Writing an Italian Sonnet - Ode to a Pizza
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Summary of Sonnet Writing
All sonnets, whether Italian, Shakespearean or Spenserian should consist of the overall feel of a "little song" within the basic structure of the poem.
- the rhythm of iambic pentameter
- a great story told in 14 lines
- a rhyming pattern that flows
- excellent imagery including some simile (this is like that), metaphor (direct comparisons), or other types of imagery.
This is a lot to deal with just for one poem. But when it all comes together, it's pretty amazing!
The italian sonnet format
The original "Italian/Petrarchan" style consists of an octet (eight lines) followed by a sestet (six lines). Each line is measured by iambic pentameter which is 10 syllables. The stress is supposed to be on every second syllable like 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10.
The first octet is supposed to introduce a conflict and the sestet is supposed to resolve that conflict.
The rhyme scheme is "a-b-b-a-a-b-b-a/c-d-e-c-d-e." Which means that the end of all the "a" lines are supposed to rhyme with each other, the end of all the "b" lines rhyme with each other, then the end of all the "c" lines with each other, the end of all the "d" lines with each other and finally, the end of all the "e" lines rhyme with each other.
This may be easier to visualize on the rhyming scheme for the octet lines:
- rhyme a
- rhyme b
- rhyme b
- rhyme a
- rhyme a
- rhyme b
- rhyme b
- rhyme a
For the sestet lines:
- rhyme c
- rhyme d
- rhyme e
- rhyme c
- rhyme d
- rhyme e
Ode to a Pizza by L. A. Cargill
(Octet)
I tell you, nothing beats a pizza when
you're hungry as a bear. It makes your day
a brighter place to see a mushroom lay
upon a red and spicy dough. It's been
inside the oven hot, a feast for men
and women. A crispy crust, we will say,
or maybe thick and pan full. Pray for bay
leaves, garlic, sauce, the cheese and meat. What sin!
(Sestet)
But don't you know the pleasures that you find
tonight while on the town you've wined and dined
on spicy peperoni, what a dish!
A moment of regret. A backward wish.
A pizza in your stomach is unkind.
You should have had an egg and toast, or fish!
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Thank you,
Lela
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Comments - What's your favorite poem? or pizza?Loading...
Ok, now you'd better write one. Cause I'm almost out of poems over here.
I'm already trying to figure out my topic! I love poetry and I love rules. I think it's why I love English - lots of rules. Everyone has written instructions and everyone is supposed to do it the same way - and I have to understand rules or I couldn't break them! Ha!
Fun! So many ideas are coming to mind.....!
Pizza...the ultimate American comfort food.
(Yeah, I know the Italians claim pizzas as their idea, but you know how they lie!)
Those crazy Eyetalians! I tell you whut. Ever had a Texas Chili Pizza?
I used to go to a restaurant where they served a burger called "The Diet Buster". Your poem is a "Diet Buster" as well.
Keep up the good work.
I really was trying to figure out how you could introduce conflict when talking about pizza... I mean... it's pizza... but you sung it out on paper so beautifully. Which makes me think... where is the video of this... la la la la - pizza (excuse my tone deafness my head is stuffy)
Seriously though - this was very entertaining. And on top of it, I learned the proper way to write a sonnet. I might have to try one of these.
CA - the diet buster is what I want to eat every single day!
BBG - I am sooo conflicted when I eat a pizza. Apparently, the crust is the only thing you shouldn't eat. Almost all of the rest of it is actually good for you. But only in moderation, of course.
My stomach is a food digesting machine. I rarely get heartburn, I can eat anything short of rusty nails. But unfortunately, every calorie gets stored as fat because my body loves to hang on to them. Dumb body.
I found the explanation of the Italian/Petrarchan style very interesting. I think it made reading the poetry more deliberate, and now I'm very hungry for pizza! Oh, a pizza in my stomach is never unkind!
Well, Stephanie, that would have ruined the conflict. I know some people who do get tummy upset from pizza. Poor creatures. I have never experienced pizza problems myself.
The only pizza problem I have, Lela, is when the last piece is gone. Have to share Yogi Berra's story with you. He ordered a pizza and when asked if he would like it cut into 8 pieces, said no, cut it into six pieces. I can't eat eight.
Thanks for the Italian sonnet rhyming scheme - you did a very credible job with your sonnet creation.
Yogi had so much wisdom stuck up there in the old noggin. Didn't he? I wonder if that same kind of portion control applies to chocolate?
I like a cheese or veggie pizza and I really enjoyed your poem and I seriously want a pizza now. Ugh. Voted UP:)
Homemade pizza can be very good for you. So make some!
Austin...
I understand you to be the originator of the sonnet trend with this delicious slice of poetry pizza pie?
Now that I have read it...I understand the hoopla...(Realhousewife is keeping it real).
I thank you for the good read and hunger pains.
I shall reciprocate with a follow...enough Up buttons to fill a ...um...button drawer and (with your permission)...a link to this gem from my latest story.
It's very nice to meet you Austinstar.
Thomas
Lela,
This is really cool! I enjoyed that! I'm going to show it to my daughter who loves pizza!!!
Rated up and awesome!
Well, really, pizza is nature's perfect food, right?
Yum! I have pizza in the oven!
What are you having for New Year's dinner? We are having BBQ chicken, spicey crackers, rice, veggies, black eyed peas, Shiner Bock Beer (for Bob) and whatever everyone else brings! Pizza does sound delish though.
RealHousewife Level 8 Commenter 6 months ago
Lela - very cool! I tried to sing it - and you made me hungry for pizza! Sin or no:). I really appreciate the time you've taken to explain the awesome poem so that I can try to do one myself!
I love it for the musical relation. I can understand what you mean in the explanation! That's an extra bonus.
I would rather have had a pizza than the pork tenderloin I made tonight! Yum!