Invented Sonnet Forms Found at Poet's Collective

[Tinker]

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Poets Collective, Lawrence Eberhart's Blog is an eclectic resource of standard and invented forms found at various poetry forums around the internet (mostly at Allpoetry.com).  He tends to copy and paste the creator's explanation (with recognition and permission) rather than reinvent in his own words. Occasionally he makes a comment or observation of his own but the best part is he writes fun original poems as examples of what he has found or  invented himself.   Not all of inventors of form explain their creation clearly or technically correct but Lawrence seems to figure it out well enough to create imaginative, spot on example poems.  I do my best to interpret and communicate the elements here. 

So many of these invented sonnet forms use the basics of either the English (or Shakespearean) Sonnet or Italian (or Petrarchan) frames.  For the sake of space in subsequent sonnet forms on this page, I will refer to the invented form's roots by name and only show the elements that vary from the traditional frames.  I include a reminder here of the elements of  the root frames.
The elements of the English Sonnet are:

1. a quatorzain, made up of 3 quatrains followed by a couplet.
2. metric, iambic pentameter.
3. rhymed abab cdcd efef gg
4. pivot after L9

The elements of the Italian Sonnet are:

1. a quatorzain made up of an octave followed by a sestet.
2. metric, iambic pentameter
3. rhymed abbaabba cdecde
4. pivot L8 or later 

 The AA-12 Step Sonnet 1 and AA-12 Step Sonnet 2   The defining feature of these forms is the climbing or step rhyme borrowed from the Ya Du.  They were invented by Larry Eberhart.

 The elements of the AA-12 Step Sonnet 1 are:

1. stanzaic,  three quatrains followed by a couplet.  
2. metric, iambic or trochaic tetrameter.  
3. volta placement optional  
4. rhyme abab cdcd efef gg  with climbing or step rhyme within the stanza, hhii jjkk llmm, L1 1st syllable, L2 2nd syllable, L3 3rd syllable, L4 4th syllable. 
     h x x x x x x a
     x h x x x x x b
     x x i x x x x a
     x x x I x x x b    etc  

 The elements of the AA-12 Step Sonnet 2 are:

1. stanzaic, two sestets followed by a couplet  
2. metric, iambic or trochaic pentameter  
3. volta placement at the discretion of the poet  
4. rhyme abcabc dedede ff with climbing or step rhyme within the stanza.  ggghhh iiijjj  L1 1st syllable, L2 2nd syllable, L3 3rd syllable, L4 4th syllable, L5 5th syllable, L6 6th syllable  
     g x x x x x x x x a
     x g x x x x x x x b
     x x g x x x x x x c
     x x x h x x x x x a
     x x x x h x x x x b
     x x x x x h x x x c   etc  

 The Brisbane Sonnet is an invented sonnet form by Lawrence Eberhart and was inspired by the Hymnal Octave even though it reflects neither the frame, meter or rhyme scheme of the Hymnal Octave. The cadence of the Australian dialect rang in the inventor's ears when creating this form.  Interesting how these things evolve. Lawrence says, "This sonnet form was created during a working visit to Brisbane during the floods after talking with some of the flood victims."  The pulse of Australia clearly and respectully influenced this sonnet form.  The elements of the Brisbane Sonnet are:

1. a quatorzain made up of 2 sestets followed by a couplet.  
2. metric, 5 metric feet (pentameter) with optional rhythm. The Australian dialect is a combination of iambic and  anapestic rhythmic flow.  
3. rhymed, rhyme scheme abcabc defdef gg  
4. pivot or volta L9 or later  

 The Bush Ballad Meter Sonnet is an invented sonnet form that seems to continue Lawrence Eberhart's love affair with Australia. He again attempts to capture the natural cadence of the Australian dialect in the meter used. Inspired by “Man From Snowy River” by Andrew Barton Paterson, Lawrence Eberhart  has invented the Bush Ballad Meter Sonnet, the elements of which are:

1. a quatorzain made up of 3 quatrains followed by a couplet.  
2. metric, accentual syllabic, L1-L12 alternate 15 and 11 syllable lines, L13-L14 15 syllable lines
3. In Lawrence's words
   "Primarily anapestic (da da DUM) and iambic meter (da Dum). 
     I guess technically all lines begin with an anapest,
     the first 6 long lines then have 2 tertius paeons (da da da DUM) and 2 iambs’
     the short lines have four iambs
     the last two have 1 tertius paeon and 4 iambs "  
4. rhymed, rhyme scheme abab cdcd efef gg  
5. pivot or volta L9 or later.  

Choi's Sonnet is one of those "invented" sonnet frames that is simply a slightly different rhyme scheme from the classic forms.  Honestly I've read so many of these "invented sonnets" that I'm just copying the scheme and I'm trusting that somewhere there is more information on this but I've been unable to find it.  I have no idea why it is named Choi's Sonnet.  Since it bears the "sonnet" title I have to assume the meter and pivot.  This is an English Sonnet frame with the exception of the following rhyme scheme, abab bbcc cdcd dd  

 Cross Sonnet uses the retrement of French prosody for a variation on the Couplet Sonnet, invented by Victoria Sutton at All Poetry.  The elements of the Cross Sonnet are:

1. a quatorzain made up of three quatrains followed by a couplet  
2. syllabic, 8 syllable lines  
3. rhymed, rhyme scheme aabbccddeeffgg  
4. composed with a retrement in which the first 4 syllables of L1 of each quatrain is repeated as the last 4 syllables of L4.  
     rrrbxxxa
     xxxxxxxa
     xxxxxxxb
     xxxxrrrb  

 Divena Sonnet is an invented form that plays with rhythm.  Created by Divena Collins, her Italian/Scot heritage influenced the cadence of the meter. The elements are:

1. a quatorzain made  up of the classic octave, sestet pattern.  
2. metric, the octave is the standard iambic pentameter, the sestet speeds up the cadence which though not specified, I can only assume that an anapestic infusion might be appropriate.  
3. rhymed, rhyme scheme aabb dccd eec eff   
4. pivot at poet's discretion but because of the change of rhythm it is probably best placed between octave and sestet.  

 Doggonette is what the creator Larry Eberhart calls a "gadget sonnet".  I thought amusing, it is a Shakespearean or English Sonnet that plays with meter. The elements are:

1. stanzaic, three quatrains followed by a couplet  
2. metric,  in no particular order, two of the quatrains MUST be iambic trimeter. the other quatrain MUST be trochaic trimeter, the couplet may be either meter.
3. rhymed abab cdcd efef gg
4. pivot at poet's discretion.

 The Fatima Stanza Sonnet apparently created by Larry Eberhardt comes with no history. Turned on only 4 rhymes the elements of the Fatima Stanza Sonnet are:

1.   a quatorzain made up of 2 quatrains, a couplet, a quatrain.  
2.   metric, preferably iambic pentameter  
3.   rhymed abab bcbc cc cdcd   
4.   pivot at L9  

Flying Bird Sonnet is another there is no history other than it was found by Lawrence Eberhardt. The elements of the Flying Bird are:

1.   a quatorzain made up of a quatrain, sestet, quatrain in that order  
2.   meter, assumed iambic pentameter  
3.   rhyme, rhyme scheme aaaa bbccbb aaaa  
4.   pivot or volta L11   

Fourteener Sonnet could be understood two ways. First, apparently there are some who refer to any sonnet frame as a Fourteener because of the consistent fourteen line frame. Second it refers to an invented sonnet form created by Lawrence Eberhart that is written in fourteener lines, iambic heptameter (7 metric feet, 14 syllables) with caesura.  Eberhart even takes it a step further and adds paired internal rhyme in a consistent position in each line and calls that a Nevada Sonnet. He says "The idea is to keep the Alexandrine meter from falling apart under its own weight.  This is all about making the sonnet a more cohesive unit."
The elements of the Fourteener Sonnet and the Nevada Sonnet are:

1. a quatorzain, stanza pattern at poet's discretion.
2. metric, fourteener lines, iambic heptameter with caesura. 
3. rhymed, rhyme pattern at poet's discretion
4. pivot placement at poet's discretion.
5. and if you want to get ambitious add paired internal rhyme in a consistent position to each line and call it a Nevada Sonnet.

The Harrisham Sonnet is an invented form created by Harrisham Minhas with a gadget device. The last letter of the first word of each line is the first letter of the first word of the next line. The elements of the Harrisham Sonnet are:

1. a quatorzain made up of 2 sestets followed by a couplet.
2. meter at the discretion of the poet.
3. rhymed, rhyme scheme ababab cdcdcd ee.
4. pivot at discretion of the poet.
5. composed with the last letter of the first word of each line is the first letter of the first word of the next line. There is no restriction on the first word of each new stanza.

That Dreaded Date

Kilmer's Sonnet, created by Joyce Kilmner plays with the stanzaic pattern. Apparently at about the same time, Jose Rizal M Reyes also used this exact frame and called it Morya's Double Lock. The elements of the Kilmer Sonnet or Morya's Double Lock are:

1. a quatorzain made up of 2 quatrains followed by 2 tercets.
2. metric, preferably iambic pentameter.
3. rhymed, rhyme scheme abba baab cdc dcd.
4. pivot after L9.

Kiss Cross Sonnet is finally a different kind of sonnet created by Jeremy Farmer. It uses the repetition of either half of the 1st line of each stanza in L4 of the same stanza in a criss cross manner.  The elements of the Kiss Cross Sonnet are:

1. a quatorzain made up of 3 quatrains followed by a couplet.
2. rhymed, rhyme scheme aabb ccdd eeff gg or abab cdcd efef gg.
3. composed using the 1st half of L1 of each stanza as the 2nd half of L4 of the same. Or using the 2nd half of L1 of each stanza as the 1st half of L4 of the same stanza.
4. pivot at the discretion of the poet.

Mirrored Seven Sonnet is an invented sonnet form by John Thompson known here as Mister Poet. This frame is syllabic. The elements of the Mirrored Seven Sonnet are:

1. a quatorzain made up of a quatrain, a sestet, and a quatrain, in that order.
2. syllabic all lines have 7 syllables.
3. rhymed, rhyme scheme abab cdeedc baba or abab cdeedc defgfge.
4. pivot or volta at discretion of poet.

Multidirectional Sonnet or Palindrome Sonnet is a technique developed by Mary Lou Healy, in which any sonnet form may be used butthe poem must make sense read from the top to the bottom or the bottom to the top. Easier said than done. Here is Mary Lou's example.

Passion Sonnet is an invented sonnet form by Victor Sutton using the English or Shakespearean Sonnet frame but changing the rhyme pattern and adding 3 refrains. The elements of the Passion Sonnet are:

1. English sonnet frame with the exception of:
2. rhymed, rhyme pattern A¹bA²B bcBc Bdbd A¹A².
3. composed with refrain. L4 repeated as L7 and L9. L1 and L2 repeated respectively as L11 and L12.

Paulo Comitatu (Latin for little train) is an invented sonnet created by the combined efforts of Lawrence Eberhart and Allan R. Emery. Eberhart suggests that the form lends "itself well to levity, capriciousness, and mirth, simply because mono-rhyme plays to that arena, as does the late volta." The elements of the Paulo Coitatu Sonnet are:

1. a quatorzain made up of 3 quatrains followed by a Heroic couplet.
2. metric L1 of each quatrain is iambic tetrameter or pentameter at the discretion of the poet.
3. L2-L4 of each quatrain is one metric foot shorter than Li, iambic trimeter or tetrameter.
4. The concluding couplet is a Heroic Couplet, rhymed iambic pentameter.
5. rhymed, rhyme scheme abbb accc deee dd
6. pivot arrives late after L12

Princess Sonnet is an invented form by Allen R Emery which can be written using either the English Sonnet frame or the Italian Sonnet frame. The only difference from corresponding frames is the use of head and tail cross-rhyme. In other words the beginning word of L1 carries the a rhyme and the last word of l1 carries the b rhyme and so on. The couplet of the English Princess heads rhyme and tails rhyme. The rhyme schemes are:

English Princess Sonnet                                                                                     xa x x x x x x x x b           xb x x x x x x x x a           xa x x x x x x x x b           xb x x x x x x x x a            xc x x x x x x x x d            xd x x x x x x x x c            xc x x x x x x x x d            xd x x x x x x x x c           xe x x x x x x x x f           xf x x x x x x x x e           xe x x x x x x x x f           xf x x x x x x x x e                      xg x x x x x x x x h           xg x x x x x x x x h

Italian Princess Sonnet xa x x x x x x x x b xb x x x x x x x x a xb x x x x x x x x a xa x x x x x x x x b xa x x x x x x x x b xb x x x x x x x x a xb x x x x x x x x a xa x x x x x x x x b xe x x x x x x x x c xd x x x x x x x x d xc s s s s s s s s e xe x x x x x x x x d xd x x x x x x x x c xc x x x x x x x x e

Queen's Sonnet is an invented sonnet form by Lisa Morris at All Poetry. The elements of the Queen's Sonnet are: 

1. a quatorzain made up of 3 quatrains followed by a couplet.
2. syllabic 10 syllablers per line or iambic pentameter. 
3. rhymed, rhyme scheme abba ccac deed ff.
4. pivot at discretion of the poet.

Relaxed Sonnet is an invented sonnet form by Mary Lou Hearly at Allpoetry.com. The form uses alternating trimeter and dimeter lines. The elements of the Relaxed Sonnet are:

1. a quatorzain.
2. metric. alternating iambic trimeter and iambic dimeter lines until the final iambic pentameter couplet.
3. rhymed, rhyme scheme abababcdcdcdee, a-rhymes are feminine.
4. pivot at discretion of poet.

Sephallian Reverse Sonnet is an invented sonnet form created by Dennis Nguyen which presents a unique challenge, when read in the normal fashion, the poem has a pessimistic tone, but when read from bottom to top, it becomes and optimistic poem. The elements of the Sephallian Reverse Sonnet are:

1. a quatorzain made up of a tercet, a quatrain, a tercet and a quatrain, in that order, preferably written without stanza breaks.
2. meter and line length are at the discretion of the poet.
3. rhymed, rhyme scheme abcdeedcbaffa 
4. or written with a refrain option, A¹bcdeedcbA²ffA²A¹.
5. pivot may be one or two for each direction, anywhere between L4 and L11.

Skeeter Sonnet or Stunted Sonnet is an invented sonnet form by Barry Hopkins, using the English Sonnet frame changing only the meter to dimeter, made up of a dactyl (Suu) followed by a trochee (Su). The elements of the Skeeter Sonnet are:

1. a quatorzain made up of  3 quatrains followed by a couplet
2. metric, dimeter made up of a dactyl followed by a trochee.
3. the last line is catalectic (drop the unstressed syllable from the trochee).
4. rhymed, rhyme pattern: ababcdcdefefgg.

Slide Sonnet is an invented sonnet form created by Victoria Sutton that brings a unique repetition to the form. The elements of the Slide Sonnet are:

1. a quatorzain made up of 3 quatrains followed by a couplet.
2. syllabic, 8 syllables per line.
3. rhymed, rhyme scheme aabb ccdd eeff gg, or abab cdcd efef gg or abba cddc effe gg.
4. composed with sliding refrain. The first half of L1 slides to be repeated as the last half of L3 in each quatrain,
5. pivot placement at the discretion of the poet.
   
   With Sincere Apologies by Judi Van Gorder

Solilhull Sonnet is an invented narrative form mislabeled as a sonnet (lyrical verse). Created by AllPoetry.com's Barry Hopkins doubling the English Sonnet frame with a restrictive rhyme scheme, ababababababcc ababababababcc. As a narrative it tells a story.

Sonnenzio is an invented sonnet from by Kim Addonizio borrows a line from any other sonnet, uses that line as the first line of this sonnet then repeats one of the words from that line in each of the following 13 lines. The word can be expanded or spelled differently but the sound is repeated such as "turn" repeated as "tacturn", "attorney", "return", "nocturne", "external" etc. The elements of the Sonnezio are:

1. a quatorzain
2. metric, iambic pentameter.
3. unrhymed.
4. composed borrowing a line from any other sonnet and using it as the first line of the poem.
5. also composed repeating one word from that line in the subsequent 13 lines.

Sonnet Anapest is a "gadget" sonnet form created by Lawrence Eberhart that changes the meter of an English Sonnet frame from iambic pentameter to alternating anapestic tetrameter and anapestic trimeter lines. The anapestic lines create feminine end rhyme.

Sonnet Reversed is an invented sonnet form by Rupert Brooke that uses the English Sonnet frame but puts the heroic couplet at the beginning of the quatorzain instead of the at the end. Rhyme aa bcbcdedefgfg.

Reversii Sonnet invented by Visalakshi at Allpoetry.com uses a chain from line to line. The elements are:

1. a quatorzain made up of an octave followed by a sestet.
2. syllabic L1-L12 10 syllables each and L13-L14 can both be either 10 or 11 syllables each. The two lines must be the same length.
3. rhymed, rhyme scheme ababcdcd efe gg.
4. pivot or volta L9 or L13.
5. composed with a chain, the last word of each line is the first word of the next line. The last word of the sonnet must be a repeat of the first word of the sonnet.

South African Quilt is an invented sonnet form by Angela Jacobs at All Poetry which is an Italian Sonnet that leaves the meter to the discretion of the poet and changes the rhyme scheme to aabb ccdd efg efg.

Stefanile Triatic Sonnet is an invented sonnet form by American poet Felix Stefanile that changes the stanzaic pattern of most sonnet forms. The elements of the Stefanile Triatic Sonnet are:

1. a quatorzain made up of a tercet, an octave and a tercet, in that order.
2. metric, preferably iambic pentameter.
3. rhymed, rhyme scheme aba bccdbbde fef.
4. composed with no enjambment between stanzas.
5. composed with L1-L3 setting the theme, L4-L11 expands the theme, L12-L14 concludes or resolves.
6. pivot or volta at discretion of the poet.

Storm Sonnet is an invented sonnet created by Mark A. Whittington-Buckley at Allpoetry. It is an English Sonnet with the option to switch from iambic to trochaic meter and to change line length from pentameter to tetrameter. It also has different rhyme scheme: axbbxxccxxddee x being unrhymed.

Super Sonnet is an invented form with undefined origin. It leaves so much up to the discretion of the poet that I have to question if this could be considered a sonnet at all. The elements of the Super Sonnet are:

1. stanzaic, written in any number of between 4 and 8 quatrains at discretion of poet, followed by a couplet.
2. metric, iambic pentameter.
3. rhymed, rhyme scheme at discretion of the poet.
4. pivot placement at discretion of poet.

 

[Tinker]

Teddybard Sonnet is an English Sonnet that "Teddybard" of All Poetry changed the rhyme scheme to aaaa bbcc ddee ff.

Tennyson-Turner Sonnet is an English Sonnet that Charles Tennyson-Turner of All Poetry changed the rhyme scheme to abab  cdcd  effe  fe.

Tet Zayin Sonnet is technically not a sonnet at all. Created by Amera M. Andersen, tet zayin is the Hebrew number 16 which is the number of lines used. The elements of the Tet Zayin are:

1. a poem in 16 lines made up of 4 quatrains.
2. syllabic, S1 11 syllables each line,
                  S2 9 syllables each line,
                  S3 9 syllables each line,
                  S4 11 syllables each line.
   or
                  S1 11 syllables each line,
                  S2 9 syllables each line,
                  S3 11 syllables each line
                  S4 9 syllables each line.
3. rhymed, rhyme scheme Aabb bbcc ccdd ddaA,
4. composed with a refrain, repeating L1 as L16.

Tirrel Sonnet is an invented sonnet form by R.L. Leonard of All Poetry that has an envelope stanzaic pattern. The elements of the Tirrell Sonnet are:

1. a quatorzain made up of a couplet, a tercet, a quatrain, a tercet and a couplet, in that order.
2. meter at the discretion of the poet.
3. rhymed, rhyme scheme A¹A² bcb cddc bcb A²A¹
4. pivot placement at the discretion of the poet.

Tirrell Quatern Sonnet is an invented sonnet form borrowing the Quatern's rolling refrtain and 8 syllable lines. I'm unsure who the inventor is, R.L. Leonard, aka Tirrell or an Australian poet Bruce Henderson or a combination of both.  The elements of the Tirrell Quatern Sonnet are:

1. a quatorzain made up of 3 quatrains followed by a couplet
2. syllabic, to be true to the French Quatern, 8 syllables lines is appropriate.
3. unrhymed, but allowed at the discretion of the poet.
4. Composed with L1 a refrain, repeated in L6, L11, L14 pivot at the discretion of the poet.

Tory Hexatet Sonnet is an invented sonnet form created by Victoria Sutton at All Poetry. This form centers the theme at the couplet which should be able to stand alone. The elements of the Tory Hexatet Sonnet are:

1. a quatorzain made up of an octave, a Complete Couplet and a quatrain in that order.
2. syllabic, the octave, L1-L8 12 syllables each line, the couplet, L9-L10 8 syllables each and the quatrain L11-L14 12 syllables each.
3. rhymed, rhyme scheme ababcdcd ee ffgg.
4. pivot at the couplet. 
    

Tuckerman's Sonnet is an invented sonnet form found at Poet's Collective without credit to the creator. It is an Italian Sonnet with a different rhyme scheme, either abbabcab adeced or abbabcba bdeced.

Visser Sonnet is an invented sonnet form created by one of the South Dakota State's Poet Laureates, Audrae Visser 1974-2001.  The structure is fairly standard other than the unusual rhyme, internal only.  It is referred to as hidden rhyme in which an internal word rhymes with another word internally found in another line.   There is no end rhyme.

The elements of the Visser Sonnet are:

1. Italian Sonnet frame with the exception of:
2. composed with internal rhyme only, no end rhyme.  Rhyme scheme abbaabba cdecde. Placement of the internal rhyme can be anywhere withing the line, just not at the end.

Whimsical Sonnet is an invented sonnet form and the winner of a contest at Allpoetry.  it was created by Numi_Earl_Grey. It is an attempt to add diversity to standard forms. The structure has alternate line lengths and calls for alternate rhyme broken by mono-rhyme and returning to alternate rhyme then ends in a near rhymed couplet. 
The elements of the Whimsical Sonnet are:

1. a verse form made up from 3 quatrains followed by a couplet.
2. metric, the lines alternate between iambic pentameter and iambic hexameter (6 metric feet or 12 syllables)
3. rhymed, rhyme scheme is abab cccc dede ff   (The quatrains are rich rhyme and the final couplet is near rhyme.)
4. pivot placement is optional.
   
   Example Poem

[Tinker]

The Harrisham Sonnet

That Dreaded Date

April 15 is coming way too fast.
Let's gather up all of our receipts.
Spaced out, my mind is harassed.
Darlin', Trinity needs new cleats.
Now I will buy while my money lasts
while saving most for government feats.

Encore, same old deductions don't cut it.
Economize and plan with my CPA,
expediently asking for tips to save a bit .
Yet trying so hard to find a way,
thinking the bottom line just won't fit,
Great! Too much owed, some stashed away.

Test: "death and taxes", no escape,
to end, I hope, with finances in shape.
                     ~~Judi Van Gorder