Tatiana Bazhan
The Weight of Ages: Modern Sonnets
Towards the light
Though shadows fall and skies begin to weep,
And chilling winds may howl a mournful song,
Let not your spirit in the darkness sleep,
But seek the light where hope has lingered long.
For, even in the deepest, darkest night,
A single star can pierce the velvet gloom,
And guide your weary soul towards the light,
Dispelling fear, and sealing sorrow's tomb.
So, lift your chin, and let your heart take flight,
Embrace the dawn that bursts through cloudy bars,
Believe in joy, and cling to what is right,
And find the strength to reach for distant stars.
Let optimism serve as a guiding grace,
A smile to wear upon your hopeful face.
The youth thief
The clock's soft tick, a whisper in the air,
Proclaims the thief that steals our youth away,
Each moment lost, a burden hard to bear,
As shadows lengthen at the close of day.
The river flows, unceasing in its quest,
To join the ocean, vast and ever deep,
And leaves behind a memory at best,
Of sunlit banks where secrets used to sleep.
The future waits, a canvas yet unbright,
With possibilities that glimmer there,
While echoes linger of the fading light,
And whispers of anxieties and care.
So, seize the day, let moments brightly shine,
For, time, once lost, is never truly thine.
Inner virtues
When shadows creep and darkness starts to reign,
And whispers sow the seeds of doubt and fear,
A steadfast heart must rise above the pain,
And hold to honour, ever drawing near.
Though tempests rage and fortunes ebb and flow,
Though gilded prizes tempt the weary soul,
True worth resides where inner virtues grow,
Beyond the reach of worldly loss or goal.
Let truth be compass, guiding every deed,
And conscience be the measure of your worth.
For, honour shines, a radiant, noble creed,
A light to lead you home from earthly dearth.
So, stand tall, let integrity be known,
And wear your honour as a cherished crown.
A secret treasure
A gentle curve, a fleeting, sunlit grace,
A silent language spoken in the eyes,
A warmth that spreads across a weary face,
A beacon burning 'neath the cloudy skies.
It lifts the spirit, banishes the gloom,
And whispers promises of brighter days,
A fragile flower bursting into bloom,
That chases shadows with its golden rays.
A simple gift, yet powerful and deep,
It bridges distances and mends the soul,
A secret treasure that the heart can keep,
And makes us stronger, making us whole.
So, share your smile, let kindness be your guide,
And watch its magic ripple far and wide.
A butterfly in flight
A gentle sunbeam, dancing on my face,
A robin's song that fills the morning air,
A simple moment, found in time and space,
A weightless feeling, banishing all care.
Happiness, a butterfly in flight,
A fleeting glimpse of beauty, pure and bright.
It lands so softly, bathed in golden light,
And whispers secrets in the fading night.
Don't chase it wildly, lest it disappear,
But hold it gently in your heart's embrace.
For, happiness is found in moments near,
In simple joys that time cannot erase.
So, breathe it in, this feeling sweet and true,
And let its warmth forever dwell in you.
A spark of wonder
Within the heart, a hidden song resides,
A melody that dances, soft and low,
A gentle current where true beauty glides,
A secret harmony that starts to grow.
It whispers through the chambers of the mind,
A solace in the chaos and the fray,
A tapestry of feelings intertwined,
That brightens even the darkest, greyest day.
Though words may fail to capture all its grace,
And mortal ears may struggle to define,
This inner music leaves a timeless trace,
A spark of wonder, truly so divine.
So, listen close, and let your spirit soar,
To hear the soul's sweet song forevermore.
The wage of dreams
The market calls, a siren's gilded song,
Of better bread, and lives beyond the fray.
We leave behind the place where we belong,
To chase a future, brighter than today.
Yet, is this journey truly ours to claim?
Or are we pawns, propelled by want and need?
Does freedom bloom within this endless game,
Or just a gilded cage, a heart that bleeds
For, roots untended, memories left behind?
We seek a solace, tangible and true,
But find the self fragmented, hard to find,
A patchwork soul, forever split in two.
So, let us tread with wisdom, deep and vast,
And ask, “What price this life, and will it last?”
A soft kiss
The world in white, a silent, frozen dream,
Begins to weep, a fragile, watery sigh.
The sun's soft kiss, a warmly golden gleam,
Awakens life beneath a weeping sky.
The icy grip that held the earth so tight,
Relaxes now, releasing streams unbound.
No longer veiled in purest, blinding light,
The hidden earth emerges from the ground.
A promise whispered on the gentle breeze,
Of verdant hues and blossoms yet to be.
The melting snow, a harbinger of ease,
Foretells the coming of spring's liberty.
So, let the teardrops fall, a silver rain,
For, life reborn will rise and bloom again.
The garden of the soul
The lines etched deep, a map upon the face,
Tell tales of journeys, triumphs, and of tears.
No youthful blush retains its fleeting grace,
But something deeper now the spirit wears.
The hasty judgments of a younger mind
Have softened now to empathy and grace.
The world's harsh lessons, carefully defined,
Have found their rightful, purposeful embrace.
No longer chasing visions, bright and bold,
But tending slow the garden of the soul,
A quiet strength, a story to be told.
The wisdom of the years takes its toll,
Yet, leaves behind a treasure to behold:
A heart that understands and makes us whole.
Knotted wounds
A whispered word, a shadowed, furtive glance,
A secret kept within the gilded cage
Of family pride, a delicate, cruel dance
Where truth is veiled upon life's fragile stage.
The portraits stare, impassive and austere,
As cracks appear within the polished frame,
And whispers rise, fuelled by unspoken fear,
Igniting gossip's ever-hungry flame.
A name is tarnished, honour gently bled,
As loyalties are tested, torn apart.
The web of kinship, carefully outspread,
Now tangled, knotted, wounds each beating heart.
The scandal breaks, and silence fills the air,
A legacy of shame, beyond repair.
A haunting question
In this global age, where borders blur and fade,
And cultures clash in digital displays,
A haunting question lingers, unafraid:
Where does my true identity now lay?
The traditions of my fathers, once so clear,
Now mingled are with streams from distant lands,
A tapestry of influences, held dear,
Yet, leaving me with empty, grasping hands.
I am a citizen of earth, they say,
But feel the roots of heritage still tug,
A dissonance that haunts me day by day,
A fractured mirror reflecting back a hug
Of past and present, future yet unknown,
A quest for self in seeds that I have sown.
A celestial pearl
Pale orb of night, a silent, watchful eye,
You hang suspended in the velvet deep.
A gentle beacon in the starlit sky,
Where restless dreams a solemn vigil keep.
You paint the world in shades of silver bright,
And whisper secrets to the sleeping land.
A timeless solace in the endless night,
A guiding hand, a comfort close at hand.
Your mystic glow inspires poets' quill,
And lovers' hearts with tender feelings stirred.
A celestial pearl, serene and still,
Your beauty reigns, forever to be heard.
So, shine on, moon, and cast your gentle light,
And banish darkness with your radiant might.
A universe of needs
A tiny fist, a face contorted red,
A sound that shatters silence, sharp and keen.
A universe of needs yet to be said,
Expressed in wails, a primal, raw routine.
No words are formed, no sentence takes its shape,
But hunger, fear, or loneliness declare
Within that cry, a desperate escape
From shadows looming, or from empty air.
A parent's heart leaps forth to understand,
To soothe the tremour in that fragile plea,
To cradle close, a helping, loving hand.
And in the rocking, find tranquility.
The crying fades, a sigh escapes at last,
A peaceful slumber, troubles overcast.
A journey to unfold
Within these pages, wisdom softly sleeps,
Awaiting eyes that seek its gentle light.
No voice proclaims, yet knowledge deeply leaps,
And shadows fade before its burning bright.
Through tales of old, and truths forever new,
We glimpse the world in all its vibrant hue.
From sorrow's depths to triumphs strong and true,
We learn to judge, to ponder, and pursue.
Each turning leaf, a journey to unfold,
A tapestry of thoughts, both bold and mild.
The secrets held, more precious far than gold,
A fertile ground for reason, meek and wild.
So, open wide these doors to realms unseen,
And find yourself, where understanding's keen.
A gentle echo
In realms of hush, where shadows softly creep,
A symphony unheard, a muted plea,
The sound of silence, secrets it does keep,
A vast expanse of tranquil mystery.
No bustling noise, no clamour to be found,
Just stillness deep, a solace for the soul,
Where introspection's seeds take fertile ground,
And stories in the quiet start to roll.
The world may rush, a tempest in its prime,
But in the pause, a different strength we find,
A gentle echo resonating time,
Leaving bustling thoughts far behind.
So, listen close, perhaps you'll understand,
The potent language spoken by the land.
Simple joys
The clock ticks on, a steady, rhythmic beat,
But heed it not, let worries fade away.
Embrace the now, this moment bittersweet,
And find delight in sunshine's golden ray.
A gentle breeze, a songbird's sweet refrain,
A laughter shared, a friendly, knowing glance,
These simple joys, a balm to soothe the pain,
A fleeting glimpse of life's enchanting dance.
So, breathe it in, this precious gift of time,
Before it slips away, beyond recall.
Let pleasure bloom, in its most perfect prime,
And cherish every moment, stand up tall.
For, life is short, a fragile, tender thing,
So, fill it now with joy, let your heart sing.
A bitter sting
Destructive criticism, a barbed and cruel dart,
Can pierce the fragile shell of budding dreams,
Leaving a wounded heart, a soul apart,
A silent scream where vibrant hope once gleamed.
It lacks the grace of guidance, gently given,
And tears instead of building, brick by brick.
A poisoned tongue, a spirit unforgiven,
It leaves a scar that time cannot quite trick.
So, let us choose our words with careful art,
To nurture growth, not crush with bitter sting.
For, kindness sown can heal a broken heart,
And lift a soul to rise, and learn to sing.
Let empathy illuminate our way,
And banish darkness from the light of day.
A poison thought
A viper coiled within my heart does lie,
Its venom drips, a slow and bitter burn.
At every glance, at every whispered sigh,
My fragile peace to ashes it does turn.
I see your smile, directed not at me,
And shadows dance where sunlight used to gleam.
This gnawing fear, eternally I see,
That I am less than some imagined dream.
Oh, poison thought, to doubt a love so true,
To let suspicion weave its cruel design.
I fight this beast, this monstrous, hateful hue,
And pray that trust may once again be mine.
But still, it lingers, whispering in my ear,
The chilling breath of jealousy and fear.
A symphony of despair
When shadows lengthen and the day is done,
And fear creeps in on silent, velvet feet,
Man turns to steel, to weapons, one by one,
For, comfort found in power, bittersweet.
The gleaming blade, a promise carved in air,
The loaded gun, a whisper of command,
The rocket's roar, a symphony of despair,
Held tightly clutched within a trembling hand.
Oh, cursed tools of war, so cold and stark,
That offer solace in a world of strife,
You leave your shadow, a perpetual mark,
Upon the very fabric of our life.
And yet, we cling to you in darkest hour,
A testament to fear, not strength or power.
