The Sonnet
The Sonnet
Ya, ya... I know Shakespeare's are better...
Ya, ya... I know Shakespeare's are better...
Write a 14 line sonnet
Q: What the hell is a sonnet?
A: A poem, dude.
Q: Yah, bro, but like what kind of poem?
A: One that has 14 lines, duudde. 10 syllables a line, too!
Q: Yah, brotato chip, but like what should it be about?
A: About a complex emotion or experience, duuuddde. Something that had 2 sides to it, like a river that is calm here, but rages later. Or a person who is confident on the outside, but is anxiety-ridden inside.
Q: So what is, like, the most important part of a sonnet, Broseph Stalin?
A: The turn, duuuuuddddde. You need to do 12 lines where you direct your reader in one direction, then you flip the whole poem on its head in the last 2 lines!!
My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red, than her lips red:
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound:
I grant I never saw a goddess go,
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
And yet by heaven, I think my love as rare,
As any she belied with false compare.
A
B
A
B
C
D
C
D
E
F
E
F
G
G
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
A
B
B
A
A
B
B
A
C
D
C
D
C
D
Come up with a list of 3-6 possible topics for your poem. Really think of things that have 2 realities to them, or things that have conflicting points of view
Examples: An elderly man feeds birds and is neglected by those around him, yet in that neglect is peace
Understand that the goal of a sonnet is to mislead or direct your reader in one direction, then TURN them to the truth or another point of view
Shakespearean Sonnet: Last 2 Lines (usually)
Italian (Petrarchan) Sonnet: Last 6 Lines (usually)
Syllables - Worry about syllables AFTER you have a draft of your poem. Get the concept down, place your turn, then start worrying about syllable count (10 syllables per line!)
Rhyme - Worry about AFTER you have a draft of your poem. Play with at the same time as your syllables.
A Soldier's Return: A soldier returns home from war, greeted with both celebration and the silent struggles of readjustment.
Urban Isolation: In a bustling cityscape, an individual experiences both the anonymity of urban life and moments of unexpected connection.
An Artist's Studio: Within the confines of an artist's studio, creativity flourishes amidst the chaos of inspiration and self-doubt.
Family Dinner: At a family dinner table, the dynamics shift between laughter and tension, revealing the complexities of familial relationships.
A Hospital Waiting Room: In a hospital waiting room, time stands still as loved ones oscillate between hope and fear, caught in limbo.
A Classroom: Within the walls of a classroom, students grapple with the dualities of learning, experiencing both frustration and enlightenment.
A Rainstorm: Amidst a rainstorm, nature's beauty clashes with the chaos of flooding streets and the tranquility of rain-soaked solitude.
A Library: Within the quiet sanctuary of a library, the juxtaposition of knowledge and ignorance underscores the quest for understanding.
A Train Station: In a bustling train station, travelers embark on journeys both physical and metaphorical, leaving behind and seeking new realities.
A Retirement Home: Within the confines of a retirement home, residents navigate the complexities of aging, finding solace amidst the forgotten memories of youth.