Happy Valentines Day! The most famous type of love poem is the sonnet. So today, I'd like to talk to you about what makes a poem a sonnet, and next week we will begin to talk about how to write a sonnet, and share some local authors contributions to the sonnet. This is not your Hallmark type greeting, instead it is an art form with a very different musical sound to it that resonates sentiment.
Sonnets were made popular by William Shakespeare. Generally speaking, most sonnets have 14 lines and four quatrains.
- Sonnets have a very definite rhyme scheme. (Example: ABAB, CDCD, EFEF, GG)
- Sonnets are written in iambic pentameter. This means that each lines contains ten beats (syllables). What makes it iambic is that they alternate stressed and unstressed syllables.
Four Quatrains:
1. First Quatrain: This should establish the topic of your sonnet. Rhyme scheme: ABAB (4 lines)
2. Second Quatrain: This should establish the theme of your sonnet. Rhyme scheme: CDCD (4 lines)
3.Third Quatrain: This should round of the theme of your overall sonnet. Rhyme scheme: EFEF (4 lines)
4. Fourth Quatrain: The soul purpose of the fourth quatrain is to act as a conclusion to the sonnet. Rhyme scheme: GG (2 lines)
So give it a whirl, and you'll be writing sonnets in no time. Next week, you'll learn how to write sonnets and there will be a poet showcased. For now, give it up to the guy that started it all.
