce a separate aspect or image related to the same theme, while the final couplet provides a summarizing or concluding statement. In this case, the final couplet presents a hopeful future realization and change in human behavior.

Analysis of Aspects

While we've covered the themes, rhyme scheme, and overall structure of Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares' Sonnet 15, "We Have Erected A Reboant Shrine," there are still several aspects that can be further analyzed, including its use of language, imagery, and meter.

Language and Imagery: The poem uses vivid and evocative language to convey its themes. For instance, the phrase "killing landscapes to the every last" uses strong, violent imagery to emphasize the destructive impact of human progress. Similarly, the "ravening atom" is a powerful image that alludes to the potential devastation caused by nuclear weapons. The "reboant shrine" is a metaphor for the consequences of human actions, echoing and resounding throughout time and space.

Meter: The poem is written in iambic pentameter, a common meter in English poetry and particularly in sonnets. Each line consists of five pairs of unstressed and stressed syllables, giving the poem a rhythmic flow. For example, in the line "We please our yearnings with well known decors," the pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables is as follows: "we PLEASE our YEARnings WITH well KNOWN deCORS."

Tone and Mood: The tone of the poem is reflective and critical, as the speaker contemplates the consequences of humanity's actions. The mood is somewhat somber and cautionary, particularly in the lines that discuss the destruction of landscapes and the potential for the earth to become a cemetery. However, the final couplet introduces a note of hope and potential redemption, suggesting a shift in mood towards the end of the poem.

Symbolism: The poem is rich in symbolism. The "reboant shrine" symbolizes the lasting impact of human actions, while the "ravening atom" represents the destructive power of technology. The "gods and idols" to which we owe our lives could be interpreted as symbols of the various forces or entities that we have come to depend on or worship in modern society, such as technology, money, or power.

Allusion: The poem may contain allusions to specific historical or cultural events or phenomena. For instance, the reference to the "ravening atom" could be an allusion to the development and use of nuclear weapons, which has been a significant and controversial aspect of human progress in the 20th and 21st centuries.

(GPT4)

Syllable count for each line.

We Have Erected A Reboant Shrine


10 We please our yearnings with well known decors
10 And live dreams that others had in the past 
10 But we have grown to the present records 
10 By killing landscapes to the every last. 

10 We also climbed to the tops of the art
10 And chose from there our most cherished symbols 
10 But we have pains now that never depart
10 And owe life to other gods and idols.

10 We have erected a reboant shrine 
10 By falling pray of our idolatry 
10 The ravening atom will not decline 
10 To make earth into a cemetery. 

10 Some day man will come from his false pretense 
10 And will say, "let us stop all this nonsense!".
                    ***

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Sonnets For The Twenty First Century And A Circadian Musical Written By Francisco Luis Arroyave Tabares (1984-1987)

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Analyzed by GPT4; Image by leonardo.ai;
First published on Nostr Protocol by [email protected]

We Have Erected A Reboant Shrine