Freedom's Blaze

Freedom’s Blaze

Donned with stars on blue and bands of red and white,
I and a thousand gather on famous ground;
We wait, sitting on blankets, laid scattered ‘round.
With augmenting tones in dim, fading twilight
And collective eyes looking into the night.
Hush! Voices lull. Hear the shot, the low launch sound
As distant rocket soars before the sky’s found,
Think of those who fought for freedom to ignite.

Spangled brilliant colors patterned in the dark
Chased by a bang! Yet anew! None yield nor faze.
Amid booms and marveling folk, keen ears hark
“Bombs bursting in air,” one croons our country’s praise.
Far off rumbles echo past finale’s spark,
Evokes the brave who sustain ‘o freedom’s blaze.





Italian (or Petrachan) sonnet
14 lines, separated into two sections. The octave is the first 8 lines that introduce the main theme. The final 6 lines, the sestet, conclude the idea by either answering the question posed in the octave, or by clarifying the idea.
There are 11 syllables in each line, typically with each alternate syllable stressed; however, the poem above demonstrates a nonstandard meter.
The rhyme scheme is ABBA ABBA CDCDCD.