Teddybard Sonnet

This is a sonnet form invented by Teddybard of Allpoetry.

It is identified by the Rhyme Pattern: aaaabbccddeeff

Normal sonnet attributes apply.

Example Poem

Not to be Relinquished

Since every guy asked you to dance
I never thought I’d have a chance
to even profit from your glance,
much less to entertain romance.
I thought about you every day
your face, your hair, your gentle sway,
your kind response to all you’d meet,
your gentle voice which sounds.so sweet.

I’d wandered near your vacant chair
and when your partner brought you there
I mumbled “Hi!” held out my hand
I hadn’t waited for the band.

In your warm arms I felt befriended.
We danced on when music ended.

© Lawrencealot – October 1, 2013

Visual Template This is shown for Iambic Tetrameter

Mason Sonnet

The Mason Sonnet is an invented sonnet form created by American poet Madeline Mason in 1953. It is the rhyme scheme that sets this sonnet apart from others. This was found in the Study and Writing of Poetry; American Women Poets Discuss, 1983 and has been used in workshops 
throughout the US
 
* an octave and a sestet.
* metered, iambic pentameter.
Rhyme pattern: abcabcbc dbadda
* composed with a pivot developed after the octave.
Example Poem:
Grow up Slowly        (Mason Sonnet)
I like to go to grammas’ after school.
I show her what I learned today then play,
or learn a lot of stuff not in a book.
She showed me how to milk a cow. That’s cool.
She showed me on the internet today.
But best of all she lets me help her cook!
We made gingerbread cookies; Grandpa took
a lot so I think they turned out okay.
Don’t know what I’ll  be when my growing’s done,
A cook? A fireman? It’s too hard to say.
If you think I change my mind a lot, you’ll
be right. My mom says choosing’s half the fun.
“Take time to be a  kid and play and run.”
Right now that’s my grandparent’s golden rule.
     © Lawrencealot – December 21, 2012
Visual Template:

Canadian Sonnet – Italian Structure

This is a form invented by Jose Rizal M. Reyes of the Philippines
 Unique in  presentation as 2 quatrains + 2 Tercets
Generally Iambic Pentameter
Volta at line 9
Rhyme Scheme: abba cddc eff egg 
Same rhyme pattern as Bowlesian Sonnet.
 
Example Poem: 

 
Today’s Best     ( Canadian  Sonnet – Italian Structure )

The editor demands my very best
with ocean’s depth and pictures for one’s mind.
Let waterfalls of syllables combine
while melodies of sounds they manifest.

Just that and nothing less is all that’s asked.
The pen is poised and pauses while I think –
perhaps I scratch my beard and sip a drink,
before returning, determined, to my task.

Oh, hell! How often does one sit to write
a piece of crap to merely fill a page?
Real poets don’t do that in any age.

We never set out trying to be trite.
Our very best attempt are made in vain
When mind’s creative cogs get clogged again.

© Lawrencealot – December 5th, 2012
Visual Template:

French Canadian Sonnet

This is a form invented by Jose Rizal M. Reyes of the Philippines
2 quatrain + couplet + quatrain
Pentamer or Hexamter
Volta at line 9
Rhyme Scheme: abba cddc ee fggf
 
Example Poem:
 
Squawk Talk                        (French Canadian Sonnet)
 
“I need to have a word with you,” the seagull said. 
“You armed with notepad, looking pensively astute.” 
“Yes, muse,” I mumbled, “go ahead,  you’re being cute.” 
The seagull squawked and startled me then turned his head. 
 
“You dolt on doves and rave about the ravens’ clout, 
you’re high on nightingales, and hummingbirds, and owls. 
You write of raptors’ might as they kill birds and fowls 
Yet we’re ignored almost. Explain what that’s about.” 
 
“Opportunistic, smart, existing everywhere 
with precocial chicks  and flight, why do you care? 
 
Like man you find your food almost in anyplace, 
and flock with mobbing to dissuade aggressive foes.
You’re species’ success seems to far outweigh your woes. 
and by the way we do admire your flying grace. 
 
© Lawrencealot – December 5th, 2012
 
 
Visual Template:
 
 
 
 

Tuckerman’s Sonnet

Tuckerman’s Sonnet – abbabcab adeced
or abbabcba bdeced

Example Poem:
Tell Me of Your Anger in Whispers (Tuckerman Sonnet)
A silence is most fine thing when irate.
I’ll want to help resolve most any plight.
If I have blundered then I’ll be contrite.
Emotions can cause words to over state
But calm approaches help keep troubles slight.
Attack invokes defense without much thought.
It’s wise of you my dear, therefore, to wait,
We want to solve a problem, not to fight.
With cause to pause and think, I shall relate.
So hold those words for later; don’t despair
for now. Wait ’til your anger can abate.
Use dulcet tones to reap the goal now sought.
I’ll listen, think, and I’ll appreciate.
Speak whispers, lying close- and I’ll be caught.
Visual template:

Sicilian Sonnet

The defining features of the Sicilian Sonnet are:
• a quatorzain, made up of an octave followed by a sestet.
• metric, in English, written in iambic pentameter.
• composed with the octave presenting an idea, problem or question, followed by a sestet finding the solution or resolution. The word “sestet” originally was reserved for the sonnet or other forms in which the group of 6 lines attempts to distinguish itself from other line groups such as the octave of the sonnet. This is in contrast to the words sixain or sexain which are 6 line stanzas usually written in conjunction with other sixains or sexains as in the Sestina.
• rhymed using only 4 rhymes. The difference between Sicilian and Italian is in the rhyme scheme. The octave made up of 2 quatrains alternates rhyme abababab. The sestet made up of 2 tercets with alternate rhyme cdcdcd. 

Pasted from http://www.poetrymagnumopus.com/index.php?/topic/1048-sicilian-sonnet/
My thanks to Judi Van Gorder for years of work on this fine PMO resource.

There are three basic Italian Sonnet Forms; 
1. Italian.
2. Sicilian and
3. Sonetto Rispetto.
The difference is in the octave. The octave is constructed of two quatrains.
1. The Italian has a rhyming scheme of, a.b.b.a….a.b.b.a.
2. The Sicilian has a rhyming scheme of, a.b.b.a….c.d.d.c.
3. The Sonetto Rispetto uses uses either sestet with the Ottava Rima Octave which is very different from the two previous forms and has a rhyming scheme of a.b.a.b.a.b.c.c.
Each of these forms can also have a choice of two sestets, Italian and Sicilian:
1. The Italian sestet consists of two tercets (of 3 lines) with the rhyme scheme.. .1.2.3….1.2.3. 
2. The Sicilian Sestet, has a rhyme scheme of .1.2.1.2.1.2.

Pasted from http://www.thepoetsgarret.com/Challenge/italian.html
My thanks as always to the active group at thepoetsgarret

FORM : Re-stated
* Sicilian form of the Italian Sonnet – 14 lines
* divided into 1 octave and a sestet
* volta (pivot) in line 9
* written in iambic pentameter
* rhyme scheme abab abab cdc cdc
                         or abab abab cde cde

Example Poem:

Tell Me of Your Anger in Whispers       (Sicilian Sonnet)

 

Should you be moved to speak in anger dear,

I ask that first you test your words alone.

If I have blundered then I will want to hear

but will not gain from harshness in your tone.

Such words once thrown will travel like a spear

We’ve both before said words we can’t disown.

You’ll want to make sure that your meaning’s clear;

an err unsaid leaves nothing to atone.

 

So hold those words for later; don’t despair,

there’s nothing risked delaying words that grate.

My love, use whispers closely late tonight.

I’ll listen to your words- you know I’m fair.

So love, allow your anger to abate.

I love you dearly; I will make it right.

 

© Lawrencealot – June 21, 2013

 

Visual Template:

 

Keats Sonnet

4 tercets + couplet
Iambic Pentameter
Rhyme sceme: abc abd cab cde de
Example Poem:
Tell Me of Your Anger in Whispers (Keats Sonnet)
 
Should you be moved to speak in anger dear 
I ask that first you test your words alone. 
If meaning’s very clear, then is it fair? 
 
You’ll want to be assured your meaning’s clear. 
If anger stems from blunder of my own 
You know I’ll fix it and will be contrite. 
 
Are these first words intended to repair? 
Harsh words once thrown will travel like a spear. 
A mild re-buff will move one to atone. 
 
No anger’s due because you know I care, 
and mistakes are things that can be put right. 
A shared talk always resolves a dispute.  
 
So whisper concerns to your love, tonight
And by the way darling, I think you’re cute. 
 
(c) Lawrencealot – April 25, 2012
Visual Template:

Italian or Petrarchan Sonnet

An Italian sonnet is composed of an octave, rhyming abbaabba, and a sestet, rhyming cdecde or cdcdcd, or in some variant pattern, but with no closing couplet.

Usually, English and Italian Sonnets have 10 syllables per line, but Italian Sonnets can also have 11 syllables per line.

The Italian sonnet was created by Giacomo da Lentini, head of the Sicilian School under Frederick II. Guittone d’Arezzo rediscovered it and brought it to Tuscany where he adapted it to his language when he founded the Neo-Sicilian School (1235–1294). He wrote almost 300 sonnets. Other Italian poets of the time, including Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) and Guido Cavalcanti (c. 1250–1300) wrote sonnets, but the most famous early sonneteer was Petrarca (known in English as Petrarch).

The Italian sonnet includes two parts. First, the octave (two quatrains, or two groups of four lines), which describe a problem, followed by a sestet (two tercets, two groups of three lines), which gives the resolution to it. Typically, the ninth line creates a “turn” or volta, which signals the move from proposition to resolution. Even in sonnets that don’t strictly follow the problem/resolution structure, the ninth line still often marks a volta by signaling a change in the tone, mood, or stance of the poem.

In the sonnets of Giacomo da Lentini, the octave rhymed a-b-a-b, a-b-a-b; later, the a-b-b-a, a-b-b-a pattern became the standard for Italian sonnets. For the sestet there were two different possibilities, c-d-e-c-d-e and c-d-c-c-d-c. In time, other variants on this rhyming scheme were introduced such as c-d-c-d-c-d.

The first known sonnets in English, written by Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, used this Italian scheme, as did sonnets by later English poets including John Milton, Thomas Gray, William Wordsworth and Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Note: In May 2013, I noticed that our own resident sonneteer,  Eusebius had just written a series of Italian Sonnet that did have ending couplet rhyme.  Investigating further I found that C.A.Smith also used that rhyme pattern at least once, in his poem “Belated Love”.   Do dear poets, you are free to use ANY sextet rhyme pattern.
Following quote provided by Eusebius:
Poets adopting the Petrarchan sonnet form often adapt the form to their own ends to create various effects. These poets do not necessarily restrict themselves to the strict metrical or rhyme schemes of the traditional Petrarchan form; some use iambic hexameter, while others do not observe the octave-sestet division created by the traditional rhyme scheme. Whatever the changes made by poets exercising artistic license, no “proper” Italian sonnet has more than five different rhymes in it.

Tell Me of Your Anger in Whispers (Italian Sonnet)

Should you be moved to speak in anger, dear,
I ask that first you test your words alone.
If anger stems from blunder of my own
You’ll want to be assured your meaning’s clear.
Harsh words once thrown will travel like a spear.
We’ve both before said words we can’t disown,
They’re best unsaid than trying to attone.
The thoughts that form those words might disappear.

So hold those words for later; don’t despair
There’s nothing risked delaying words that grate.
My love, use whispers closely late tonight.
I’ll listen to your words- you know I’m fair.
So love, allow your anger to abate.
I love you dearly; I will make it right.

A visual Template

French Sonnet

Historically, the French sonnet appears sometime after the Italian sonnet
and was likely the inspiration for the English sonnet form.
It uses fourteen lines of Alexandrine meter (iambic hexameter),
six iambs, twelve syllables per line)

Like the Italian and the English it has an octave comprising two quatrains,
but unlike the Italian and like the English it has a sestet of a couplet and a quatrain.
It is possible that the English sonnet was derived from the French not the Italian.

The difference being that the English grouped the Quatrains together
and turned (Volta) with a couplet the last two lines,
but the French turned with the sestet and used the quatrain to close.

The form has exactly the same quatrain as the Petrarch – a.b.b.a…a.b.b.a.
The sestet begins with a couplet – c.c., but like the Italian sestet, we have a choice of quatrains to play with. – d. e. e. d.
or more French, – d. c. c. d.
or more English – d. e. d. e

abba abba ccdeed
abba abba ccdccd
abba abba ccdede

Example Poem:

Tell Me of Your Anger in Whispers (French Sonnet)

Should you be moved at times to speak in anger, dear,
I only ask that first you test your words alone.
Because if anger stems from blunders of my own
I’m sure you’ll want to be assured your meaning’s clear.

Remember words once thrown will travel like a spear
and meanings take on color weighed much by tone.
So package words with giggles not with growl or groan
and then the thoughts that form those words might disappear.
Delay those words, re-think, and then reformulate.
and later will be your time to pontificate.

I stumble much to often; you are usually right.
Is it really essential now that blame be found,
or can our words proceed toward a common ground?
My dear, use whispers closely to me late at night.

Visual Template

Chivalric Sonnet

Rhyme scheme – xaxa xbxb xcxc dd

Invented by  Jose Rizal M. Reyes of the Philippines
Standard sonnet convetions
 
Example Poem:
 
Tell Me of Your Anger in Whispers  (Chivalric Sonnet)
 
Should you be moved to speak in anger, dear,
I ask that first you test your words alone.
You’ll want to moderate the emotion
if anger stems from blunder of my own.
I’ll be a thoughtful listener when calm.
There’s nothing risked delaying words that grate.
Perhaps, the words should simply disappear
for now, until your anger can abate.
If I have blundered, I will be contrite.
So hold those words for later; don’t despair
A resolution we will find that works.
I’ll listen to your words- you know I’m fair.
My love, use whispers closely late tonight.
I love you dearly; I will make it right.
 
 
Visual Template: