Although this book is currently in early release, it has already received a 5-star rating from Substack’s Indie Lit Lounge – and rave reviews from their editorial team.
The collection is available as a digital download right now. The paperback edition will be coming soon, but the download version (PDF & EPUB) allows you to dive in and discover the marvels of the new book right now.
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Here is the selection from the new book
mentioned in the review below:
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5-Star Review from Indie Lit Lounge!
There are books that arrive at precisely the moment you need them. Nicholas Korn's The Wild Sonnets: Volume VIII (701-800) is one of those rare gifts—a collection that feels both timeless and urgent.
A Fresh Take on Sonnets
Nicholas Korn’s sonnets are original and reminiscent of Shakespeare and Petrarch, with two 7-line stanzas capped with rhyming couplets. They are lyrical and wonderful to read aloud. They are intended to feel like a soliloquy. Almost conversational, they serve as a response to something thought or said off the page.
These sonnets are lovely meditations on life, creativity, identity, and our place in the natural world. Each sonnet plays off of the previous and the next in an enchanting way, but at the same time, each should be savored as a standalone piece of art.
Finding Beauty in Familiar Voices
The Wild Sonnets will appeal to lovers of Emily Dickinson and Mary Oliver. Though Korn himself evokes Shakespeare and Petrarch in interviews and descriptions, I was overwhelmingly (pleasantly so) reminded of some of my favorite Emily poems in my reading. Korn’s sonnets brought me back to a picturesque and idyllic day in my junior year of college, sitting on a blanket with my class in a lovely field outside of my favorite professor’s house, reading Emily Dickinson’s poetry aloud. She too played with style and form. She too marveled at the natural world and remarked on darkness versus light, the ways we grow and change, the ways we love.
Sonnet 712 in particular has stayed with me as I navigate a transitional period in my life. It is hopeful, resonant, joyful, imploring readers to be a light for themselves and others, and stating that there is bravery in choosing to be that light. I love these lines:
Since I know how briefly it is
I’ll be allowed to burn, let me be kindling
And candle both—be wick and wood and wax—
Be bravely what directs and not brightly what distracts.
A Respite and a Reminder
Those who enjoy the beauty this world has to offer, or might need to be reminded of it, will find comfort in Korn’s poetry. Much the same way that Mary Oliver’s poetry kindles warmth and light in the reader, Korn’s Wild Sonnets are a respite during dark times and a cozy blanket in the light. So go treat yourself to the warm hug that is Nicholas Korn’s Wild Sonnets and remember: be bravely what directs and not brightly what distracts.
– Review by Marie Hendry for Indie Lit Lounge
Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)
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From The New Book Spotlight on Indie Lit Lounge!
If you appreciate poetry that honors tradition while forging its own path, The Wild Sonnets: Volume VIII offers a masterful blend of classical form and contemporary voice. Korn’s sonnets feel intimate and conversational, like overhearing someone’s private thoughts—yet they’re crafted with the precision and musicality that only years of dedication can achieve.
This is poetry that invites you to slow down, listen closely, and discover something new with each reading. Whether you’re a longtime lover of sonnets or new to the form, these poems offer both accessibility and depth, making them perfect for reflection or meaningful discussion.
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A Wonderful Review from a Substack Reader/Writer
Nicholas Korn’s Wild Sonnets: Volume VIII is a graceful continuation of a singular poetic endeavour. His reimagined sonnet form of two seven-line stanzas with rhyming closures, offers a rhythm that feels both classical and quietly subversive. Each piece reads like a soliloquy, intimate and reflective, as though we’re overhearing thought in motion.
There’s a rare balance here: tradition honoured, yet never imitated; emotion distilled, yet never overwrought. For readers who value poetry that speaks with clarity, musicality and depth, this volume is a rewarding companion.
– Adrião Pereira da Cunha | via Substack
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Video Poetry Reading: Wild Sonnet #759
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Wild Sonnet #759 is not only one of my favorite poems in the new book, but it was also inspired by a clue on Jeopardy! I don't usually take my cues from game shows, but this bit of trivia was too poetic to resist. I share the details in the video.
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