Similar Sense Twin Sonnets:  Paired Sonnets

                 A Fair Lot with Bucephalus

“How fair a lot to fill

          Is left to each man still.”

                                                                       ~ Matthew Arnold “Sohrab and Rustum”

Most men do not desire a fair lot, just.

They want the universe or even more.

Great Alexander filled his world with lust

For land, land, land and kingdoms on the shore

Of power’s infinity.  A Faustus wants

The same or even greater realms, the far

Horizons of an cosmos.  Hellesponts

Loom up for conquering, to thrust and spar

With every obstacle, and then begin

Again as ruthless as an angel by

The throne of God and never mind the sin

Of holocausts as slaughtered cities die.

  Impossible is what man seeks. The Medes

    And Persians fall, slight victims.  Man stampedes.

           Beyond Mere Galahad

Instead you might attempt to do one thing

That most men fail to do:  learn how to know

And be yourself.  Learn how your soul can sing

Its conquering psalm. Learn how your heart can grow

The utterness pre-settled in it, all

That it is meant to turn to empires still

Unknown, to grasp its solar system sprawl.

Imbibe like Hubble all the stars until,

Interior, you know the total worth

Of galaxies awaiting their design,

Of your perfected constellations’ girth

And depth.  Build up your inner shrine.

  All other grails are worthless echoes of

    True triumph.  Head for this one goal above.

~ Phillip Whidden