How to Write a Diamond Poem
A “diamond poem” is not only shaped like a diamond but it’s also like a diamond in the rough. It can give the writer a sense of completion in itself, or it can provide the groundwork for a more developed piece of poetry because so many of images will have been suggested by the word choice in the poem.
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Instructions
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Begin by choosing two nouns which are opposites. Here are some possibilities: city/country, rain/sunshine, joy/sorrow, stranger/friend, male/female, writer/reader, music/noise, wealth/poverty, or dog/cat.Write the two nouns you have chosen on the first and seventh lines of your paper. Spend some time thinking about what kind of an image you hope to project for each of these words. For our example, we’ll use “city” and “country.” Center these words.
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Next, you’ll write two adjectives each on lines two and six. For example, on line two you might write “noisy” and “busy” (describing city) and on line six you might write “quiet” and “peaceful” (describing country). Center these words.
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Next, you’ll write three gerunds (grammar reminder: a gerund is a verb with an “ing” ending) on the third and fifth lines. For example, for city you might write “rushing,” honking,” and “flashing.” For country you might write “nurturing,” “reflecting,” and “growing.” Center these words.
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Finally, on the fourth line you’ll write two short phrases with a dash between them. The first phrase will describe city (perhaps “trash littered”); the second phrase will describe (perhaps flower strewn). Center this line. You will notice that your poem has taken on the shape of a diamond.
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Tips & Warnings
These poems lend themselves well to illustration. Cut and paste onto diamond-shaped construction paper.
