The challenge of Sonnets

I mentioned in a previous post how poetry challenges that a friend had given me. I went on to talk about the limerick challenge I gave myself and linked to one that I had written called The IRR within DR. I wrote this as a present for a friend and so the title can really only be understood by people who work in the sort of job I do. If someone really wants to know what it means ask :)

I also mentioned Sonnets though until now I have not posted either of the Sonnets I have written so far. They are both in the style of an English Sonnet and the one I posted on my blog of poetry is the 2nd sonnet I wrote and this is called Endure. I am still not sure if or when I will post the first as it needs other sonnets to go with it before it is complete.

I have found sonnets much easier to write than limericks: though I think this may because I over think limericks. This experience has reminded me how little I know about poetry and that I need to spend more time reading the work of other poets. However so many times I find myself looking at poetry that is nothing like what I write.

Poetry Challenges

A comment left by a friend was the first stage of the eventual 3 challenges that I would undertake. The first response I made was to outline the haiku challenge and I then posted next some of these haiku. Now to clarify something before someone comments that the haiku I have written are not actually traditional haiku: my response -- I was given a structure and style to follow and I believe based on that structure I have succeeded. As for traditional haiku, the main problem I have is that I do not understand Japanese. I see that as a challenge to give myself - learning to understand what is required of a haiku that is not written in Japanese.

The other two challenges brought about the poems titled Change and Swinging Moods. I found all three challenges a fantastic way to take my writing in directions that I had never thought to do so before. It has been a while since I have challenged myself as my friend sought to do so and the next challenge I gave myself was to write a sonnet. About 24 hours later I had completed my 1st sonnet. Is this perfect, well I did surprise myself and what I did write I have not posted as it is I believe one of a series of sonnets that only time will allow me to finish. The 2nd sonnet I have written may be posted when I am ready.

The other challenge I found myself putting my hand up for is a limerick. I have never found limericks easy to write. I believe my main issue is that I over think what I am writing.

After experiencing all these challenges I believe I will keep writing sonnets, not sure about limericks and beyond that I will just have to wait and see.