#Sonnets by Lucien Young

Blurb

A Shakespearean take on such topics as Kim Kardashian, Tinder and Pikachu.

‘I thought I could, with verses iambic, pry
Some sense from nonsense, and our modern scene
Depict and mock, whilst using “thee” and “thy”
In pages fit to rest by thy latrine.’

Shakespeare’s sonnets are among the great achievements in world literature. Alas, the immortal Bard never used his command of iambic pentameter to explore such themes as porn, Snapchat and Austin Powers.

#Sonnets is a collection of hilarious and inappropriate poems complete with illustrations of Elizabethan Robocop and Snoop Dogg in tights. Musing on everything from Donald Trump to Tinder, comedy writer Lucien Young offers a Shakespearean take on the absurdity of modern life.

Review

I’ve discovered a hesitant and reluctant love of poetry over the last year or so, and I admit that my tastes usually run to the darker and more emotionally wrought type of poetry. #Sonnets is the perfect antidote. #Sonnets is a collection of, you guessed it, sonnets, all rooted in the here and now, covering such subjects as Donald Trump, Twitter, Beyonce, Kim Kardashian, and Spotify, whilst some err on the very naughty side!

This collection has been a light delight, so much so that even my husband, who still has nightmares from tussling with enforced poetry at secondary school, has been tempted to dip in and out. Even the Shakespearean language has not been a barrier. It has a wide appeal, is impressively accessible and is hilarious to boot.

However, one of the strengths could also be considered to be one of it’s weaknesses. It’s comedy lies very much in the present (and the not too distant past), and makes sense to us because we are living this crazy life – and so it’s not a timeless classic in terms of future generations enjoying it to the same extent. But it isn’t intended to be. It is a witty snapshot of our lives today; a wordy time capsule of the madness of our world, the good, the bad and the ugly, and quite frankly, I’m sold. The stark contrast of the elegant Old English language works wonderfully with the content. Bizarre. But it works in the spirit it is meant. It has made me laugh out loud, and it is one I am keeping around the house in easy reach, just because it is so much fun.

If you can see the lighter side of life, then this is perfect. And I hate to say the ‘C’ word – but it is the ideal size for a stocking filler!

About the Poet

Lucien Young is a comedy writer who has worked on various TV programmes, including BBC Three’s Siblings and Murder in Successville, as well as authoring three humour book, Alice in Brexitland, Trump’s Christmas Carol and The Secret Diary of Jeremy Corbyn. He was born in Newcastle and read English at the University of Cambridge, where he was a member of the world-famous Footlights Club.

Twitter: @luciendyoung