Writing Challenge: The Oft-Forgotten Sonnet
10 Jan 2010 3 Comments
in poetry, sonnet, Writing Challenge
Just using the word “oft” makes me feel Shakespearean, which is a splendid mood for this post.
Whitney’s writing challenge from last week came at the perfect time for me. I am in the middle of some major changes in my life. I quit my office job about 6 months ago so that I would have more time to spend with my kids and more time to write. The kid part is definitely happening, but I’ve found that I have to be purposeful about the writing. It’s not quite as “immediately necessary” as a poopy diaper or lunch.
But, I’ve found that I’m a better mom, a better friend, a better wife, a better woman in general when I allow myself to live in the purpose that God has gifted me.
Although writing can be lucrative–I’ve made a decent living from it since I was 15–I’m trying to explore the open, creative, fun side of writing. When I was kid, I wrote poem after poem after poem, enjoying the fun rhymes and rhythmic syllables. So, this week, I’m writing sonnets. Won’t you join me?
A little background:
In Elizabethan English, sonnet meant “little song” and basically was any short, lyric poem. But, the mighty Italians soon took over the sonnet and gave it much more standard form. They defined the number of lines and stanzas it should have, the rhyming scheme and so forth. A wave of sonnet types followed. You can Google Italian sonnet, Spenserian sonnet, English sonnet, and so forth if you’d like details on each. You can also get a copy of Patterns of Poetry by Miller Williams, which I highly recommend for anyone wanting an excuse to luxuriously waste away a day with descriptions of poetic forms from the very traditional sonnet to the more quirky haiku. The book is a gorgeous work of descriptive detail that I find myself often entangled with. Like right now.
The big deal with sonnets, though, is the rhyming scheme. They often have a pattern where the last word of each line rhymes as follows:
A
B
A
B
C
D
C
D…
The rules for our sonnets:
This week, try to write one sonnet each day. It doesn’t need to be anything too serious or too “right.” The main rule is that it has to be fun. Let’s go for whatever rhyming scheme floats your boat, but to make things a little interesting, let’s keep with the standard 14 lines of the original sonnet. The length of those lines is up to you, but each line must have the same number of syllables. As an example, here’s a sonnet I wrote my husband many years ago:
we
spend
the
end,
but
you
cut
through
such
dreams.
touch
me.
sleep
deep.
Totally romantic, right? I get weak in the knees just reading it, don’t you?? (wink, wink).
Seriously, take a look at the structure. 14 lines. 1 syllable per line. Notice the rhyme scheme? ABABCDCDEFEFGG. It’s a sonnet!
Here’s a quick recap of the rules:
- Write 14 lines.
- Each line must have the same number of syllables.
- Use whatever rhyming scheme you want.
- Write one sonnet a day.
Now, go get to work on your own! If you write one and want to share, feel free to post it in the comments or link to your site where you have your own.
