Final answer:
Sonnets are a type of lyric poetry with two main forms: the English (or Shakespearean) sonnet, consisting of three quatrains and a couplet, and the Italian (or Petrarchan) sonnet, comprised of an octave and a sestet. Both forms contain 14 lines and often features a volta, or a turn in thought.
Step-by-step explanation:
When discussing Examples of Lyric Poetry, the sonnet often comes to mind as a prominent form. There are two primary types of sonnets, both comprising 14 lines. The first type is the English (or Shakespearean) sonnets, traditionally consisting of three quatrains (stanzas of four lines) and a couplet (a two-line stanza), with a typical rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The second type is the Italian (or Petrarchan) sonnets, which are structured with two quatrains forming an octave (a stanza of eight lines) with the rhyme scheme ABBAABBA, followed by a six-line sestet, which can have varying rhyme schemes such as CDECDE or CDCDCD.
Notably, a sonnet contains a volta, or turn in thought, that is often marked by words like "but" or "yet." While classic sonnets were written in iambic pentameter, contemporary poets may deviate from traditional rhyme or meter, or may not use them at all. The Shakespearean sonnet concludes with a heroic couplet, often encapsulating the theme or giving a poignant end to the poem. An example from Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 says, "So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee."
In conclusion, whether it is an English sonnet with its quatrains and closing couplet, or an Italian sonnet with its octave and sestet, each form presents a unique template for poets to explore themes with precision and artistic flair.