“…freedom lies in a purposeful fight
to give each day meaning in hardest times…”
Perceptive and beautifully composed, Luke Milligan’s sonnets put the literature encountered in 2201 in conversation with the events of the poet’s life. In these sonnets the reader will find a poet who has artfully adapted the sonnet form and powerful themes from literary history to address the challenges of living through a global pandemic. The poetry touches elegiac loss, isolation, the desire to “seize the day” (carpe diem), and personal narratives of love and trauma.
We are pleased to share his poems below, complete with some of his commentary.
Columbus 2020
there are times that I think upon the past
of the lights on broadway, smiling faces
would it all end? a question never asked.
joy seemed endless in all of the places
places where voices rang out, loud and clear
times when the music drowned out all the noise
stories were told in words of Shakespeare
the world united, the simplest of joys
I remember theaters full, spirits light
excitement ripe as all the lights went down
the laughter, the tears, the joys of the night
the people enjoyed a night on the town
now theaters sit silent, no shows or plays
will silence stay for the rest of my days?
This was a sonnet that I based on the “Elegy of Place” section that we covered during our first unit. One of my favorite physical locations has always been the theater or an event for performing arts. I have gone to concerts, recitals, and musicals for as long as I can remember. Live music has especially been something central to my life. I wanted to write a sonnet that described the fears I had during the darkest days of the pandemic.
A Sonnet From Ms. Julian
I stay by myself in my private room
I can read what I please with room for thought
some folks disapprove and call this my tomb
but I am safe and warm, wanting for naught
I dispense wisdom to people in town
they come with their conflicts, both large and small
some matters concern only a ripped gown
others include faith and fear of the fall
my life may seem boring, quiet, and dull
days filled with reading the same tired pages
staring through the window, watching the gulls
my life appears a waste for the ages
but I’m close to God, truly enlightened
and in this cell I’ve never been frightened
When I initially read Julian of Norwich’s writings, I thought her way of life was fascinating. It was so interesting to me that she chose to live the way she did and that she was able to find fulfillment in such an unusual way. I found myself wondering if I would’ve enjoyed the life that she had or if I would’ve chosen it for myself. This sonnet came out of my reflections on her experiences. I really tried to write as if I was Julian of Norwich writing from my room in the church.
Tomorrow Is Today
an indifferent world, each day the same
the days on the calendar blend to one
all thoughts of success, of fortune or fame
washed out by darkness, escape there is none
a wish for escape, a hope to be done
a dream to escape from the endless night
a wish to recover freedom and fun
it appears there is no end to this plight
freedom lies in a purposeful fight
to give each day meaning in hardest times
in the quietest moments, finding the light
through hearing music or reading rhymes
tomorrow is today without action
the art to escape? simple abstraction.
This sonnet is another one heavily influenced by my feelings and experiences during the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. I tried to model this sonnet around the “carpe diem” idea that was exhibited in some Renaissance poetry. When we were under the stay at home order in 2020, I really struggled to give meaning to each day. I found that every day felt the same, and I felt like I was losing my identity without friends or other people to interact with […] My version of “carpe diem” was just trying to make each day special and find reasons to get out of bed. It doesn’t seem as monumental as the attitude of some of the poetry that we read, but it certainly felt monumental at the time.
Sirens
each night I hear the sirens cry in song
I think silently, “Have they come for you?”
I push it away, I try to be strong
I always trust my faith to see me through
I see you there, on a hospital bed
away from my embrace, alone and cold
unfolding around me with mounting dread
thoughts of you leaving before you’re old
my mind flashes to the car, ripped and torn
My only comfort that you went ahead
the speed of life with no chances to warn
your choice was a needle carefully thread
I wake with a start, reeling from dreams’ plight
comforted by your face in morning’s light
In our last unit, I found Ignatius Sancho’s writings about his family, specifically his worries and words for his wife, to be incredibly touching. I wanted to try to emulate Sancho’s work with this sonnet and show that amount of care for someone that I love […] My girlfriend and I usually drive home together, but for some reason, it just didn’t work out this year and we ended up driving separately…
A bio for Luke Milligan is in the works!