A Heart Well-Loved

I cannot see myself reflected in
the eyes of my beloved now that he’s gone.
I hold the mirror up to what has been
and see the pain and strength on my face drawn.

In myself no real beauty do I see
but find a wisdom I had not before.
I want to foster now a bravery
and open up my heart to something more.

Encouragement and friendship I can give
for beauty of connection I will strive
and pour my love upon the ones who live
within my circle there we all will thrive.

Beauty of a heart well-loved, adoring
continue learning, loving, exploring.

Copyright ©2026 Lisa Paul. All rights reserved.

Elizabeth’s prompt: Love yourself

February is the month of love. Valentine’s Day has just passed, and many of us marked it by expressing affection for partners, family, and friends. But how often do we turn that same attention inward?

This week, the invitation is simple: write a love sonnet to yourself.

A love sonnet is a 14-line poem centered on intense emotion—often romantic love. Here, the beloved is you: your striving, your wounds, your endurance, your becoming.

You may choose one of the two traditional forms:

Petrarchan Sonnet

• 14 lines
• Iambic pentameter
  • Each line has 10 syllables, divided into five pairs (called “feet”)
  • In each pair, the first syllable is soft (unstressed) and the second is strong (stressed)
  • Sounds like da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM
• Rhyme scheme: ABBAABBA CDECDE or ABBAABBA CDCDCD
• Structure: an octave (8 lines) + a sestet (6 lines)
• A volta (turn) marks the shift into the final section

Shakespearean Sonnet

• 14 lines
• Iambic pentameter
• Rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
• Structure: three quatrains (4 lines each) + a closing couplet
• A volta typically occurs before the final couplet

W3 Prompt #199: Wea’ve Written Weekly