Rainis Sonnet

Rainis Sonnet is a short meditation. Whether or not it is a true sonnet is up for debate. It is a lyrical meditation with a turn or volta, however it is shorter than the usual quatorzain of the sonnet. It is named for the Latvian philosopher and poet Janis Rainis (1868-1929)

Rainis Sonnet is:
• written in 9 lines made up of a quatrain, followed by a tercet ending with a couplet.
• metered, primarily iambic pentameter.
• rhymed, turned on only 3 rhymes. Rhyme scheme abab (cbc or cac) and (aa or bb or cc).

abab cbc aa
abab cbc bb
abab cbc cc
abab cac aa
abab cac bb
abab cac cc
abab cac aa

written with the epiphany arriving in the tercet.

Example Poem:

Tell Me of Your Anger in Whispers (Rainis  Sonnet)

Should you be moved to speak in anger, dear, 

I ask that first you test your words alone. 

You'll want to be assured your meaning's clear. 

If anger stems from blunder of my own 

There's nothing risked delaying words that grate. 

Then speak in dulcet soft and husky tone. 

I'll listen, think, and I'll appreciate. 

My love, use whispers closely late tonight. 

I love you dearly, I will make it right. 

© Larry Eberhart, aka, Lawrencealot,  Oct. 11, 2012

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