PUNCHINELLO: A Petrarchan Sonnet

PUNCHINELLO: A Petrarchan Sonnet

    [based on the art of Caras Ionut]

En route tonight attired in red-white suit

and mask, cycling fast to hide a lengthy nose,

Punchinello appears in classic pose.

Tonight, in gloved hand he will strum a lute

to thunderous applause. He’ll bow: a brute

who masquerades a gentleman whose foes

are few. They see facades, just what he shows,

not the tormented fool riddled with woes,

but friendly comic Mr. Punch whose break

elicits belly laughs, guffaws galore.

The stick with which he whacks those on the stage

is hardly humor. A second encore

brings him back. He bows and we say, “How sleek!”

as if Punch alone dons masks to hide deep rage.

                               #