Participants will examine both the Petrarchan and the English (Shakespearean) sonnet, with a special focus on the role of the volta, the structure of the pentameter line, the opportunities and pitfalls of tight rhyme schemes, and the uses of enjambment, caesura, and internal rhyming. We’ll consider how such a time-honored form can remain contemporary in structure and voice, looking at modern “sonnets” that either adhere to or break from the traditional forms. Sessions will include generative writing activities and constructive feedback, with the goal of each student’s having a rough draft of a sonnet completed by the end of session four. You can find out more here:

https://www.riverheronreview.com/lettingtheheartsingsonnetform