ECHO SONNET

We are indebted to Sara Gipson of Poets' Roundtable of Arkansas for this (new?) form and for allowing us to publish her winning poem as an example.

Like any sonnet form, the echo sonnet contains 14 lines and is written in iambic pentameter.  In appearance, it is like the Shakespearean sonnet, with 3 stanzas of 4 lines and a final couplet. To produce the "echo", line 4 of stanza 1 is repeated as lines 8 and 12, and lines 1 and 4 are repeated as the couplet. as shown in the example below.  The rhyme scheme is abba-acca-adda-aa.

Here's the example:

Inspired by Spring

A breath of spring inspires this poet's words
to thaw and flow in ink inscribed remarks
that burst from souls as sudden shooting sparks
with notes of music sung by choirs of birds.

From fingers frozen like old bison herds
entrapped by blasts of arctic winter chills
come ardent rhythms penned by hands with quills
with notes of music sung by choirs of birds.

How often lyrics born of poem curds
become the songs enchanting lover's hearts
because it's often nature stirring arts
with notes of music sung by choirs of birds.

A breath of spring inspires this poet's words
with notes of music sung by choirs of birds.

Sara Gipson
Scott, Arkansas