Nothing New

Abstract

In writing this sonnet, I was heavily influenced by the work of Margaret Cavendish and her way of weaving social problems into beautiful metaphors of nature. I took my own spin on this by using the changing of seasons to allude to being mistreated and used as a woman. There is a common misconception about some women being ‘run through’ and unworthy of a meaningful relationship, much like the perception of dead flowers and trees as useless and ugly. I strive to bring light to unfortunate circumstances such as these in my writing and hope to help people relate more with others or feel seen. My goal with this poem is to connect with readers through shared experiences of betrayal and heartbreak. The intention behind this piece is to help those who have gone through unfortunate experiences know they are not alone. I took some inspiration from the form of traditional Shakespearean sonnets, with a closing couplet and a somewhat consistent rhyming scheme; however, I wanted to intentionally break from these ‘rules’ to demonstrate how heartbreak is not the same for everyone. It is felt and dealt with in countless ways, and by breaking traditional form at times, I am attempting to show this fluctuation with a sense of confusion that comes with it. Winter is described using words with negative connotations to depict women who have been taken advantage of and mistreated by men. The wilting of these elements is significant because it represents having lived past lives, perpetuating an idea that women with past lovers, experiences, and trauma are unwanted because they are no longer viewed as pure. The new life blooming with spring, on the other hand, represents individuals that may be perceived as naive or ‘easy.’ Furthermore, this longing for spring is also symbolic of the cycle of promiscuity of men, leaving some women feeling disregarded and heartbroken. The line “and unbeknownst we walk, waiting for the rebirth” portrays how many men are unaware of the lasting impact they have on women with little to no remorse. The final couplet of my piece represents a person that no longer believes in love due to a cycle of being mistreated - static skies depict this loss of hope. This flows right into the closing line, “trees remain tall - nothing new” because the past traumas that the poem alludes to as a whole ultimately makes these women stronger. Once they are healed, they remain standing tall just as trees throughout winter. It also shows that this cycle is unfortunately repeating itself because some women might view such manipulation as expected and nothing new.