The Common Sonnet - How To
A brief explanation of how to construct a sonnet27 total reviews
Comment from Norbanus
This poet from afar takes on the deed
to help the sonnet hold its rightful ground
defend against encroaching free verse weed,
and spread iambic meter all around
The battle though, is hardly in the bag,
as artists of great skill have joined the foe
When even Fido gives his tail a wag
to verses where rhyme has no place to go
Old Shakespeare might roll over in his grave,
at seeing verses showing naught but word
Gad Zooks, my friends, there must be more to crave
yet they persist and grow, or so I've heard.
As Keeper of the Flame, you hold the line
The sonnet lives, and sonneteers do fine
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This poet from afar takes on the deed
to help the sonnet hold its rightful ground
defend against encroaching free verse weed,
and spread iambic meter all around
The battle though, is hardly in the bag,
as artists of great skill have joined the foe
When even Fido gives his tail a wag
to verses where rhyme has no place to go
Old Shakespeare might roll over in his grave,
at seeing verses showing naught but word
Gad Zooks, my friends, there must be more to crave
yet they persist and grow, or so I've heard.
As Keeper of the Flame, you hold the line
The sonnet lives, and sonneteers do fine
Comment Written 17-Sep-2013
Comment from Gungalo
Bravo!! Someone who is not afraid of the sonnet and how it works. I'm sure that if this is read slowly even the beginner should "get it". Wonderful.
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Bravo!! Someone who is not afraid of the sonnet and how it works. I'm sure that if this is read slowly even the beginner should "get it". Wonderful.
Comment Written 17-Sep-2013
Comment from Sagnik Das
Outstanding treatise, Mr. Bell. Fraught in erudite astuteness & magnanimity, it indeed serves as being an insightful repository to the contextual & structural aspects of a sonnet. I for one am rather puerile to the form (having attempted it only twice), & can easily foresee the same as being the predicament, with the larger section of authors in here. Besides the intricate constraints involved, it calls for havoc innovation & adeptness - a 'mental struggle' almost - characterized by coherence of style & thought processes (as the argument proceeds).
They that resort to indolence, & embrace trivial frivolity over forte, might as well never attempt the form ....
I greatly appreciate your benevolence meanwhile, in writing such a helpful treatise, & shall consider myself duly privileged, if you would choose to lend me your profundity on the work whereof I had mentioned .... Albeit I realize (with much bashfulness) that such undue proposition transgresses rather from being a 'favor' to a 'burden' on your behalf, I would yet endeavor at best, to compensate the same, by awarding you as best as I can.
Do vouchsafe me your valued opinion, should you choose to will ; it is available in my 'portfolio', under the title "Retrospection". Thank you so much indeed.
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2013
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Outstanding treatise, Mr. Bell. Fraught in erudite astuteness & magnanimity, it indeed serves as being an insightful repository to the contextual & structural aspects of a sonnet. I for one am rather puerile to the form (having attempted it only twice), & can easily foresee the same as being the predicament, with the larger section of authors in here. Besides the intricate constraints involved, it calls for havoc innovation & adeptness - a 'mental struggle' almost - characterized by coherence of style & thought processes (as the argument proceeds).
They that resort to indolence, & embrace trivial frivolity over forte, might as well never attempt the form ....
I greatly appreciate your benevolence meanwhile, in writing such a helpful treatise, & shall consider myself duly privileged, if you would choose to lend me your profundity on the work whereof I had mentioned .... Albeit I realize (with much bashfulness) that such undue proposition transgresses rather from being a 'favor' to a 'burden' on your behalf, I would yet endeavor at best, to compensate the same, by awarding you as best as I can.
Do vouchsafe me your valued opinion, should you choose to will ; it is available in my 'portfolio', under the title "Retrospection". Thank you so much indeed.
Comment Written 17-Sep-2013
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2013
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Thanks so much, SD :-). Having read your sonnet, I see you don't need any help, but I'm glad you enjoyed the read. I'm chuckling to myself because we have an organisation in the UK called the 'Campaign for Plain English' and you, my friend, would fall foul of them with every beautiful, astute, wonderfully constructed sentence you write. They believe all written communication should be simple, so as to be understood by all levels of reader. They are fools. I very much enjoyed just reading your complex commentary and believe readers should aspire to learn, rather than writers aspire to dumb down.
Thanks for a great review.
Mike
Comment from kiwisteveh
Mike, a comprehensive how-to guide for budding sonneteers out there - perhaps a tad above real beginner level, but surely pitched about right for most FanStorians who just need a guide to getting started.
I like to think I know a thing or two about sonnets, but even I found a few things new in your piece.
I wonder if a pointer to sources of further examples might be worthwhile.....
Steve
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2013
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Mike, a comprehensive how-to guide for budding sonneteers out there - perhaps a tad above real beginner level, but surely pitched about right for most FanStorians who just need a guide to getting started.
I like to think I know a thing or two about sonnets, but even I found a few things new in your piece.
I wonder if a pointer to sources of further examples might be worthwhile.....
Steve
Comment Written 17-Sep-2013
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2013
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Thanks very much, Steve. After yours and some other comments, I've moved the aside about sonnet types to the end, as it introduced many advanced concepts. I'll certainly add some links to additional sources/reading, too. Thanks again for the helpful thoughts.
Mike
Comment from emjaihammond
Finally, a place I can go for a good explanation. This has always been a struggle for me. I have little understanding or training on this subject. Your ability to show the ins and outs of this type of poetry was very helpful, with examples that really worked. I can't say I'm ready to sit down and write one just now, my brain is overworked as it does take a little effort to understand the process, but you have done it well. It is just a complicated subject. Thanks for the lesson.
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2013
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Finally, a place I can go for a good explanation. This has always been a struggle for me. I have little understanding or training on this subject. Your ability to show the ins and outs of this type of poetry was very helpful, with examples that really worked. I can't say I'm ready to sit down and write one just now, my brain is overworked as it does take a little effort to understand the process, but you have done it well. It is just a complicated subject. Thanks for the lesson.
Comment Written 17-Sep-2013
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2013
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Thanks so much, MJ :-). Don't worry about training - I have no 'formal training' in English, unless you count my B at A-Level when I was 17. It's far more to do with enthusiasm, lots of reading, and a love of words. I'm thinking you have plenty of that.
Start out meeting the technical aspects of meter and rhyme. Forget the thematic side until you're comfortable writing iambically, then work it in afterwards.
Happy to help further if you want or need it :-).
Mike
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Thank you. I take your advice to heart and will indeed give it a try. Your help is appreciated.
Comment from sunnilicious
Well, you would make a wonderful teacher or professor. This is quite an impressive non-fiction write about sonnets. The content is exceptional. It is researched, informative and with multiple examples. Fantastic!
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2013
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Well, you would make a wonderful teacher or professor. This is quite an impressive non-fiction write about sonnets. The content is exceptional. It is researched, informative and with multiple examples. Fantastic!
Comment Written 16-Sep-2013
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2013
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Thanks so much, Sunni :-). It's a marvellous form that can really create some astonishing poems. I'm thrilled you enjoyed my essay on it.
Mike
Comment from barbara.wilkey
I love to read sonnets and even though you left perfect instructions, I am pretty sure I can't do it. I struggle with the syllable count. I never get the same as others. Also I understand nothing about flow, mine flows like a laundry list.
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2013
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I love to read sonnets and even though you left perfect instructions, I am pretty sure I can't do it. I struggle with the syllable count. I never get the same as others. Also I understand nothing about flow, mine flows like a laundry list.
Comment Written 16-Sep-2013
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2013
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Thank you, Barbara. Syllable count is one of those subjects that'll be debated until the end of time, as is stresses in meter. It's definitely the most complicated aspect of forms like the sonnet. If you ever do fancy trying, I'm happy to help.
Mike
Comment from Selina Stambi
This was quite a treatise, my friend!
How do I view it?
Hmmm... let me count the ways ...! :)
Most interesting, even exhilarating, to a wannabe ... would definitely scare of a coulda-be-if-I-thought-I-could!
Jokes apart - this is quite a task you've undertaken, Fleedle, and here's to a job excellently well done!
Thank you for the refresher course in sonnets.
:)
Sonali
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2013
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This was quite a treatise, my friend!
How do I view it?
Hmmm... let me count the ways ...! :)
Most interesting, even exhilarating, to a wannabe ... would definitely scare of a coulda-be-if-I-thought-I-could!
Jokes apart - this is quite a task you've undertaken, Fleedle, and here's to a job excellently well done!
Thank you for the refresher course in sonnets.
:)
Sonali
Comment Written 16-Sep-2013
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2013
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Thanks so much, Sonali :-). I hate to think I might have put anyone off trying, although there's nothing wrong with not wanting to, of course. Thank you for the wonderful review!
Mike
Comment from Sasha
I now know I will never writ a sonnet. My head is spinning and my eyes crossed after reading this. What I find frightening, is that many understand what you are talking about.
After reading the following, I had to pause and rest a few minutes before continuing:
The Spenserian Sonnet, which uses interlocking rhyme (abab, bcbc, cdcd, ee) and does not include thematic conventions;
The Caudate Sonnet, encompassing an additional 'coda' after the main sonnet which adds a satirical edge;
The Heroic Sonnet that incorporates an additional quatrain before the couplet;
The Curtal Sonnet, a proportionately shrunk variant of the original Petrarchan Sonnet usually described as 10 and a half lines long; and
The Pushkin Sonnet - usually written in iambic tetrameter and utilising a pattern of feminine line endings, with no set stanza division.
Sorry, I clicked enter before I was done. I did my best to follow this but my brain rebelled and shut down. I am impressed that you actually know what all this means.
I am a lost cause, I can never get two lines to rhyme let alone writing anything in iambic pentameter let alone writing in iambic tetrameter and utilising a pattern of feminine line endings. I need to lay down again. My head is spinning...if I had a 6 I would give it to you for this one.
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2013
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I now know I will never writ a sonnet. My head is spinning and my eyes crossed after reading this. What I find frightening, is that many understand what you are talking about.
After reading the following, I had to pause and rest a few minutes before continuing:
The Spenserian Sonnet, which uses interlocking rhyme (abab, bcbc, cdcd, ee) and does not include thematic conventions;
The Caudate Sonnet, encompassing an additional 'coda' after the main sonnet which adds a satirical edge;
The Heroic Sonnet that incorporates an additional quatrain before the couplet;
The Curtal Sonnet, a proportionately shrunk variant of the original Petrarchan Sonnet usually described as 10 and a half lines long; and
The Pushkin Sonnet - usually written in iambic tetrameter and utilising a pattern of feminine line endings, with no set stanza division.
Sorry, I clicked enter before I was done. I did my best to follow this but my brain rebelled and shut down. I am impressed that you actually know what all this means.
I am a lost cause, I can never get two lines to rhyme let alone writing anything in iambic pentameter let alone writing in iambic tetrameter and utilising a pattern of feminine line endings. I need to lay down again. My head is spinning...if I had a 6 I would give it to you for this one.
Comment Written 16-Sep-2013
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2013
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lol, I'm so sorry if I gave you a headache, my dear :-/. I wonder if I should remove the aside about the other forms of sonnet, since I don't go into any detail about them.
Thanks so much for the lovely review :-)
On an amusing note, I had one review from a seasoned writer of sonnets, complaining that he doesn't like being told what to do when he's already a sonneteer ...
Comment from Cookie333
Fantastic, I have gone all over the place looking into this form and here it is.
I want to try one, I have read so many... I am sure I need to bookmark this one for future reference
Thanks so much
Karen
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2013
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Fantastic, I have gone all over the place looking into this form and here it is.
I want to try one, I have read so many... I am sure I need to bookmark this one for future reference
Thanks so much
Karen
Comment Written 16-Sep-2013
reply by the author on 17-Sep-2013
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Thank you, Karen. I hope it helps. If you can get your thoughts into an iambic gear, the rest is relatively simple. I'm happy to help if you need it.
Mike
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Me and iambic are not good friends- but we are getting there.
Thank you, I may take you up on that
K