how to write in iambic pentameter in a sonnet

Note how even from the first line, that rhythm is instantly set up and pulls the reader in.

Thoughtvines is another sonnet that really flows thanks to the iambic pentameter used throughout. Notice how some of the lines follow that beautiful “da-DUM” rhythm and create an overall sense of easy reading. Once again, we’re going to delve into Mibba’s wonderful poem section to find some amazing poems! The following examples showcase iambic pentameter at its best.įorgotten Stars is a sonnet modelled on Shakespeare’s own sonnet form. Write a poem where the first line of every stanza is written in iambic pentameter.Ĭhoose a popular poem that uses iambic pentameter and analyse those sections. Write a sonnet in the style of William Shakespeare, using iambic pentameter to structure individual lines. Looking to give iambic pentameter a try as a metre in your poem? Check out these prompts that can help you along the way! There isn’t any point in trying to write in iambic pentameter if the subject matter doesn’t fit in!Īnother interesting way of using iambic pentameter is to mix it up! You don’t always have to stick to strict rules, so get creative with it! Add in a stressed syllable where one shouldn’t, add in two unstressed syllables. If you want your poem to read in iambic pentameter, keep that in mind, but get your main ideas down firstly and then think about the flow. Keep it simple and try and write as naturally as possible. Much like anapaest, overstressing iambic pentameter in poetry can cause more problems than it’s worth. This is exactly how a line written in iambic pentameter should sound when spoken. A perfect example of iambic pentameter in poetry is the following extract from William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” Notice how, in that line, the natural cadence of the piece is “da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM”. It gives the poem the essence of having a heartbeat as the iamb creates a “dah-DUM” feel to the sentences. Iambic pentameter is a measure of five iambs – an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable - that gives a poem a wonderfully simple flow. By using this in your poems, you can keep a steady flow going throughout the narration.

If your syllables are unorganised and untidy, you’re more likely to lose readers than gain them, unless the poem still reads well! One way of keeping your poem’s structure tidy is through the use of iambic pentameter. A poem’s flow can make or break it to a reader.

How to write in iambic pentameter in a sonnet