3 Examples of Writing a Sonnet About Love (With Real, Modern Examples)
Let’s start with a traditional pattern, because many of the best examples of 3 examples of writing a sonnet about love build from the basics and then bend the rules.
A classic English (Shakespearean) sonnet has:
- 14 lines
- Iambic pentameter (about 10 syllables per line, da-DUM da-DUM rhythm)
- Rhyme scheme: ABAB CDCD EFEF GG
Here’s a full original example of a love sonnet in that style:
When morning leaks its gold along your face, (A)
The shadows fold their tents and softly go; (B)
The coffee learns your name, the cups, this place, (A)
All memorize the way your movements flow. (B)My calendar pretends that days are straight, (C)
In tidy boxes, numbers, thin black lines; (D)
But time bends back whenever we both wait, (C)
For shared small moments no clock hand defines. (D)I used to think that love was trumpet-loud, (E)
A blazing sky, a thunderstorm on cue; (F)
Instead I find it walking through a crowd, (E)
And noticing the world because of you. (F)So let the years write wrinkles on my skin; (G)
Your name’s the quiet sonnet underneath my grin. (G)
This is one of our examples of 3 examples of writing a sonnet about love because it shows the classic structure in action:
- The first eight lines circle around everyday details: mornings, calendars, coffee.
- The third quatrain (lines 9–12) shifts slightly: the speaker revises what they thought love would be.
- The final couplet (lines 13–14) offers a neat, memorable twist.
If you’re looking for real examples of how to start your own, pay attention to how this sonnet uses ordinary images instead of grand, abstract words like “passion” or “eternity.” It’s about coffee, calendars, crowds—things you can actually see.
How to Build Your Own Classic Love Sonnet
To turn this first example of a sonnet about love into a template you can copy:
Pick a small moment, not the whole relationship. Maybe:
- The first time you held hands in a movie theater
- Saying goodbye at an airport
- Cooking together after a long workday
Draft in plain sentences first. Don’t worry about rhyme yet. Just describe the moment like you’re telling a friend.
Underline the strongest images. Those are your anchors for key lines.
Shape into 14 lines and then layer in rhyme using the ABAB CDCD EFEF GG pattern.
If you want a deeper dive into sonnet history and structure, the Poetry Foundation has a helpful overview of sonnets and classic examples: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/sonnet
Example 2: A Modern Sonnet About Online Love
Many people searching for examples of 3 examples of writing a sonnet about love are writing about modern relationships: dating apps, long-distance video calls, or relationships that started in a comment section. The sonnet form is old, but it can absolutely handle new topics.
Here’s a more conversational, modern sonnet about meeting someone online. It still has 14 lines and a recognizable rhyme pattern, but the language is looser and more current.
You double-tapped my joke from 2019, (A)
A fossil meme I’d honestly outgrown; (B)
I saw your name light up my tiny screen, (A)
A stranger’s laugh reaching a stranger’s phone. (B)We built a city out of late-night texts, (C)
With screenshots, stickers, half-typed, half-erased; (D)
We toured each other’s Tuesdays, fears, and exes, (C)
In pixels where our faces never aged. (D)The world kept shrinking into smaller squares, (E)
Yet somehow there was room enough for two; (F)
My room, your room, the miles of empty air, (E)
All folded into “hey, I miss you too.” (F)And when we finally met in real daylight, (G)
You looked exactly like our longest night. (G)
This second example of 3 examples of writing a sonnet about love shows a few 2024–2025 trends in poetry:
- Digital life as setting. The relationship lives in texts, memes, and screens.
- Informal voice. Words like “hey” and “joke” keep the tone casual.
- Flexible rhythm. It’s still close to iambic pentameter, but not stiff. Modern love sonnets often treat meter as a guide, not a law.
If you scroll through recent online poetry communities—on platforms like the Poetry Foundation’s “Poem of the Day” or university-affiliated literary magazines—you’ll see more and more sonnets that reference social media, video calls, and online culture.
Turning Your Digital Story Into a Sonnet
When you look for the best examples of a modern sonnet about love, a pattern appears: they’re basically tiny stories with a beat.
You can draft your own by:
- Choosing a tech detail as a repeated image: a typing bubble, a Wi-Fi bar, a notification sound.
- Letting the poem move from screen to real life. Start in the digital world, end in a physical moment.
- Using natural speech. Write how you’d actually talk, then nudge the lines toward rhythm.
For inspiration on reading and writing poetry in the digital age, you might explore resources from major universities, like the Harvard University Poetry resources page: https://guides.library.harvard.edu/poetry
Example 3: A Sonnet About Self-Love and Healing
Not every sonnet about love has to be about romance. Some of the most moving recent examples include poems about self-respect, healing from burnout, or learning to set boundaries. This third example of 3 examples of writing a sonnet about love focuses on self-love.
I used to beg the mirror for a sign, (A)
Some proof I’d earned a place among the bright; (B)
I measured worth in emails, views, and time, (A)
And called exhaustion “normal” every night. (B)My body whispered “stop” in smaller ways, (C)
A headache here, a skipped and shallow breath; (D)
I scrolled through warnings, shrugged at every phrase, (C)
As if the rules of burnout, sleep, and stress (D)Were meant for someone other than myself. (E)
But slowly, like a sunrise through a blind, (F)
I learned to put my phone back on the shelf, (E)
And treat my racing thoughts as not my mind. (F)Now love means drinking water, leaving late, (G)
And talking to my heart like it can’t wait. (G)
This is another clear example of writing a sonnet about love, but the “you” is actually the speaker’s own body and mind.
Notice how this sonnet:
- Mentions very current stressors: emails, views, burnout.
- Moves from self-criticism to self-care, a common arc in 2020s poetry.
- Ends with concrete actions: drinking water, leaving late, speaking kindly to oneself.
If you’re interested in how stress, self-care, and mental health show up in daily life, health-focused sites like Mayo Clinic and NIH offer reliable background information you can mine for realistic details:
- Mayo Clinic on stress management: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987
- NIH on self-care basics: https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2020/12/caring-yourself
You don’t need to write a medical poem, of course, but pulling in true-to-life details can make your sonnet feel grounded and honest.
Breaking Down the Patterns in These 3 Examples
You’ve now seen three different examples of 3 examples of writing a sonnet about love:
- A classic romantic morning with coffee and time bending
- A modern online relationship, built in texts and memes
- A self-love journey from burnout to small acts of care
Even though the topics shift, a few shared moves show up across all three real examples:
1. A Clear Turn or Shift
Most good sonnets have a turn somewhere around line 8 or line 9. In these examples of love sonnets:
- The classic sonnet turns when the speaker realizes love is quieter than expected.
- The online sonnet turns when the poem moves from screens to the first in-person meeting.
- The self-love sonnet turns when the speaker starts listening to their body.
When you write your own, ask: What changes in the last six lines? That change is the heart of your poem.
2. Concrete Images, Not Just Feelings
Instead of saying “our love is strong,” the best examples show that strength:
- Wrinkled skin and a steady grin
- A city of late-night texts and typing dots
- A phone on the shelf and a glass of water on the table
Make a quick list of 5–10 physical details from your relationship or your self-care routine. Build your sonnet around those.
3. A Memorable Final Couplet
In all three sonnets, the last two lines try to land with a little extra punch. They don’t have to be perfect, but they should feel like a closing door, not a fade-out.
You can draft several different couplets, then pick the one that surprises you the most. Many strong examples of a sonnet about love are rewritten mainly to fix the final two lines.
More Quick Examples of Love-Sonnet Ideas
To give you even more examples of 3 examples of writing a sonnet about love in everyday life, here are a few extra scenarios you could turn into sonnets:
- Long-distance love: A sonnet built around airports, time zones, and the glow of a phone screen at 2 a.m.
- Parent–child love: A sonnet about teaching a kid to ride a bike, or about calling your parents on Sundays.
- Friendship love: A sonnet about the friend who shows up with soup when you’re sick, or who remembers every weird detail about your life.
- Queer love: A sonnet about the first time you held hands in public and felt safe, or about chosen family.
- Grief and love: A sonnet about missing someone who’s gone, but feeling their influence in your choices.
Each of these can follow the same 14-line structure you’ve already seen. The emotions change, but the pattern stays friendly and familiar.
FAQ: Examples of Writing a Sonnet About Love
Q: Can you give another short example of a sonnet opening line about love?
Yes. Here are a few possible first lines you can build from:
- “Your laughter rearranged my quiet room”
- “We learned to argue softly, not to win”
- “The map said distance; our calls disagreed”
Each one sets up a mood and a story you can stretch into 14 lines.
Q: Do love sonnets have to rhyme to be valid examples of the form?
Traditional examples of sonnets do rhyme, and most teachers still expect a rhyme scheme. That said, many modern poets write “blank verse” or free-verse sonnets that keep the 14-line shape and the turn, but loosen the rhyme. If you’re just starting out, rhyming is a helpful way to learn the pattern.
Q: Are there examples of famous sonnets about love I should read?
Absolutely. A few classic examples include Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 (“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”) and Sonnet 116 (“Let me not to the marriage of true minds”). You can read these and others for free through the Poetry Foundation or Library of Congress websites.
Q: How strict should I be with iambic pentameter?
Think of it as a steady walking pace. Many great examples bend the rhythm in a few lines to fit natural speech. Aim for around 10 syllables per line with a gentle da-DUM pattern, but don’t panic if a line or two lean a bit long or short.
Q: What’s one simple example of a sonnet-writing process I can follow today?
Try this: write a 4–6 sentence story about a single loving moment. Break it into 14 short lines. Add a simple rhyme scheme (ABAB CDCD EFEF GG). Read it out loud and tweak words until the rhythm feels smooth. That’s it—you’ll have your first rough sonnet draft.
These three main sonnets—and the extra ideas—are meant to be living examples of 3 examples of writing a sonnet about love that you can adapt to your own life. Start with a moment, give yourself 14 lines, and let the pattern do some of the heavy lifting while you focus on what you really want to say.