Sunday, October 7, 2012

Onegin Dines at the New Japanese Restaurant


I recently read Alexander Pushkin's novel in verse, Eugene Onegin.  The style the author uses for his poetry is fascinating, similar to Shakespeare's but more convoluted because of the combination of masculine and feminine endings as well as the fact that each stanza uses a different rhyme scheme.   Overall, Pushkin uses iambic (da-DUM) tetrameter (four beats).  He uses 3 quatrains followed by a couplet, similar to Shakespeare.  The whole thing, with unstressed endings denoted by lowercase letters, is as follows:  aBaB-ccDD-eFFe-GG.  Since I love writing Shakespearean sonnets, I thought I should give this style a go.

When you are hungry, think of sushi:
Ginger, soy sauce, bits of fish,
Wrapped inside some nori seaweed.
It makes for such a tasty dish.

If you’re a vegan, try some tofu--
Or carrot, cuke, and avocado.
Wasabi adds a twist of spice
Then set upon the sticky rice.

Sushi is divine in flavor;
The food of gods, I do attest.
Sushi is indeed the best;
A plate of pleasure meant to savor.

When I am done, please bring to me
Some mochi and a cup of tea.

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