In fourth grade this past year, my boys learned about cinquain poetry. I hadn’t played with this format in years, so I put it in my “ideas” file to tackle in an upcoming Poetry Friday post. The cinquain is a fun, succinct format that is perfect for kid and adult poets alike, and I am excited to explore it more today—I do love short and sweet poetry, after all!
Basically, a cinquain poem is a five-line poem that spotlights a person, place, or thing. Each line has a prescribed formula and minimal words, which can be helpful for young poets who crave structure in their writing. (As a kid, I loved using outlines for papers and stories, and the whole 5-paragraph essay formula was definitely my friend! I still outline today when writing longer works, but that is a whole other topic that I will post about one day soon...)
The cinquain format also naturally encourages kids to chose their words very carefully, and to *think* of words that really encapsulate their chosen topic. There are several variations of cinquain poetry, but for the purposes of this post I am focusing on the format most commonly found in the elementary curriculum. Here is an example that I came up with, followed by the “recipe” for a cinquain:
summer
hot, sunny
laughing, playing,
relaxing
campfires and
starry nights
holiday
Line
#1:
a noun/one-word subject
Line #2: two adjectives that describe your subject
Line #3: three verbs that end in –ing related to your subject
Line #4: a phrase about your subject
Line #5: another noun that is a synonym for your subject
Here is another fun cinquain (yes, I am
aware that I sound like an eight-year-old girl here…☺):Line #2: two adjectives that describe your subject
Line #3: three verbs that end in –ing related to your subject
Line #4: a phrase about your subject
Line #5: another noun that is a synonym for your subject
puppy
playful, sweet
loving, cuddling, romping
my best writing buddy
Have fun trying out this fun format, and
Happy Writing!
Hi Becky, Nice to read your cinquain here. I love the cinquain too, although I've never written one in this format. I write mine
ReplyDelete2 4 6 8 2. It's interesting to see this style of cinquain! :)
I will have to do a "Cinquain Part 2" post sometime! The 2 4 6 8 2 format is the earliest cinquain format--I think the poet's name who developed it was Adelaide Crapsey. It is so interesting to me how poetic forms evolve!
DeleteFriday
ReplyDeleteLong-awaited, cherished
Sighing, somersaulting, shouting
Relaxation and rest
Weekend
I LOVE this, Helen! Thanks so much for sharing your cinquain!!
DeleteI was already super tired before seeing the pic of Gracie- but her super comfy pose has really got me yawning now! =)
ReplyDeleteShe's a good nap buddy, too! = )
DeleteGreat explanation of cinquain! Short and sweet is my motto, too. Like BJ, I'd seen it by syllable, but my daughter learned it in the format you explained. Interesting. =)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bridget!
DeleteI agree, it's a great form for kids! My daughter enjoyed writing cinquains in 5th grade. Here's one of hers:
ReplyDeletePoem
Easy, fun
Expressing, writing, thinking
I love writing poems.
Story
Thank you so much for sharing your daughter's cinquain, Michelle! It is wonderful! = )
DeleteI happen to be in Colorado. This was fun.
ReplyDeleteGold
yellow, soft
fooling, shimmering,rushing
made miners crazy
nugget