Dianne White

Here are my attempts at this week’s poetry stretch at The Miss Rumphius Effect – a bite-sized sonnet.

I had no idea I would spend so much time on this tiny-sized version of a sonnet.  The truth is, it’s just not that easy.  At least for me… I did many many versions until I arrived at these two.  The beginning of the second, not surprisingly, came when I awoke last night. Apparently, the mini-sonnet was still haunting me.

I’ve used a near-rhyme, and “cheated” a bit, though I don’t really consider it that.  While I think writing to form is a wonderful challenge and a great exercise, I think it’s good, perhaps better, to break the form if you feel you must, as long as it works.  Since I ran out of time, that’s what I’ve done.

I’ve also rearranged the lines to suit myself (rather than one syllable per line, as Avis Harley suggests in Fly with Poetry: An ABC of Poetry.)

June
night.
Moon
bright.

Cat
purrs.
Rat
stirs.

Rat races.
Cat chases.
Prey fray.

photo credit: nafra cendrers

***

Late night.
Moon light.
Can’t sleep.
Count sheep.

Sigh.
Close eyes.
Doze.
Theme: Dream.

photo credit: audreyjm529