Clifford Liles has won, been placed or shortlisted in many poetry competitions. His work has been published in several literary journals and magazines. His debut collection The Thin Veneer will be published in July 2022 with Dempsey & Windle.
Sonnet or Not – The Bref Double Form
Do you write poetry in free verse? Or do you prefer the discipline of forms? Perhaps you see the sonnet form as difficult? Well, the form discussed this month is easier to use than the sonnet form. Maybe this will encourage you to try it out. The sonnet is characterized through several key features: it … Continue reading Sonnet or Not – The Bref Double Form
Sonnet Sequences – Part Two
In last month’s blog, I covered a range of definitions of where sonnets gather together in ones, twos and larger herds. Now let’s look at coherence between them. FAMILIAL TIES As with any creation in any medium there is a balance to be found within sequences between variety and coherence. Variety may be engendered through: … Continue reading Sonnet Sequences – Part Two
Sonnet Sequences – Part One
Vast herds of sonnets roam over the plains of literature. Where are they migrating to? Will the weakest be picked off by predators? One amongst them may be the pride of the herd. And what bonds them together? This month, I would like to touch upon the different types of sonnet sequences. Although I’ve tried … Continue reading Sonnet Sequences – Part One
Writer or Poet?
I note that my website currently declares me as a writer of sonnets, and that whilst this was an early admission that perhaps I could not yet justify calling myself “a poet”, there was some deft logic behind it. This blog series is about sonnets. Many of the poems I write are guided by this … Continue reading Writer or Poet?
Decima – The Little Sonnet
For those who find poetic forms a source of inspiration, there is one that has been called the “little sonnet” that bears scrutiny in this series on sonnets. Even though it does not have some key characteristics of the sonnet form, namely fourteen-lines in length or a twofold nature separated by a turn or volta. … Continue reading Decima – The Little Sonnet