POetry workshop : The sonnet

It was Shakespeare, the bards birthday the other day and coinciedntly the anniversary of his death. 

Obviously he didnt die on the day he was born because that would have made him a still born death and he wouldnt have written all those plays. Anyway, i was inspired by all of the chatter of Shaekespeare to introduce a new series of poetry workshops to this blog where I explore the nature and form of classic types of poetry where i can help you to imporve because i am an expert.

First some background information for the laymen,. William Shakespear was a famous poet (like me) and playwrite who lived in the medievil times when men wore tights, cod peieces and beards and when women werent allowed to be in plays becaiuse Oliver Cromwell was in charge. 

Oliver Cromwell writing a poem

Oliver Cromwell was like the Taliban at that time and banned fun. Because of this William Shakespear had to get boys to play the women rolls in his plays and sometimes there is mistaken identity where people think boys are girls and girls are boys and it all gets hilariously confusing but I forget the name of the play. (I do now its not Romeo and Juliet though I think there is a comedy vicar in that one like Derek Nimmo). This is where we got the idea for pantomimes in modern times, and drag acts too.,

(He looks a bit like a Marge Simpson from history doesnt he?)

A lot of what we know now in language, 

plays, writing and art is down to Willim Shakespear, so much so that some people think he was lots of different people. Some snobs want him to be someone posh from that time but I dont know whats all thats about. It's a bit like all that stuff about a fifth Beatle.

All of Shakespear's plays are written in rymes called sonnets. These are a type of poem that have strict rules that you MUST OBEY or they wont be a sonnet. 

I am a free spirit as you know and dont normally write like this. it is called form.

Here is teh structure of a sonnet.:

It has 12 lines to start with then another 2 at the end. the rymes and beats go like go like this:

one two one two one two one two one two

egg pie egg pie egg pie egg pie egg pie

red blue red blue red blue red blue red blue

bee fly bee fly bee fly bee fly bee fly

moon cup moon cup moon cup moon cup moon cup

wind chime wind chime wind chime wind chime wind chime

omg i am bored picturesActually i am quite bored with this now so yu will have to google how this works, but i will show you that i can write a sonnet and maybe you will understand what im on about.

Sonnet on the fallen maid by Helene Smithee

Oh highway man thou doth turn mine girl eye

And wet mine mouth then dare I say more parts

that tremble as your black mare gallops by

whence you have taken your wants from mine heart

Bereft I weep into mine robes of hemp

my thoughts alighting on a distant star

and you a strutting cock like Martin Kemp

the actor that I saw in visions far

What magick is this future that I see?

a pock marked murk pollutes my crystal ball

whatever shall become of poor wench me?

now I collude and bow to Satan's call

this hole will not be mended with one stitch

For  morrow doth see I burnt as a witch.

Phew that was hard work i dont think I'll bother doing that agin in a hurry. well done Shakespear He must have had a very patient mind and a speedy quill to write reams and reams like that. I cant be bothered, It blocks my chi.