Sonnet on Questions on Sonnets

[Misanthrope]

Genuinely entertaining.  The last line in the first stanza is fantastic.  There aren't any criticisms I would suggest.  The intentional run-on sentence in the third stanza is funny as well.  The only things I Could say are perhaps continuing the obviously sarcastic theme in the second stanza by going to old English or something.  And on a more nit-picky level, if you read a couple of the lines, using the first as an example, 'such' is generally going to be the important word in that phrase meaning that it would get stressed....  which breaks the meter.  The reason I think it would be the important word is because you are trying to emphasize that you have never written a sonnet.  Perhaps, 'I've never written such a form before' or something...  Just my humble opinion!!!   I wouldn't change anything though.  It accomplishes the goal entirely.  Well done!








I've never written in such form before

and know not whether grammar to invert.
Or force some rhyme and garner others' ire
And start with And and then the whole work hurt.

But sonnet forms hark back to ancient times,
which leads me to believe they're worth their salt.
So many love their sing-song pattern rhymes
that any other form amounts to fault.

I'll start each line with Shift pressed firmly down
And wait and see if there's some modern take
That punctuation can't be broken down
It must be there and not dumped in the lake

So off we go with this my first attempt.
I know, I know, it's dreadfully unkempt.