三、诗的体式
有的诗分成几节（stanza），每节由若干诗行组成（每行诗均以大写字母开头）；有的诗则不分节。目前我们常见的诗体有：

1．十四行诗 (Sonnet)，源于中世纪民间抒情短诗，十三、十四世纪流行于意大利，意大利彼特拉克（Petrarch）为代表人物，每行十一个音节，全诗一节八行，加一节六行，韵脚用abba, abba, cdcdcd (cdecde)。前八行提问，后六行回答。
后来，怀亚特（Thomas Wyatt,1503-1542）将十四行诗引人英国，五音步抑扬格，全诗三个四行一个二行,前三节提问，后二句结论。
斯宾塞（Edmund Spenser,1552-1599）用韵脚 abab, bcbc,cdcd,ee。莎士比亚（William Shakespeare,1564-1616）用韵脚abab,cdcd,dfdf,gg，称英国式或莎士比亚式。
Sonnet 60
Like as the waves make towards the pibbled shore,
So do our minutes hasten to their end;
Each changing place with that which goes before,
In sequent toil all forwards do contend,
Nativity, once in the main of light,
Crawls to maturity, wherewith being crowned,
Crooked eclipses against his glory fight,
And time that gave doth now his gift confound.
Time doth transfix the flourish set on youth
And delves the parallels in beauty's brow,
Feeds on the rarities but for his scythe to move.
And nothing stands but for his scythe to move.
And yet to times in hope my verse shall stand,
Praising thy worth, despite his cruel hand.
Notes:
1. pibbled : pebbled 铺着卵石的
2.In sequent toil all forwards do contend: Toiling and following each othe, the waves struggle to press forward. 波浪前推后涌，一个个在奋勇争先。此处是比喻，指时光不停息地流逝。
3.in the main of light: 光明的金海
4.crawls: 爬行
5.crooked eclipses: 凶恶的日蚀
6.transfix the flourish set on youth: remove the embellishment on the face of the youth.戳破了青春面颊上的光华（指时间）。
7. delves the paralles: dig the paralledl furrows (wrinkles):挖下沉陷的战壕（比喻用法，即时间在人的交前额上流下深深的皱纹）
8.scythe to mow: 镰刀的收割（比喻用法，意指光阴的无情流逝)
9. times in hope: future times 未来，将来，