Give me your best Shakespearian sonnet!!
Guidelines
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Fourteen lines consisting of:
Three quatrains (4 lines each)
One couplet at the end
written in iambic pentameter
Rhyme scheme of either:
a-b-a-b or a-a-b-b with an a-a couplet
The final couplet should give a small summary of the first twelve lines.
All entries MUST be written in perfect iambic pentameter.
Prizes will be based on:
Structure
Originality of theme
Effectiveness of summary lines
For those not familiar with iambic pentameter, look it up in your search engines.
That's the sonnet.
Get on it!!!
Guidelines
----------
Fourteen lines consisting of:
Three quatrains (4 lines each)
One couplet at the end
written in iambic pentameter
Rhyme scheme of either:
a-b-a-b or a-a-b-b with an a-a couplet
The final couplet should give a small summary of the first twelve lines.
All entries MUST be written in perfect iambic pentameter.
Prizes will be based on:
Structure
Originality of theme
Effectiveness of summary lines
For those not familiar with iambic pentameter, look it up in your search engines.
That's the sonnet.
Get on it!!!
Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on July 7, 2003
- Rewards: Gold: 300
- Final notes:
Balladeer: I have to stop doing these contests...the judging gets way too difficult!! Thank you all for tackling this strict structured form which many shy away from. There were six sonnets that met all of the criteria I had set forth, which ranged in subject matter from a talking table to why we write to colored organs! Sonnets! They're not just for romance anymore...LOL! ;) At any rate, it then came down to determining the smoothness of the flow, the impact of the closing couplet and whatever other nitpicky things I could come up with. In one excellent sonnet I had a problem with four of the fourteen lines beginning with the word "and". With another I couldn't quite get the meaning clearly of the closing couplet. Another used the word "strife" which many rhyming poets use for convenience but free verse poets wince when seeing....and with reason. All of these were excellent sonnets, however, and are to be commended. The two I selected for first and second were so well-done and so high in my estimation it was very difficult to make a choice. There was something about the opening line of "I want for naught but shards of blue-eyed gaze" that was so melodic and set the tone so well for the rest of the poem that it won me over. Symitar, congrats on a well-deserved trophy and an excellent piece of writing! My thanks again to everyone! :)
Entries [12]
1 - 12 of 12
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The poet nightly sits with pen in handby OceanDreams 21 lines, 5 comments, on Jun 29 9:15 PM 2003. In Other• Commented on by judge. -
The reasons for just being seems absurdby Milli 22 lines, 4 comments, on Jul 1 8:14 PM 2003. In Contemporary• Commented on by judge. -
Immoral and deadly is war's raging face
It's claws rip through hearts leaving nothing but hateby lilshawtii 25 lines, 1 comment, on Jul 2 12:21 AM 2003. In Society• Commented on by judge. -
But come, brave mortal souls who lack in faith...
the Wood would suffer not, for one more wraith!• Commented on by judge. -
Ignorance doth hold with bold misfortune,
For its lack of a subtler venue.• Commented on by judge. -
It seems sometimes its all I have
To let the voices out of meby butterfly19 18 lines, 2 comments, on Jul 2 9:19 PM 2003. In Other• Commented on by judge. -
A story shining on a pitch black screen
The same few scenes in repetition playby ohsoyellow 22 lines, 3 comments, on Jul 3 10:55 PM 2003. In Love• Commented on by judge. -
I want for naught but shards of blue-eyed gaze,
entranced, yet bound by seas of foregone days,• Commented on by judge. -
You would not want the stars to fade away• Commented on by judge. -
Mind clenching, the coarse steel tightrope for life,
Contemplating the worth of such dire strife.by CoriolisNectar 32 lines, 3 comments, on Jul 5 3:49 PM 2003. In Angst• Commented on by judge. -
The Queen stepped down in all her glory
And sat down on her chairby Tootsie Roll 55 lines, 1 comment, on Jul 5 9:19 PM 2003. In Angst• Commented on by judge. -
"...Hark, ye who be swift to engage, the rush
That doth move thee to kneel when first perceiv’d..."by cakeandqpm1138 23 lines, 3 comments, on Jul 6 7:46 AM 2003. In Love• Commented on by judge.
Gold trophy winner
Silver trophy winner
Add a comment
Comments
1 - 10 of 10
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I might give it a try... With originality of theme, do you mean
something that's not about love? Because the words 'Shakespearian
sonnet' sort of connotates a love sonnet to me. I'm a bit
closeminded LOL Is that okay? Also, can i write two or more stanzas with 14 lines? Or just one?
Can I use a meter like
daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM[da]
daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM
daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM[da]
daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM
or does it have to be either or? Ok my 20 questions are over now
Jen
Edited on Jun 29, 4:19 p.m. because ''. -
Hi, Jen! The answers to your questions are no, no and no.
Will certainly wrote his share of love sonnets but the definition of Shakespearian sonnet do not denote love only themes.
three quatrains - one couplet....as described
Iambic pentameter - 10 syllables....as described
For any other deviations from the guidelines you would care to question, I'll answer in advance - *NO* 
Actually, after checking, I see that Shakespeare did indeed allow himself the poetic license of adding an unaccented syllable occasionally. Also I see where he occasionally began sentences in trochaic instead of iambic. He would not have won my contest!!!
Just use the guidelines above and you can't go wrong...at least for me!
Edited on Jun 29, 6:29 p.m. because ''. -
sir, yes sir! lol it was just i read on a site that
Shakespeare sometimes ended his sonnets with an extra unstressed
syllable, even tho it was iambic. Hm maybe i misunderstood... naja
ill stick to your rules then
Jen
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I am this very moment working on a sonnet...you shall have one from me in this delightful contest!!! smiles...Darianna x
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Wonderful, Darianna! I look forward to it!!
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can i have more than one sonnet?
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hey, maybe i'm missing it in the guidelines. . if so then i'm sorry! but can we submit pre-written poems??
thanks!
-charise -
Damn....just when I have my iambic pentameter in the shop for it's 10,000 mile check up! Anybody know where I can rent one? :-)
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I'm always the last person to enter! Hmm.. ahh well in any case I put the effort into this one, as this contest itself is amazing! When I started here at allpoetry, and well even now, this form is the only way I can see myself conveying poetry. I've started to do more free-verse which I hope to post, but until then I'll enjoy rhyming my thoughts. Good job on this Balladeer!
Congratulations Symitar, I agree his in particular had a very melodic feel.
Edited on Jul 07, 1:42 p.m. because ''. -
Way to go, Symitar! Congratulations!
And thank you, Balladeer for the silver!
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