Having become enamored of the sonnet form, I created a new form with which to play. I would like to share it with you.
Write me a beautiful sonnet in this lovely new form, the BearWoman Butterfly Sonnet.
~ Choose your own subject matter.
~ Choose which form of Butterfly you wish to use (and note it in your AN). I prefer to see full Butterflies (rather than Baby Butterflies). However, I am more concerned with poetic voice than rigid form.
~ I will be paying close attention to detail, so please you do, too.
~ Feel free to create your own variation of the Butterfly. If you do, please note the details in your AN.
~ Reserves allowed.
~ Please take your time. Closing date will be July 31 (end of the day). I will not close early.
~ Feel free to post your poem to get feedback and assistance on it. If you are still working on your piece, please leave a note in your AN letting me know (so I'll know to come back and read it again).
~ Feel free to message me for clarification, if needed.
Note: I will be peaking at author names, so this contest will not be anonymous.
Please enjoy!
8/10/09: No new entries are being allowed, though I am extending the official closing date while I take the necessary time to give each entry as thorough a review as I am able. I have been told by many that my "bad brain" days are often better than many people's "good brain" days, but I am not so sure. We shall see, I think.
Example of a BearWoman Butterfly Sonnet:
What I’m Looking For
© 2009 Misha BearWoman Metzler
It’s not survivorship I seek, no great
inheritance, it’s not what you are leaving
behind I want. It’s not your modest fame
nor your exclusive neighborhood I’d claim.
No worldly riches to spend while I’m grieving.
Nor is a gilded cage what I’d create.
Your tender heart and sparkling eyes on me
are all the riches that I wish to see.
Your wondrous soul has food I know will sate
my appetite, your clever mind that’s weaving
me in its spell. Cavorting without shame
beneath the sheets and with our words, the same
kind nature as my own. I find I’m cleaving
more and more to the man I’d like as mate.
This example is a BearWoman Butterfly Sonnet with fully enveloped wings (the form standard), written in iambic pentameter with feminine rhymes in Lines 2, 5, 10, and 13, and intentional variations to the meter in Lines 5, 13, and 14. It is written in a “classical” sonnet form with the first stanza (wing) containing one aspect of the theme, the body containing the summation and volta, and the final stanza (wing) containing the rebuttal or post-volta aspect.
Write me a beautiful sonnet in this lovely new form, the BearWoman Butterfly Sonnet.
~ Choose your own subject matter.
~ Choose which form of Butterfly you wish to use (and note it in your AN). I prefer to see full Butterflies (rather than Baby Butterflies). However, I am more concerned with poetic voice than rigid form.
~ I will be paying close attention to detail, so please you do, too.
~ Feel free to create your own variation of the Butterfly. If you do, please note the details in your AN.
~ Reserves allowed.
~ Please take your time. Closing date will be July 31 (end of the day). I will not close early.
~ Feel free to post your poem to get feedback and assistance on it. If you are still working on your piece, please leave a note in your AN letting me know (so I'll know to come back and read it again).
~ Feel free to message me for clarification, if needed.
Note: I will be peaking at author names, so this contest will not be anonymous.
Please enjoy!
8/10/09: No new entries are being allowed, though I am extending the official closing date while I take the necessary time to give each entry as thorough a review as I am able. I have been told by many that my "bad brain" days are often better than many people's "good brain" days, but I am not so sure. We shall see, I think.
Example of a BearWoman Butterfly Sonnet:
What I’m Looking For
© 2009 Misha BearWoman Metzler
It’s not survivorship I seek, no great
inheritance, it’s not what you are leaving
behind I want. It’s not your modest fame
nor your exclusive neighborhood I’d claim.
No worldly riches to spend while I’m grieving.
Nor is a gilded cage what I’d create.
Your tender heart and sparkling eyes on me
are all the riches that I wish to see.
Your wondrous soul has food I know will sate
my appetite, your clever mind that’s weaving
me in its spell. Cavorting without shame
beneath the sheets and with our words, the same
kind nature as my own. I find I’m cleaving
more and more to the man I’d like as mate.
This example is a BearWoman Butterfly Sonnet with fully enveloped wings (the form standard), written in iambic pentameter with feminine rhymes in Lines 2, 5, 10, and 13, and intentional variations to the meter in Lines 5, 13, and 14. It is written in a “classical” sonnet form with the first stanza (wing) containing one aspect of the theme, the body containing the summation and volta, and the final stanza (wing) containing the rebuttal or post-volta aspect.
Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on October 4
- Rewards: Gold: 2000, Silver: 1250, Bronze: 750
- Final notes: Thank you all for your entries. It has taken me this long to complete the judging of the contest due to health issues. In addition, in re-reading all pieces for the final judging, I realize I had "risen to my level of incompetence," lol. So many of these pieces are of such excellent quality that it was quite challenging to select the 3 top winners. All entries on the Finalists list are worth reading, and are not ordered. Thank God/dess for not having to do that!
THANK YOU VERY MUCH all you poets who had the patience to leave your poems in my contest. As well for making this the most challenging contest I've ever had to judge on AP. :-) (Though I'm not sure I'll be up to that level of rigor again anytime soon.) I wish I could have given each of you an in-depth critical review. However, that continues to be beyond my capacity at this time.
If you have questions, please message me.
~Misha Bear {hugs}
Contest Winners
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A butterfly burst forth from her cocoon
to flutter out upon the summ'ry air - Error: Unable to find finalist item 5538471, it seems to have been deleted :( [remove]
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• Commented on by judge. [remove]
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She fluttered into view without a care
A beauty with an easy natured airby cricketjeff 20 lines, 11 comments, on Jul 17 7:12 AM. In Love, Sad, heartbreak, butterfly sonnet
Silver trophy winner
• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
The holiday is over, I must leave
tomorrow morning. I know that, rising,• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
BearWoman Butterfly Sonnet• Commented on by judge. [remove]
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Butterfly Sonnet (Fully Mirrored and Wreathed)• Commented on by judge. [remove]
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by DesolatELifE 17 lines, 3 comments, on Jul 17 4:18 AM. In Butterfly Sonnet• Commented on by judge. [remove]
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The monarch dances to the blackbird calls,
Responding to the voice of love's sweet singing.• Commented on by judge. [remove]
Gold trophy winner
Bronze trophy winner
Entries [12]
1 - 12 of 12
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Blossoming Love found deep within these sheets
Trails of kisses are left to bring you homeby blueyez 15 lines, 5 comments, on Jul 15 5:26 AM• Commented on by judge. -
Emerge to greet moonlight which bleeds
Onto green of life, on which the insect feeds• Commented on by judge. -
Breaking my back in this furious gale.
Memories once ripening in the sun,• Commented on by judge. -
The painted lady, in elegance flies
as dawn breaks over the mountainous skyline.by joshieod 15 lines, 4 comments, on Jul 27 10:31 AM• Commented on by judge.
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Comments
1 - 18 of 18
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wow I love to write sonnets I am going to take a few mins. to study the style I really think it is neat you made this new type
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Thanks! I hope you enjoy writing in this form.
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I once saw a sonnet on here written in the actual shape of a butterfly. One of the most stunning things I have ever seen in poetry, forgot to bookmark it and have never been able to find again.
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I hate it when I do that! I would have liked to see that one. I enjoy poetry in physical form (shaped) as well. Well, actually, I enjoy any poetry that's done well! 
I just can't imagine how anyone could write one of these Butterfly Sonnets in a butterfly form and still meet the rest of the form requirements. That's beyond what even I want to attempt right now.
If you enjoy writing sonnets, I hope you try this one on for size.
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I have written butterfly sonnets before. Made my own version actually. No pre-writes? Well, shucky darn!!
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Cool! Can I go look? If you already created the form, you should get credit for it. I said no PW because I thought I'd invented something new--hence it would not have been possible for there to be pre-writes.
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Your form is noted...
Griswold~
Thank you for sending me links on your form. I have renamed mine, and added notes on yours to my column on my form.
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Beautiful idea and form -- I'll see what I can do!
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I'm looking forward to it.
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Interesting form. More like an Italian than an English. Italian ismy least favourite type.
Why is it called butterfly? -
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If you look at the variations (shown on the form page), there are different rhymes schemes possible. You can also make up your own.
It is called a butterfly because what is normally the closing couplet has been moved to the center of the poem, becoming the "body" of the butterfly. The "wings" are then stanzas 1 and 3, which are mirrored outward from the body. In the "standard" form, the wings are mirrored (or nested) within themselves (abccba)--although so far I think the Baby Butterfly gives greater effect with that approach (abcba).
That's the basic idea. There are more details on the form at http://allpoetry.com/column/show/2354161
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I will be back!! See what I can do...
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Hurray! I look forward to it.
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woo hoo!
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Would love to enter, but have been laid low with this damn pig virus so can't even think about writing .... sorry
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Sorry to hear about the swine flu.
If you want, you can reserve for now. If you can submit before actual judging time, I will accept it as a "late" submission. I have several chemical exposures (town trips) to do this week, so it may be a week (more or less) after contest close before I complete judging, as this is a critical contest.
It's up to you. Most of all, take care of yourself for me. That's my best reward. I'll be more than happy to look at any BB sonnets you may write in the future.
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Shakespear, Shakspur, Shakespeer or even Shakspere might have died of dehydration or given up on the whole idea of sonnets before getting to the end of the instructions. Me I just pass. Good luck with your contest.
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1 - 18 of 18
