the purpose of the sonnet is to raise
a mechanical art to a natural
science of game so mewed men might amaze
their falconer with the cultural
and governance prowess to make him kills
midair harry the ground for his sport
and relieve official life with the skills
of courtiers - their toil with report
for love’s to be the range of the sonnet
prescribed by the Stupor’s pen and lips
away from ink wax blood brain and vomit
ignoble men must hunt great ladyships
the sonnet a cry they will inherit
in proof of measure foresight and merit
Oxford
14 August 2018
The sonnet ” misura, providenzia e meritanza” ( Measure, Foresight and Merit) was written by Friedrich II von Hohenstaufen (1194-1250) aka ” Stupor Mundi” ( The World’s Amazement), who was Holy Roman Emperor and King of Italy ( from 1220), King of Germany ( from 1212), King of Sicily ( from 1198) and King of Jerusalem ( from 1225). He also composed a treatise on falconry ” de Arte venandi cum avibus” which I paraphrase here.
Friedrich/Frederico was patron of the Sicilian School of poetry, which initiated the sonnet form. He was reminding his base-born staff of their place. Cortesia - the ways of the court - was what they could have instead of nobility. Such are the power state origins of the sonnet - a form resorted to by cameralists, diplomats, office-holders and political persons and yes, Communists, over the last eight centuries.