Challenge 6 is to write a sonnet in any recognised style, but it must be in iambic pentameter. (A simple 14 line poem will not do, but trying and not quite achieving the goal will be given full credit! Brilliance in the writing outweighs slight deviations in style J We're looking for poems that reveal some meaningful truth, presented with poetic elegance.)

For those of you have who not worked with iambic patterns it is the natural pattern that is often used in speech in which stress is placed on alternate syllables. Pentameter means there are five groupings of the iambic patterns – so 10 syllables to the line with the stress on every even beat.

Although the Shakespearean form is one of the most common English forms, feel free to try Petrarchan, Miltonic or Spenserian.

This article will be particularly helpful in understanding the format. http://poetry-magazine.com/poetry/poetry-005/10page.htm

Good luck to you all and please, even if you don’t feel confident it working in this style, give it a bash. It is better to have tried and failed (and learnt something in the process) than never to have tried at all.

Entries should be back with me for collation by Tuesday 24th Jan 12 noon GMT.

- Rosemary