I rather like sonnets,
I love stories in poetry form,
So ...
let's combine the two.
I want REAL sonnets; this means regular meter, a traditional full rhyme scheme and a volta in a suitable place, but not a traditional love poem, a story, with a beginning a middle and an end.
You may use multiple sonnets, but if you do, each must work as a poem on its own, not just a poem but a sonnet so still obeying the rules above.
Some prompts, but you may write any story you wish (if you label it appropriately). Do however be aware that I like dark, but do not like vilely violent, love erotica but we don't need porn, and adore nonsense but make sure there's a story in it!
After death in the city of sighs
His first wife had ...
Before the sun rose over Peter's cabin
Time stood still
An irrational man
If you use one of these prompts, you can tell me in the Author's Notes, or not
OK, I hoped people would either know or look them up but it appears not.
At the top of all the pages on AP there is a "Learn" link. Under that link you would find a list of columns on various sonnet forms, I don't agree with everything that is written there but it would be a good start.
In brief a sonnet is a 14 line poem that has the same number of syllables in each line, the overwhelming majority of genuine sonnets in English use 10 syllable lines.
A sonnet has regular meter, it will normally be the same meter for every line but it can change smoothly sometimes. Meter means the pattern of stresses, most sonnets use "iambic pentameter" which means 5 pairs of stresses like this "diDUM", many others use a form or "tetrameter" where there are four heavy stresses in the line.
A sonnet has at least 2 parts, and there is a change between the two. This change is called the "Volta" it is often signalled with a word like "but" but it does not have to be. If the sonnet ends in a couplet the couplet will usually sum up or contrast with the rest of the poem.
If you still don't know what a sonnet is, read Amera who has good lists of poems in various forms on her page, or eusebius who writes brilliant mainly Italian style sonnets, or even look at my lists if you must where you will find quite a few sonnets. I hope this helps. I love many other poetic forms and unformed poetry, but this contest is for SONNETS!
Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on July 19
- Rewards: Gold: 1000, Silver: 500, Bronze: 250, Honorable mention: 3 people
- Final notes: First, thanks to you all for your patience with my slow judging
I have enjoyed marking this contest more than any other of my recent ones.
All the poems were great reads some were stronger sonnets and some stronger stories, the finalists were those that (in my opinion and taking my very personal definitions of sonnet and story) combined both most effectively. Any of the top four would have been worthy gold winners and the two other finalists were pretty close too.
Thanks to all and I hope you continue to enter my contests, I have one open for "Big Ben" whatever that could mean to you at the moment
Jeff
Contest Winners
-
Way back in eighteen hundred times were hard;
no work around and workhouse numbers grew .by passim 18 lines, 6 comments, on Jun 28 2:41 PM. In Sonnet. Sonnet in story form.
Gold trophy winner
• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
Thomas returned from a place overseas
to the embrace of his soon to be brideby PassionsPromise 43 lines, 11 comments, on Jun 17 8:10 PM. In Pain, Personal, Sonnet Chain
Bronze trophy winner
• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
My tale is of a youthful Narcissus,
a handsome, foolish boy who came to harm.• Commented on by judge. [remove]
Silver trophy winner
Honorable mention
Entries [11]
1 - 11 of 11
-
Jeff likes dark, put out the light
This story will be toldby Chris D 50 lines, 6 comments, on Jun 17 4:22 PM• Commented on by judge. -
The dark woods ring with sounds of gloom and pain
The noises blend into the death of hopeby pain is love. 15 lines, 3 comments, on Jun 17 10:40 PM• Commented on by judge. -
• Commented on by judge.
-
Please, listen to my story one and all
And hear these words of howling jubilee:• Commented on by judge.
Add a comment
Comments
1 - 13 of 13
-
Have fun with this..one i cant join.
Passions -
-
Why not? You write sonnets beautifully!
-
-
Traditional form means what exactly?
Does that eliminate the Echo, Shadow, Wreath etc? -
-
No, Shadow sonnets be definition also have to be a traditional form, echoes are Canadian, wreathing is an optional addition, not a form.
It means a conventional rhyme scheme and regular meter, NOT xaxa xbxb xcxc xx or some similar part rhymed scheme. It it is done in perfect IP I shall accept xxxx xxxx xxxx aa, but it would have to be bloody brilliant!
-
-
does it have to be a traditiona l 14 line sonnet?
or can it be a full story poem with a traditional rhyme scheme? -
-
Yes a real sonnet, obeying all the rules of sonnetry, (it could actually be a caudate sonnet and have 17 lines). I have run contests for story poems that rhyme before, and I shall again, this is purely for sonnets.
-
-
where did that wonderful poem by passions go i was just going to comment on it
-
'I want REAL sonnets; this means regular meter, a traditional full rhyme scheme and a volta in a suitable place,' - but not all Sonnets have voltas, right?
-
-
All rules have exceptions
but a traditional sonnet does have one, usually in line 9 but it can be later than that. -
-
Ah. They only told me in school that a petrachan sonnet had a volta.
Mind usually have a sublte one, anyway.
-
-
-
In the chunk down the bottom explaining sonnets.. 'Undo that link you would find'.. I wondered what you meant by undo, and decided you might have meant under. And at the end, ' I love may other poetic forms' - I guess that should have an n in it.
Looks like I enjoy 'analysing' writing. -
More simple rules than these there cannot be,
but even more than these it seems are we. -
Thank you for bronze in your contest
Adding your comment:
1 - 13 of 13
