Cinquain History
The cinquain form of poetry came about in 1916. The name comes from the French word "cinq," meaning "five," because this type of poem consists of a five-line stanza. Other characteristics include that it does not rhyme and has no more than 22 syllables, which are written in a 2-4-6-8-2 pattern. The form has evolved over time, and while it's primarily used in children's poetry, this simple, expressive form remains popular with many people.
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Origins
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This form of poetry originated with an American woman named Adelaide Crapsey, who was born in 1878. She was a teacher at Miss Lowe's Preparatory School for Girls in Stamford, Connecticut. In the later part of her life, she suffered from incurable tuberculosis, and during that time, she invented the cinquain form of poetry, which was heavily influenced by her love of haiku and tanka verse. She composed more than 30 poems.
First Book
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One year after Adelaide's death in 1914, a book of her poetry was published, simply titled "Verse." American poet Carl Sandburg was a fan and even wrote a poem in her honor entitled "Adelaide Crapsey," which read in part "I read your heart in a book." Sandburg's homage is believed to have played a major role in keeping this form of poetry alive.
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Different Forms
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Since its invention, there have been many different forms of the cinquain: the reverse, the mirror, the butterfly, the crown, the garland and the didactic cinquain, which is the most popular form. All the forms are related to the original but with certain variations, sometimes in stanzas, sometimes in the syllabic pattern. A cinquain also might be part of a larger poem or part of a series.
The Didactic Cinquain
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The didactic cinquain is very close to the original form except that the last line can have either two or three syllables. This form is popular in elementary schools and features prominently in such media as the Junie B. Jones book series. Also, "Arthur," a show on PBS Kids, has an online page called "Fern's Poetry Club," which explains the cinquain form and provides an example, written by the character Buster. In addition, PBS Kids also provides several lesson plans about cinquains for teachers.
Today
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This form of poetry often is used to teach grammar to children, grouping together different types of words, such as adjectives or nouns, in the poem. Children's poet Kristine 'O Connell George has written several books that feature cinquain poetry, including "Book!" and "Little Dog and Duncan."
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