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Citlaly Rodriguez Dominguez

Hale

California Culture

10 December 2017

Power

In “Unholy Sonnet 1,” a poem by Mark Jarman, there is a use of exaggeration in the form

of some sort of prayer to convey his skeptic thoughts on the ideas of God’s power over

situations. The poem starts off with the line, “Dear God, our heavenly father, gracious lord,”

setting the topic somewhere along the lines of Religion. The poem starts off as some normal sort

of prayer that one would recite. The second line of the Poem, “Mother Love and Maker, Light

Devine,” gives off the same tone of a prayer. However, towards the second line there seems to be

a shift in the tone of the poem. “Atomic Fingertip, Cosmic Design,” seems to be an exaggeration

of the different titles God would have. From Line 3 to the end of the first stanza, seems to give

off a sort of sarcastic tone from the speaker. Almost as if they seem to be stating all the names

god is given while rolling their eyes and not really believing in it. The tone hinting at the doubt

that the speaker feels about the power God holds.

The second Stanza starts off with the line, “I can say almost anything about you,”

reinforcing the tone of doubt. As if the speaker is stating that God could be called any kind of

higher name yet have a ‘but’ stuck at the end making the speaker doubt. The second and third

lines of the second stanza,” O Big Idea, and with each epithet, Create new reasons to believe or
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doubt you,” the speaker brings up how with every name one calls God there come up a reason as

to why not believe or believe in God. The next line goes on to reiterate the idea of how absurd

one’s name for God can get, “ Black hole, White Hold, Presidential Jet.” The next line is written

as a question,” But what’s the anything I must leave out?” In this line the speaker seems to be

aking what name is one that wouldn’t be used in description of God. Since we can call God

basically anything, what are the titles not worthy of God’s power? How far does God’s word and

power go? The last line of the Poem,” You solve nothing but the problems that I set,” is said in a

way that makes the speaker seem sort of hopeless. As if they have called upon God multiple

times to end bigger problems, but have gotten no response.

The poem, which comes to a total of only two short stanzas, is written as a sonnet just

like the title suggests. A sonnet has a specific Rhyme scheme. According to

PoetryFoundation.org, a sonnet has a rhyme scheme of ABBAABBA for the first stanza and

CDCDCD for the second set of lines. In “Unholy Sonnets” the first stanza does follow the

suggested rhyming scheme. For the second Stanza the poem does seem to follow the suggested

pattern of rhyming as the definition says. Anothing thing noted about how Mark Jarman wrote

the poem, is that he capitalizes every name he gives God in the sonnet. Almost as he almost

believe that God is not a sign for faith and hope but he believe God is an actual person. It seems

as a sign of respect. As if the speaker has doubt, yet refuses to disrespect.

Mark Jarman was born to a Minister Father. Throughout his work, there is a theme of

doubt within Religion. “​Although steeped in religion as a child, Jarman had become ambivalent

about faith,” states the PoetryFoundation.org. However, later on in life his wife decided to start
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attending church. Jarman had found a new faith in god and later wrote about. Before this,

Jarman’s work consisted in questioning of God’s power within the universe. “Unholy Sonnet 1”

is one of the first sonnets Jarman wrote to convey his doubt in God, and slowly realize his new

Faith.
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Bibliography

“Mark Jarman.” ​Poetry Foundation​, Poetry Foundation,

www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/mark-jarman​.

Unholy Sonnet 1 : Poetry Out Loud​,

www.poetryoutloud.org/poems-and-performance/poems/detail/46471#.

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