Monday, December 1, 2014

English vs. Italian Sonnets

One type of poem you may have studied in school is the sonnet. Typically, they have 14 lines and the rhyme sequence differentiates an Italian sonnet from an English sonnet. The Italian sonnet line-rhymes are as follows: abbaabbacdcdcd.  While I prefer writing free verse, thought I’d try my hand at the English sonnet with a tribute to my dad.


To My Father

The writer tapped loathsome keys,
Like the painter at an easel,
Thawing, aching polar freeze,
                    Inspiring friends or the occasional weasel.   
              The man deliberately changed a life-
Painfully leaving more than gold--
Humorously topping strife,
Fearless as hell, instilling the bold.
Valiant knight pushing towards the task--
“It will come, not now but someday--
Search for the right words and ask--
Clear the mind--write a story--you have much to say.”
Prayers for strength of pen,
From Heaven’s gate—from man of men.

 -Eve Gaal


Do you write poetry? The verse sequence for the English sonnet is ababcdcdefefgg. 
Have you ever written a sonnet?

7 comments:

  1. Man of men - he'll like that. Was he a writer as well?
    And trust me, I am no poet. I can barely manage prose...

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  2. What a lovely sonnet. I think you father would have liked it very much.
    Plus the photo is well chosen.
    I do not write sonnets, the aabbabbbcderaabbz always confuses me.
    But I do write haiku. That is something I can understand and it makes my mind work. I write the older style and find much comfort in it.
    How are the Pinky and Fiona doing ?
    Did you get some rain and is the weather cooling off any ?

    cheers, parsnip

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  3. Lovely! Prior to this post, I've been working on a story poem. I love a good challenge.

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  4. Very creative!

    I couldn't write poetry if my life depended on it!

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  5. I echo William's response. I wouldn't know a good poem or sonnet if it walked up and slapped me. But I know creativity, and you have that in spades!

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  6. I do love poetry, but I have never written a sonnet. Good for you for using creativity to write such a beautiful sonnet. Well done! :)
    ~Jess

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  7. Very well done and not so easy to do. I try my hand at sonnets every once in a while.

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