[Milton-L] milton's theodicy in haiku

[Carl Bellinger]

catching up on email,

Seems Milton did his own 5-7-5 theodicy: the first statement of the Son in 
PL is in seventeen syllables, three phrases

gracious was that word
    that closed thy sovran sentence
         that man should find grace


rather too rhetorically elaborate for a haiku; nor is the "17" form likely 
derived from Basho -- even a derivation from Augustine's commentary on 'ten 
plus seven' as 'law plus grace' must be a long-shot in the source hunting 
department, eh?

Carl


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gregory Machacek" <Gregory.Machacek at marist.edu>
To: "John Milton Discussion List" <milton-l at lists.richmond.edu>
Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2008 4:49 PM
Subject: [Milton-L] milton's theodicy in haiku


>I couldn't resist the challenge.  Two entries:
>
>      That Good might know you
> Loved Me freely, I allowed
>      Your choosing evil.
>
> More enjambment than is typical in a haiku (but, hey, that's our guy). 
> But
> also too light on imagery, which the following partly corrects:
>
>      From a garden's goods,
> The fruit that, shunned, would show you
>      Loved freely eaten.
>
> Greg Machacek
> Professor of English
> Marist College
>
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