Obituary of a Would-be Poet – a sonnet

I am writing a long sequence of sonnets that will see publication in 2023. I thought it might be fun to share some of them in advance.

A sonnet is included below, along with an audio recording of me reading it.

Obituary of a Would-be Poet

Fettered by one uninspiring view
he sought another,
as if a fresh approach might renew
an imperfect translation of his mother
tongue. Verbal tricks sleight-handed since the womb
he attributed to a genius for husbandry,
early-investments in a life beyond the tomb,
an embalming for linguistic posterity.

He thought words would set him free
and preserve him past his prime,
yet it was easy for the rest of us to see
his looming defeat to vengeful time;
that for all his ball-pen potions he would never be
a master of poetic alchemy.