So in an effort to teach myself sonnet writing, to write a story about a teen-ager who learns to write sonnets, I read a series of modern sonnets.
Generally, modern sonneteers have altered the rhyme pattern, if they use one at all, and don’t generally use iambic pentameter (10 syllables to a line). But always follow the 14-line format, which defines a sonnet.
That is not an exact analysis, but a quick read.
What follows is a sample of my effort to write a modern sonnet.
I will say this exercise is fun, experimenting, learning structure and form and flipping language around. It’s why I write.
So:
In the time of the mad king the simplest word is a scream,
A single letter a weapon, a dream a curse, a wish a torrent.
Hear them grind love through a blender
Till every sound is sharp, every cry cuts
And we stand in the wind tunnel street bleeding.
They want us silent,
To rip with fat fists the voices from our throats.
They want us naked,
Standing embarrassed, hands covering parts
Open in cold sunlight showing scars and wounds
To transform shame into fear.
But love is naked, isn’t it; that’s the trick.
Each of your screams is a celebration.
Your every touch heals me.
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About michaelstephendaigle
I am the author of the award-winning Frank Nagler Mystery series. "The Swamps of Jersey (2014); "A Game Called Dead" (2016) -- a Runner-Up in the 2016 Shelf Unbound Indie Author Contest; "The Weight of Living" (2017) -- “The Weight of Living” was awarded First Place for mysteries in the 2017 Royal Dragonfly Book Award contest;
Named A Notable 100 Book, Shelf Unbound 2018 Indie Book Awards;
Named a Distinguished Favorite, 2018 Independent Press Awards.
Named a Distinguished Favorite in the 2018 Big NYC Book Contest.
Named a Finalist in the 2019 Book Excellence Awards.
Named A Gold Star Award winner in the 2020 Elite Choice Book Awards
Named a Book Award Winner in 2021 by Maincraft Media Fiction Book Awards;
The Red Hand (2019) a Distinguished Favorite in the 2019 Big NYC Book Contest
Named Second Place winner for mysteries in the 2019 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards
Named a Notable 100 Book in the 2019 Shelf Unbound Indie Book Awards
Named a Distinguished Favorite in the 2020 Independent Press Awards
A Nominee in the 2020 TopShelf Book Awards
Named A Gold Star Award winner in the 2020 Elite Choice Book Awards
Dragony Rising (2022) First Place for Mysteries in the 2022 Royal Dragonyfly Book Awards; named a Notable 100 Indie Book in the 2022 Shelf Unbound Indie Book Awards; A Distinguished Favorite in the 2023 Independent Press Awards. A Distinguished Favorite in the 2023 Big NYC Book Awards.
Wow, Michael. You did it. How compact and sprawling can fourteen lines of verse reveal. Great job, Sir William! Encore!!
– Brian
Thanks, Brian…. This is fun..Happy holidays to you all.