Task 7

Only Sydney appears to have got close to mastering these tricky iambs, so I am going to wait before setting you your first sonnet, and use Task 7 as another exercise in iambic verse instead.

I would like you all to do the following things:

1. Read carefully EACH student's Task 6 attempt;
2. Read carefully BOTH comments on each student's Task 6 attempt;
3. Practise reworking EACH student's Task 6 attempt into something which is perfectly iambic.

ONLY when you have done all these things should you proceed to the main task, which is as follows...

Write a short poem, consisting of 8 lines, each in iambic pentameter, with a rhyming scheme of ababcdcd. Your topic should be emotion (it is up to you to choose which one). And PLEASE make sure you check and recheck it before posting, so that you make it is accurate as possible.

Some people find it easier to practise their iambic verse on MICROSOFT EXCEL. It might seem bizarre, but if you shade columns alternately (i.e. white/grey/white/grey etc.) and then make sure you only put one syllable in each column, you can manipulate your poetry so that only the stressed syllables fall in the grey boxes. Worth a try, perhaps?

Your Task 7 poem should be posted and live by midnight on Sunday 13th February. Good Luck!

In the meantime, here is my, somewhat rushed attempt...

Sadness

Forgive me if I cry; I do not mean

To make you sad; I tried to cauterise

The pain, to dry the tears, but you have seen

With how much force this brine assails my eyes.

Or how about I whimper, soundless, keep

It hidden? Undisturbed, you can pretend

I do not feel this pain and do not weep.

Such hurt I fear you cannot comprehend.

Keep smiling! :)

englishguru