1. Sonnet Exploration

2. the sonnet-ballad by Gwendolyn Brooks
Oh mother, mother, where is happiness? They took my lover's tallness off to war, Left me lamenting. Now I cannot guess What I can use an empty heart-cup for. He won't be coming back here any more. Some day the war will end, but, oh, I knew When he went walking grandly out that door That my sweet love would have to be untrue. Would have to be untrue. Would have to court Coquettish death, whose impudent and strange Possessive arms and beauty (of a sort) Can make a hard man hesitate--and change. And he will be the one to stammer, "Yes."
Lamenting-to express grief, sorrow, regret, annoyance, or disappointment about something
Coquettish-a flirtatious woman
impudent-rude; showing a lack of respect and excessive boldness

3. Brooks Discussion
What stands out to you about the poem? What do you remember, feel, question, and see when you read and hear the poem? Feel free to share personal experiences, emotions, and beliefs that influenced your reaction. Does the poem recall memories? How does it connect to your own attitudes or perceptions? Which specific words and lines in the poem that triggered your reactions? What word, phrase, image, or idea was important to your reaction? What poetic features do you notice?

4. Sonnet Exploration
The Brooks poem is, in fact, a kind of sonnet. During the remainder of the class, you will explore other sonnets in order to determine what makes a sonnet a sonnet. Look at your Sonnet Characteristics Chart and let’s complete it together for the Brooks poem.

5. Exploration Debrief
What do the poems have in common? How do they differ?

6. Sonnet forms Sonnet Form Rhyme Scheme Italian or Petrarchan
abbaabba cde cde abbaabba cc dd ee abbaabba cdcd ee
Spenserian
abab bcbc cdcd ee
English or Shakespearean
abab cdcd efef gg

7. My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun (Sonnet 130) by William Shakespeare
My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips' red; If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. I have seen roses damasked, red and white, But no such roses see I in her cheeks; And in some perfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. I love to hear her speak, yet well I know That music hath a far more pleasing sound; I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress when she walks treads on the ground. And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare.

8. Shakespeare Discussion
What form is this poem? What stands out to you about the poem? What do you remember, feel, question, and see when you read and hear the poem? Feel free to share personal experiences, emotions, and beliefs that influenced your reaction. Does the poem recall memories? How does it connect to your own attitudes or perceptions? Which specific words and lines in the poem that triggered your reactions? What word, phrase, image, or idea was important to your reaction? What poetic features do you notice? The contrast and opposition that are important to the poem’s meaning.

9. Shakespearean Sonnets
Look at Shakespeare’s sonnet as a model for your own writing. “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun.” ___________ is/are nothing like ___________ 4 beats 2 beats
brainstorm nouns or noun phrases that can fill in the first blank “My mother's pies,” “The football game,” “McDonald's fries,” and “My P. E. class.” The goal is to match the rhythm.
brainstorm a list of words, this time for the second blank. Get started by sharing some possible answers such as “a ham,” “my chair,” “the tape,” and “her cake.”

10. Sonnet Guide
Now with the person sitting next to you, write down your guidelines on how to write a sonnet—you could call it, A Guide for Writing Sonnets.
To do this, you need to work out:
The number of lines it has.
The number of syllables in a line; a syllable is the smallest bit of sound in a word.
For example:
boat has 1 syllable
football has 2 syllables
computer has 3 syllables
How it makes its rhymes.
How it tells its story.
How its story fits the way it rhymes.

11. Sonnet Writing
Now work on your own sonnet, imitating “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun.” In addition to matching the rhythm of the original poem, your work should also match the rhyme scheme. “My mother's pies are nothing like her cake” Finish your sonnet for homework if you do not complete it in class.
choosing a topic, and then brainstorming a list of comparison words, ideas, and images that describe things that their topic is and is not. They can then turn to this list as they work on their own poem.