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Reyes' Sonnets of the Hand


Tinker

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On various poetry sites throughout the internet I run into the name Jose Rizal M. Reyes of the Philippines.  He is credited with the creation of a multitude of sonnet forms.  I have found essays written by him but no central blog or website produced by him.  Larry Eberhart at Poet's Collective calls him a renown sonneteer and Reyes apparently has a twitter account where he declares himself a Sonnet G Master.   The name Jose Rizal M. Reyes suggests that he is either a descendant or at least named in honor of Jose Rizal y Mercado, novelist and national hero of the Philippines.  

At Poet's Collective Reyes is said to have suggested there are three types of sonnets, those of the head, those of the heart, and those of the hand.   I am assuming he is saying sonnets of the head are sonnets that follow the classic frame of established sonnet forms.  Those of the heart capture the meditative soul of the sonnet but not necessarily conform to a particular frame.  Those of the hand, play with the classic frames and tweak them with innovative rhyme scheme, stanzaic patterns, meter and other poetic devices. Poet's Collective calls sonnets of the hand, Gadget Sonnets.   There are hundreds of invented sonnets of the hand all over the internet and many were created by Reyes. (most found at Poet's Collective) I question whether these multitude of "sonnet forms" have ever had more than one or maybe two other poems written in these frames therefore they would not technically meet the definition of established form but rather are simply nonce forms.  But I admire the tenacity to create such a volume of work and I include here what I have found of those forms created by the "Sonnet G Master" himself, Jose Rizal M Reyes.

Many of the invented forms on this page use the frame of the English Sonnet,  and simply change the rhyme scheme. So for the sake of saving space I will simply indicate "English Sonnet" and include the changed rhyme scheme rather than all of the elements each time.

As a reminder, the elements of the English Sonnet are:
  1. a quatorzain made up of 3 quatrains followed by a couplet.
  2. metric, preferably iambic pentameter,
  3. pivot or volta after L9.
  4. rhymed. normally the rhyme scheme would be abab cdcd efef gg.  In all of the following, the rhyme scheme has been changed.

American Forte Sonnet and American Liebre Sonnet are invented sonnets which simply offer a slightly different rhyme scheme from standard sonnets. Whether or not the American Forte is a true sonnet because of the lack of metric measure and volta, I'll leave for the purists. 

The elements of the American Forte Sonnet are:

  1. a quatorzain made up of 3 quatrains followed by a couplet
  2. no specific meter or syllable measure 
  3. no volta identified
  4. rhymed, turned on only 4 rhymes, rhyme scheme abab bbcc cdcd dd

The elements of the American Liebre Sonnet are:

  1. the frame of English Sonnet
  2. rhymed, rhyme scheme abab bbcc cdcd ee

The Betwixt Sonnet is an invented sonnet form using the English Sonnet frame with a dominant b rhyme sound.  The rhyme scheme of the Betwixt Sonnet is:   rhymed, rhyme scheme abba cbbc dbbd bb

Chivalric Sonnet  uses the English Sonnet frame but with partly rhymed and partly unrhymed.  The rhyme is: rhymed, rhyme scheme xaxa xbxb xcxc dd  x being unrhymed.

Countess' Grief 1 uses the English Sonnet frame with a rhyme scheme adjustment.  The rhyme is:  abba cddc eefg fg

Deplorable Sonnet is an invented form named for the theme of the original poem by Jose Rizal M. Reyes.  It has political undertones and the structure is a bit of departure from most of the "invented sonnets' which usually just attempt to just change the rhyme scheme from the classics.  I thought this more interesting than most. The elements are:

  1. composed with political undertones
  2. stanzaic, two quatrains, a couplet and a quatrain, in that order
  3. metric, iambic pentameter
  4. rhymed, rhyme scheme aaaB cccB dd eebB
  5. written with a refrain, L4 of the first quatrain is repeated as L4 of each subsequent quatrain
  6. pivot at poets discretion

Elfmath Sonnet is an invented sonnet form  is distinguished by the repetition of words in a rhyme scheme pattern of any known Sonnet form. Identical words create the rhyme.  This is reminiscent of the very first Sicilian Sonnet that repeated words rather than rhyme.  

  The elements of the Elfmath Sonnet are:

  1. stanzaic,  either 3 quatrains followed by a couplet or 2 quatrains with 2 tercets, it is not specified how the quatrain/tercet pattern should be, therefore I assume they could alternate quatrain, tercet, quatrain tercet or could be arranged as 2 quatrains followed by 2 tercets.
  2. metric, Iambic pentameter
  3. like a Sestina, repeated end words in a pattern following any sonnet rhyme scheme.  1221 3443 5665 77   or ababcdcd efgefg
  4. pivot placement optional

French Canadian Sonnet  an invented form with optional metric values. The elements of the French Canadian Sonnet are:

  1. a quatorzain made up of 2 quatrain, a couplet, a quatrain in that order.
  2. metric, pentameter or hexameter at discretion of poet.
  3. rhymed, rhyme scheme: abba cddc ee fggf
  4. pivot at L9

Four Epoch Sonnet uses the English Sonnet frame but changes the rhyme pattern each stanza. The rhyme scheme is  abba cdcd exxe ff,   x being unrhymed.

Four Kings Sonnet uses the English Sonnet frame turned on 2 rhymes. I fail to connect the dots between the elements and the name. The rhyme scheme is abbaabba abbaab

Germanic Caudated Sonnet is an invented sonnet form that stretches the quatorzian to a 20 line poem by adding 3 tercets at the end. The elements of this triple tailed sonnet are:

  1. a quatorain made up of 3 quatrains and a couplet followed by a tail of 3 tercets.
  2. metric, preferably iambic pentameter
  3. rhymed, rhyme scheme abba bccb cddc dd dee dff dgg
  4. pivot L13 or after.

Gloria cum Noynoy-Italianic or PGMA Sonnet is an invented sonnet form named in honor of former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo(PGMA) and her successor President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III. “I named a rhyme scheme jointly for the two Philippine presidents as a statement that it was during their presidency that I wrote my 2154 sonnets.”  Jose Rizal M. Reyes. "Italianic" is added to the name possibly because he uses the 2 rhyme envelope rhyme for the first 2 quatrains as in the classic Italian sonnet but uses the stanzaic pattern of the classic English Sonnet joining the two classic forms as he joins the two Philippine presidents. The elements of the PGMA sonnet are:

  1. a quatorzain made up of 3 quatrains followed by a couplet
  2. metric, preferably iambic pentameter
  3. rhymed, rhyme scheme abba abba cddc dd
  4. pivot at poet's discretion

Grammarian Sonnet is an invented sonnet form that alternates quintains and couplets. The elements of the Grammarian Sonnet are:

  1. a quatorzain made up of a quintain, a couplet, a quintain and a couplet, in that order.
  2. metric, preferably iambic pentameter
  3. rhymed, rhyme scheme abbba cc deeed ff
  4. pivot anytime after L9

Indonesian Sonnet is an invented sonnet form using the English Sonnet frame that Reyes also refers to as the Indo-Chinese Double Dance and is turned on only 2 rhymes. The rhyme scheme is abab abab abab ab.   

Japanese Sonnet found at Poet's Collective is described as written with "each line a haiku". I can only assume this means each line is written in concrete images and is a complete thought written in the moment. The elements of the Japanese Sonnet are:

  1. a quatorzain made up of a quatrain, a sestet and a quatrain.
  2. metric, meter at the discretion of the poet, preferably iambic pentameter.
  3. rhymed, rhyme scheme aaaa bbbbbb aaaa
  4. pivot at discretion of the poet.

Kal's First Fireburst Sonnet uses the English Sonnet frame that employs feminine rhyme in the 3rd line of each stanza. Where the name came from, I have no idea. The rhyme is: 

  1. rhyme scheme abcb bcdc cded de.
  2. L3 of each stanza ends with feminine rhyme.

Kal's Wondercloth Weave Sonnet, this name leaves me clueless, is simply Kal's First Fireburst using the English Sonnet frame with all strong endings, masculine rhyme. The rhyme scheme is: abcb bcdc cded de, all strong endings, masculine rhyme.

Kangaroo Pause an invented form originally called the Australian Sonnet which conflicted with the much older Australian or Bowlesian Sonnet. This invented sonnet uses the English Sonnet frame with yet another rhyme scheme.  The rhyme scheme is abab ccdd efef gg.

Kindergarten Klas Sonnet uses the English Sonnet frame with one more rhyme scheme. I keep thinking, by now Reyes has to have covered every possible rhyme combination possible in 14 lines and then I find another. The rhyme is abca bcab cabc dd..

Kiwi Pause is an invented form originally labelled the New Zealand Sonnet until Lawrence Eberhart pointed out to Reyes that there was already a New Zealand Sonnet. The elements of the Kiwi Pause are:

  1. a quatorzain made up of 3 quatrains followed by a couplet.
  2. metered either iambic tetrameter or pentameter.
  3. rhymed, rhyme scheme abba ccdd effe gg.
  4. pivot follows L9.

Korean Sonnet is an invented sonnet form that was created to honor the 2 Koreas, North and South. The stanza pattern appear as 2 halves. There is a little confusion in that the description says 2 octets and the example poem has 2 septets. Since the sonnet is normally 14 lines not 16 I am describing the elements as 2 septets. The elements of the Korean Sonnet are:

  1. a quatorzain made up of 2 sestets.
  2. meter at the discretion of poet.
  3. rhymed, rhymed scheme aaaaaaa bbbbbbb.
  4. pivot at discretion of poet.

La Germania uses the English Sonnet frame with another different rhyme scheme. The rhyme is abba acca cddc dd.

Lunatic Sonnet uses the English Sonnet frame with one more change in the rhyme scheme. The rhyme is aaab bbcc cddd ee.

Luzviminda or Philippine Stanza Sonnet uses the English Sonnet frame with stanzaic monorhyme (sometimes LuzViMinda) The name is a portmanteau  of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, the names of the three major Philippine island groups. The rhyme is: aaaa bbbb cccc dd.

Malayan Wave Sonnet uses the English Sonnet frame with this rhyme scheme aaba bbcb ccdc dd

Malaysian Sonnet
, uses the English Sonnet frame with a unique rhyme scheme.  The rhyme is aaba bbcb ccdc dd.

Melanesian Sonnet uses the Italian Sonnet frame with a change in rhyme. The elements of the Melanesian Sonnet are:

  1. a quatorzain made up of an octet and a sestet.
  2. metric, iambic pentameter,
  3. rhyme aabaaaba aababb.
  4. pivot after L9.

Melanesian Wave uses English Sonnet frame with the same rhyme as the Melanesian Sonnet. The rhyme is aaba aaba aaba bb.

Philippine Sonnet uses English Sonnet frame turned on only 3 rhymes.  The rhyme is aaaa bbbb aaaa cc.

Philippine Stanza Sonnet uses the English Sonnet frame with mono-rhymed stanzas. (Previously called Luzvimninda Sonnet)  The changed elements are:

  1. metric, 5 metric feet loosely iambic or trochaic or both
  2. rhymed, rhyme scheme, mono-rhymed stanzas, aaaa bbbb cccc dd

Pope John XXIII Sonnet is a sonnet form intended to embrace the theme of love, faith and hope.
The elements of the Pope John XXIII Sonnet are:

  1. thematic, love, faith, hope. 
  2. a verse form made up of 2 quatrains, a couplet and a quatrain, in that order.
  3. metric, iambic tetrameter
  4. rhymed, rhyme scheme aaaa bbbb cc dddd.
  5. pivot at the discretion of the poet.

Romblomanon Sonnet is an invented sonnet form that mixes up the mono-rhymed stanza order. The elements of the Romblomanon sonnet are:

  1. a quatorzain made up of a quatrain, a couplet and 2 quatrains in that order.
  2. metric, iambic pentameter.
  3. rhymed, stanzas momo-rhymed aaaa bb cccc dddd.
  4. pivot after L9.

Russia's Twin Eagles is an invented sonnet form again rearranging stanza format. The elements of Russia's Twin Eagles are:

  1. a quatorzain made up of a tercet, a quatrain, a tercet, a quatrain in that order.
  2. metric, iambic pentameter.
  3. rhymed, rhyme scheme aba bccb ded effe.
  4. pivot after L9.  

Salamander's Fireburst is an invented sonnet form using the English Sonnet frame and changing the rhyme to abcb acdc aded ae, the c and d rhymes must be feminine.  

Spenserian Forte is an invented sonnet form using the English Sonnet frame and changing the rhyme to abab bcbc cdcd dd which is very similar but not quite the same as the Spenserian Sonnet.


Teacher-Pupil Equation is an invented sonnet form using the English Sonnet frame and changing the rhyme to turn on 2 rhymes, aaaa aaaa bbbb bb.

Trinidad Sonnet is an invented sonnet that repeats L1 and L7 in L13 and L14. The elements are:

  1. stanzaic, written in 4 tercets followed by a couplet.
  2. metric, iambic pentameter.
  3. rhymed, rhyme scheme Aba cbc Ded fef AD.
  4. written with an envoy made up of L1 and L7.
  5. pivot on of after L9.

Turkey's Delight is an invented sonnet form using the English Sonnet frame and changing the rhyme to abba ccdd efef gg.

Visayan Splash is an invented sonnet form using the English Sonnet frame and changing the rhyme to abcb bcdc cdad da. Volcanic Fireblast is an invented sonnet form using the English Sonnet frame and changing the rhyme to abba ccdd eedd ff (L7-L8 and L11-L12 are feminine or falling rhyme}.

~~ © ~~ Poems by Judi Van Gorder ~~

For permission to use this work you can write to Tinker1111@icloud.com

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