Day 12 ~ Nonet Poems for #NationalPoetryMonth and "30 poems in 30 days"

I LOVE NONET POEMS!! Basically, this poetry form is based on the number 9. I first tried writing one of these for the 2014 Poetry Challenge and this form soon became one of my favorites! Hence, I have been using them in the challenge each since. If you have done one before - you can always write a totally different and if you are new them, this should be fun!!

A Nonet Poem is based on NINE, in more ways than one ~ it has nine lines and the FIRST LINE has NINE syllables ~ but there are a few more details to know. I have come to really love this poetry form. And the poems I wrote for it four years ago are still my favorite nonet poems so I’m going to share them again as my examples. But here is how you do this poem. SO FUN!!!

When I looked up the word “nonet” in the dictionary I discovered it stood for 9 musical performers or 9 instruments – and the poem has a pattern that has 9 lines – 

The first line has 9 syllables; each line thereafter has one less syllable, ending with the last line only having ONE syllable. The number of words does not matter, ONLY the number of syllables so it actually provides you with some flexibility. Intriguing, right?

Here is a “look” at this pattern:

* * * * * * * * * (9 syllables)

* * * * * * * * (8 syllables)

* * * * * * * (7 syllables)

* * * * * * (6 syllables)

* * * * * (5 syllables)

* * * * (4 syllables)

* * * (3 syllables)

* * (2 syllables)

* (1 syllable)

It can be about ANYTHING as long as the SYLLABLE COUNTS ARE EXACT, so PLEASE count them so you can do it correctly.

Here are the first two I ever wrote for this poetry form and they remain my favorites:

Made chocolate chip cookies tonight

One taste before I go to bed

One bite follows another

I forgot what I said

I’m ready to stop

Well, maybe not

Just one more

Then to …

Bed!!

          © 2014 Stephanie Abney

“Grandma, may we have a sleepover?”

My precious grandkids ask again.

“We promise to obey you.”

They give a hopeful look.

“We won’t talk in bed.”

That’s what they said.

“We love you.”

I said,

“Yes!”

           © 2014 Stephanie Abney

PLEASE REMEMBER ~ any poetry found on this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not be used without my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson or to read it to someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the comments of this blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They are the creative property of the person who writes them. These poems are their original work and no one may use them without their permission. It is understood that they own the copyright to them as soon as they post them. Thanks so much!

Also, if you choose to post your poems on your own blog ~ that’s awesome. But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather post your poem on your blog or your FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO THIS BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve spent considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to share with you. Thanks for respecting my work.