The Sonnet - A Simple Introduction

The Sonnet

The sonnet, from the Italian sonetto meaning “little song”, is one of poetry’s most recognisable forms. It’s a brilliant place to start if you’re exploring structured writing, because although it has a strict set of rules, it also gives you room to express emotion, reflection and storytelling.

A traditional sonnet is made up of 14 lines, written in iambic pentameter, a rhythm of five metrical feet, each containing an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one. This creates the familiar da‑DUM da‑DUM da‑DUM da‑DUM da‑DUM pattern (10 syllables, 5 beats).

There are several recognised types of sonnet, including the Italian (Petrarchan), Shakespearean, Spenserian, Miltonic, Terza Rima, and Curtal forms. Each has its own rhyme scheme, but all share the same 14‑line foundation and a structural “turn” called the volta, where the poem shifts in thought or emotion.

To make this more fun, I’ve adapted my strict sonnet to a poem less restricting, adding a few couplet rhymes, so it plays with the sonnet form rather than strictly obeying it. I didn't gel with the strict parameters, I have to admit. Read below to see the differences and do let me know what you think.

Strict Sonnet vs. My Adapted Version

Although my adapted poem has 14 lines, there are a few reasons it isn’t a strict sonnet:

1. Iambic Pentameter

A formal sonnet uses the da‑DUM da‑DUM da‑DUM da‑DUM da‑DUM rhythm. My version uses natural speech patterns instead of metrical feet.

2. Rhyme Scheme

A Shakespearean sonnet follows ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. My version uses couplet rhymes (AA BB CC…), which is playful but not traditional.

3. The Volta

A sonnet includes a clear shift in thought around line 9. My version flows narratively without a formal turn.

4. Tone and Flexibility

A strict sonnet is tightly structured. My version is intentionally looser, more conversational, and more whimsical.

My attempt- A fully strict sonnet version

A journey through life

The gentle judder hums along the track

Its whispered chant awakening the ear

With timeless charm it guides the journey back

A humble voice the weary long to hear

From all it’s seen, it could compose a book

If only it could pause along the way

But duty calls, forbidding it to look

A traveller bound to roam both night and day

Though just a train, it bears a world inside

A quiet refuge when your spirits fall

When sorrow’s weight is heavy on your pride

It offers you a place that welcomes all

So take a ticket, step aboard, be bold

The world awaits, its stories yet untold

My attempt- An adapted sonnet version

A JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE

A journey through life

With a gentle judder and soothing hum

My tantric chant will tickle the eardrum

I have a timeless charm as I travel around

With a silent verse, I'm humble in sound

From where I have been, I could write a book

If I just had the time to stop and look

But I have to keep going, just passing through

Like a man on a mission, that's what I do

I may just be a train, no need to care

But I have access to a world out there

So next time you feel lost or are feeling low

You should know there is somewhere to go

Go grab a ticket and jump on board

There's a world out there to be explored

Sarah E Waring