Shakespair: Sonnets Responding to William Shakespeare's 154 Sonnets

Shakespeare's Sonnets, published in 1609 but primarily written in the 1590s, offer surprising insights at every turn, particularly in terms of the plot and the breadth of the poet's passionate emotions. The storyline has the makings of a high-suspense love drama, but the author's true aim is to explore a myriad of topics, creating a verse-like journaling experience that is moody, mercurial, unpredictable, and intense. This fusion of dramatic tension and introspective depth is further complicated by the bisexual range of the poet's passionate temperament. The fact that his boyfriend and mistress are attracted to each other accounts for some of the strong conflicts within the speaker's mind, while the wild oscillations of his feelings toward each of them are rooted in his widely receptive sexual nature.

As a dialogic poet, I engage in a long-standing tradition of friendly rivalry among verse writers, and here I undertake a book-length dialogue in sonnets with Shakespeare. The best way to respond to a poem that refuses to let go of you is to write another poem and strive to make it worthy of the first. Often, I summarize a lyric from a new perspective, or I respond with parallel or contrasting memories and imaginings of my own. Poets, philosophers, mythic figures, musicians, or novelists may enter my replies, and psychological sidelights will be abundant. The possibilities revealed by the genre of lyrical response appear limitless.

There is no better con-verse-ation partner than Shakespeare, who instilled in me a deep love for his favorite lyric form. In entering into it, I assumed a stranger-self, and it made a stranger me. The richness and complexity of Shakespeare's Sonnets have inspired me to engage in a poetic dialogue that explores the depths of human emotion, the interplay of passion and intellect, and the endless possibilities of the written word.

product information: