Word Sonnets

Seymour Mayne

The word sonnet is a relatively new variation of the traditional form.  In essence, it is a fourteen-line poem, with one word set for each line. Seymour Mayne is one of the chief innovators of the form.

Tongue                                                                   Rescue Mission

Who                                                                        Now

keeps                                                                      it

the                                                                          is

words                                                                     a

fresh                                                                       rescue

and                                                                         mission,

reborn                                                                    drifting

from                                                                        into

day                                                                         the

to                                                                            senior

day?                                                                       zone,

Your                                                                        with

loose                                                                      life

tongue.                                                                  preservers.

 

 

Mileage                                                                 Pilot Light

Your                                                                        We

feet                                                                         always

fall                                                                          knew

in                                                                            there

from                                                                        was

fatigue,                                                                  ample

too                                                                          gas

many                                                                      for

steps                                                                       the

that                                                                         stove

outpace                                                                 and

the                                                                          steadfast

allotted                                                                  pilot

mileage.                                                                 light.

 

The word sonnets above were first published/posted last summer on the website of the White Wall Review, Ryerson University’s literary magazine.