How to Write a Cinquain Poem
A cinquain is a simple five-line poem made up of 22 total syllables. Each line follows a distinct pattern. It can be composed of just five lines or made up of a series of five-line stanzas, which are like paragraphs. Cinquain poems don’t need to rhyme. This style of poetry is often written to describe a person, but could be a good form for writing about a pet, anything in nature, or even favorite objects. In school or social events, cinquain poems are an ideal getting-to-know-you activity or a creative way to present research about a famous person.
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Instructions
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Think of a person (or interview someone new) for the initial cinquain. Once you are familiar with the format, you could try writing one about a pet or item in nature.
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Record the following categories of information about your chosen person: Name, nickname, adjectives to describe him or her, activities he or she enjoys, interests/hobbies and extra interesting facts about the person.
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Begin composing the cinquain poem line-by-line, starting with line one, which is made up of simply two syllables, generally the name of your person. This line also acts as the title and subject of your poem.
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Write four syllables to describe your subject, for the second line. These are adjectives and could be one word with four total syllables, two words each of two syllables or even four one-syllable words.
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Write six syllables showing action about your subject for line three. These are words ending in “ing.” Again, don’t be concerned with the number of words, but focus on the total number of syllables.
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Write eight syllables (probably forming a phrase) to express feelings or observations about the title for line four.
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For line five, write two syllables to describe in another way or rename your subject in line one. This might be thought of as a nickname or role and should be interchangeable with line one.
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Read this example of a how a cinquain poem could look in its basic form and how the written lines follow the above steps:HannahBubbly, joyfulDancing, smiling, singingShares love with allMy girl
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Tips & Warnings
Consider including a picture of your subject and use it in your published cinquain poem, possibly even enlarged to use as a background graphic with the words over the image. This makes a tender gift for a grandparent, child, mother or father.
Children as young as first grade could compose a cinquain poem with assistance.
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Comments
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for my english assignment.
