Sonnet Sequence (1): The Cornish Sonnet

Photo: Rinsey Mine

"There are plenty of worlds still to conquer in Cornwall - worlds which succeeded each other in time.
Out of the ruin of these worlds Cornwall is built, and it is for young geologists of our county
... to set themselves with patience and perseverance to the task,
and rest not until the stratigraphical puzzle has been solved..."

Howard Fox, 1894

N.B. Poltesco on The Lizard had not only a pilchard fishery and processing plant
but later on a water-powered factory for the working of serpentine.

Those who know me will be appraised of the fact that Cornwall holds a very special place in my heart. I was delighted to stumble across a Cornish Sonnet form as I surfed the web. There appear to be slight discrepancies in the exact rules of this deviation from the traditional Sonnet forms, but I hope you will enjoy experimenting and finding out what works for you.

The Origins of (or Mythology behind) the Cornish Sonnet form:

• The Poet's Garret
• Poetry Magnus Opus

Photo: St Michael's Mount (Ictis Insula)

Compose a Cornish Sonnet! Instructions can be found here:

• writing.com: How to Create a Cornish Sonnet
• The Poet's Garret: #23 Cornish Sonnet (and here)

My published example:

• Poltesco (TIPS for Writers, 74 (25/2009) p.27. TIPS for Writers is edited by Wendy Webb of Wendy Webb Books.

N.B. The 'Cornish Sonnet' form referred to in this post is not (necessarily) the same as a Sonnet in the Cornish language.