Tag Archives: isosyllabic 10

Sestina Sonnet

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The Sestina Sonnet is written in ten-syllable lines (usually iambic pentameter) and is structured with three stanzas; three quatrains(four-line stanzas) and a concluding couplet(a two-line stanza). The interesting thing about the Sestina Sonnet is that it actually doesn’t rhyme. It retains the Sestina qualities by repeating the end-words of lines throughout the piece.

The four words that end the lines of the first stanza, end the lines of the other two stanzas, in a different order each time. The last stanza, uses two of those words per line, with one in the middle and one at the end of the line.

Example poem

Tell Me of Your Anger in Whispers (Sestina Sonnet)

Don’t start a message with an angry word

for voice will carry tones that are not right

for saying what is needed to be heard.

An angry start can last until the night.

Daytime travails get pushed away at night

and ‘ere we sleep all problems should be heard.

Tell me I’ve goofed without an angry word.

We’ll fix it, regardless of who is right.

Experience shows that you’re usually right

unless you misunderstood deed or word.

A certain magic when we talk at night

yields solutions from voices that are heard.

You will be heard and things will work out right.

Tell me at night by way of whispered word.

© Lawrencealot – 2012

Visual Templates ( I have included one for Trochaic meter too)

Sestina Sonnet - Iambic

Sestina Sonnet - Trochaic

Scupham Sonnet

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Isosyllabic quatrain consisting of two  Scupham stanzas (sextets) followed by a couplet
Metered: Iambic Pentamter
Rhymed: abccba deffed gg
Sources:
My thanks to Bob Newman at Volecentral for this information, his site is a wonderful resource.
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder at Poetry Magnus, another wonderful resource.
  • The Scupham Sonnet is noted at Vol Central as not a “proper” sonnet, probably because of the lack of prescribed pivot. It was created by British poet Peter Scupham and uses the Scupham Stanza.The Scupham Sonnet is:
    • a quatorzain made up of 2 Schupham stanzas (sixains) followed by a rhymed couplet.
    • metered, iambic pentameter.
    • rhymed, scheme abccba deffed gg.
    • no prescribed place for a pivot but most good poetry naturally has a pivot or turn someplace within the poem.
  • The Scupham Stanza is a sixain used in the Scupham Sonnet but which could be stand-alone poem or written in any number. It was created by British poet, Peter Scupham and is found at Vol Central.The Scupham stanza is:
    • stanzaic, written in any number of sixains.
    • metered or not at the discretion of the poet. (When using it in a sonnet, in deference to the form, iambic pentameter would be my choice.)
    • rhymed, scheme abccba.
My Thanks to Jodi Van Gorder for the wonderful PMO resource.
Scupham sonnet
Peter Scupham likes abccba stanzas. Two of these plus a rhyming couplet make something very like a sonnet. This is not a “proper” sonnet, strictly speaking, but I think of it as a Scupham Sonnet. (This is not a standard name).
Bob NEWMAN
Example Poem
Not to Be Relinquished    (Scupham Sonnet)
Your loveliness and charm have made you sought
by big on campus  types and by most all.
Since every blooming guy’s asked you to dance,
I wondered how I’d ever have a chance.
I’ve secretly been subject to your thrall
if we don’t dance this day has been for naught.
I watched and waited most content, engrossed.
by seeing others shining in your light.
Uplifting, kind response to all you’d meet
I meet you as you return towards your seat.
I mumbled “Hi, we haven’t danced tonight.
“The timing’s right, just two more tunes at most,”
you said, and offered me your arm and hand.
We left together,  just as she had planned.
© Lawrencealot – November 8, 2013
Visual Template