Day 27 ~ How to 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 because I think it is so much fun. I hope you will enjoy creating Nonet
poems as well.
Basically,
the “Nonet poem” is based on the number 9. The first time I used it for Poetry
Month was 12 years ago, for the 2014 Poetry Challenge. 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 – the 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:
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 the
one I wrote last year. I’m not going to write a new one today. Sorry. But I can’t
wait to see what y’all come up with.
I should have some things figured out
I'm trying to get things done
Yet, the day seems over
Before I begin
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:
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
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
("Tomorrow" Photo by 0xk on Unsplash)
("Cookies" Photo by James Trenda on Unsplash)
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.
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