Saturday, April 19, 2025

Day 19 2025 ~ Let’s write a “Nonet Poem” for #NationalPoetryMonth ~ "30 poems in 30 days"

This is one of my all-time FAVORITE poetry forms: NONET POEM!! I generally use it every year. I hope you will enjoy creating Nonet poems as well.

Basically, the “Nonet poem” is based on the number 9. I first tried writing one of these for the 2014 Poetry Challenge, and the two poems that resulted remain my favorites, and I continue to use them as examples. So, if you’ve been around for a while, you have seen them before. Either way, get set for lots of 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. Here is how you do this poem:

When I looked up the word “nonet” I discovered it stood for 9 musical performers or 9 instruments – and the poem’s pattern has exactly 9 lines – first line has 9 syllables, and 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 ACCURATE, so PLEASE count them so you can do it correctly.

 

Let me give you a clue – I type the poem I am working on right onto the handy, dandy online syllable counter and just keep refreshing the “COUNT” button and it’s so much easier to keep track of where I am and adjust my words to fit that line’s syllable count. 

Also – just type “one syllable words” OR “four syllable words” or whatever into the search engine on my computer, and there are several options of word lists to help give you ideas if you are stuck trying to fill in a certain number.

 

Here’s a crazy new one: LOL!!!


I've lived a long time on this here world
I should have some things figured out
I'm trying to get things done
Yet, the day seems over
Before I've begun
I'll start again
Tomorrow
Then I
Sleep!

           © 2025 Stephanie Abney

  


 

 










And 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









(Images by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay)

OKAY, your turn – GO!!

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 create them and especially once they post them. Thanks so much!

*** Also, if you choose to post your poems on your own blog or elsewhere on social media ~ 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 EACH DAY’S SPECIFIC 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.


No comments: