Day 19 2024 ~ How to write a “Pensee Poem” for #NationalPoetryMonth ~ "30 poems in 30 days"

Here’s a poetry form that I really enjoy. I basically use it every year. I had so much fun with this Pensee poems when I taught school. It’s amazing what the students come up with. Let’s see what y’all can do with it. You need to follow the directions exactly – more counting of syllables but no rhyming required. I even created a little fill in the blank chart to help you out! Cheers!!

How to write a “Pensee Poem” ~ “pensee” is a French word that means “a reflection or thought.” 

It is a five-line, structured poem that does not rhyme.

Each line has a specific number of syllables and addresses a specific part of the poem ~ see box below.

The thing to watch out for is to follow the pattern, including WHAT should be expressed on each line, using a SPECIFIC number of syllables ~ and remember – THIS poem does not rhyme.                              

Line	Pattern	Example
Line 1	Subject (2 syllables)	Freedom
Line 2	Description (4 syllables)	Our liberties
Line 3	Action (7 syllables)	Granted unto us by God
Line 4	Setting (8 syllables)	Outlined in our Constitution
Line 5	Final thought (6 syllables)	Thank you Founding Fathers

 

This is how the above example looks as a poem:

Freedom
Our liberties
Granted unto us by God
Outlined in our Constitution
Thank-you Founding Fathers   

         © 2014 Stephanie Abney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s one I did today ~

 

Finish

To just be done

Even though I try and try

I live in constant frustration

I am better than this.

 

      © 2024 Stephanie Abney

 

And here are a couple more examples from previous years:

 

 Grandkids

So full of love

Throwing their arms around me

As we snuggle on Grandma’s couch

I lead such a charmed life

                               © 2018 Stephanie Abney

 

 

 

Ice cream

Cold, smooth and sweet

Makes its way to my tummy

At the end of a trying day

For now, all is just fine.

            © 2016 Stephanie Abney

 

So, these are a few of my examples, but you get the idea. So, go ahead and try several ~ perhaps one about an emotion, an animal, one of your favorite foods, or a time of year (holiday/season), an event, or something in nature. What comes to mind?

 

(photos from Pixabay)

PLEASE REMEMBER ~ any poetry found on this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not be used without my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson or to read it to someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the comments of this blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They are the creative property of the person who writes them. These poems are their original work and no one may use them without their permission. It is understood that they own the copyright to them as soon as they create them and especially once they post them. Thanks so much!

*** Also, if you choose to post your poems on your own blog or elsewhere on social media ~ that’s awesome. But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather post your poem on your blog or your FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO EACH DAY’S SPECIFIC BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve spent considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to share with you. Thanks for respecting my work.

Day 18 2024 ~ How to write a “Rhyme Royal Poem” for #NationalPoetryMonth ~ "30 poems in 30 days"

Y’all are doing great so far!! Today we will explore 7-lined poems called “septets.” A septet can be a poem of any form or meter as long as it has seven lines. But before you rush off to do that – let’s explore a SPECIFIC type of septet: a RHYME ROYAL. This is actually the most common form of septet poetry and the only 7-lined poem to have its own special name.

A Rhyme Royal was popularized by Geoffrey Chaucer and it began to be called “royal” because James I of Scotland used it for his own verses.

It has VERY SPECIFIC guidelines, which are:

SEVEN LINES, each having EXACTLY TEN SYLLABLES in them.

There is also a SPECIFIC rhyming PATTERN: a·b·a·b·b·c·c

An example can be found in William Wordsworth poem, “Resolution and Independence”

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45545/resolution-and-independence

So your topic can be anything as long as the poem is 7 lines long and each line has 10 syllables in it and the ending rhymes follow the pattern a·b·a·b·b·c·c

And it that makes you crazy, just write any ol’ septet, which is a seven-lined poem of any form you choose, including free verse.

Here is one of my examples of a “Rhyme Royal”:

Being with my family is the best.

Laughing, crying, and playing together.

We have such fun when we are on a quest.

Loving and supporting one another.

Father and mother, sister and brother.

Families can be eternally bound.

This is the way true happiness is found.

                        © 2019 Stephanie Abney

 

And here I have broken it down by lines and ending rhymes:

 

1. Being with my family is the best. A

2. Laughing, crying, and playing together. B

3. We have such fun when we are on a quest. A

4. Loving and supporting one another. B

5. Father and mother, sister and brother. B

6. Families can be eternally bound. C

7. This is the way true happiness is found. C

Okay, YOUR TURN!! Cheers!!

 

(Photo by kai kalhh from Pixabay)

PLEASE REMEMBER ~ any poetry found on this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not be used without my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson or to read it to someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the comments of this blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They are the creative property of the person who writes them. These poems are their original work and no one may use them without their permission. It is understood that they own the copyright to them as soon as they create them and especially once they post them. Thanks so much!

*** Also, if you choose to post your poems on your own blog or elsewhere on social media ~ that’s awesome. But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather post your poem on your blog or your FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO EACH DAY’S SPECIFIC BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve spent considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to share with you. Thanks for respecting my work.

Day 17, 2024 ~ How to write a “Spring Senses Poem” for #NationalPoetryMonth ~ "30 poems in 30 days"

Here’s a fun little poem that involves the five senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. How do YOU envision Spring? You can fill in the blank with a single word or two or you can write full-on sentences. It's basically free verse as there are no required rhyming patterns, unless, of course, YOU want to make it rhyme, which is perfectly fine.

Here is the pattern:

Spring Senses Poem
Spring looks like________________
Spring sounds like_______________
Spring feels like_________________
Spring smells like________________
Spring tastes like________________

Here's one example of mine:

Spring Senses Poem
Spring looks like sunshine.                         
Spring sounds like birds singing.      
Spring feels like a cool breeze.
Spring smells like mint leaves.
Spring tastes like strawberries.

                   © Stephanie Abney 2016

There is another way to approach a "Spring Senses Poem." You can start each line of the poem with the function of that sense, like this:

Spring Senses Poem
I see_____________________
I hear____________________
I feel_____________________
I smell___________________
I taste____________________

Also, feel free to create this poem with the various five senses in whichever order suits you.

So, here's my example of this style using I in front of each of the five senses.

Spring Senses Poem
I see a mother hen gather her chicks.
I hear the song of a meadowlark.
I feel the warmth of the sun on my face.
I smell the fragrant dogwood blossoms.
I taste fresh cherry pie.

                © Stephanie Abney 2016


YOUR TURN!!! 

PLEASE REMEMBER ~ any poetry found on this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not be used without my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson or to read it to someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the comments of this blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They are the creative property of the person who writes them. These poems are their original work and no one may use them without their permission. It is understood that they own the copyright to them as soon as they create them and especially once they post them. Thanks so much!

*** Also, if you choose to post your poems on your own blog or elsewhere on social media ~ that’s awesome. But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather post your poem on your blog or your FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO EACH DAY’S SPECIFIC BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve spent considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to share with you. Thanks for respecting my work.

Day 16 2024 ~ How to write a “Diamante Poem” for #NationalPoetryMonth ~ "30 poems in 30 days

 

Apparently, we have never done a Diamante Poem in all the years I have been doing this challenge. I did it with my students when I was teaching so I just assumed we had done it here, but I double checked with a search on my blog, and nope, we have never done this format. So . . .

Hold on to your hats!! This one will really tickle the ol’ brain cells! It’s fun and it’s tricky. Here’s what you need to know:

A diamante poem is a 7-lined diamond-shaped poem that generally illustrates growth or change from one extreme to another. It follows a specific formula. Basically, it starts with a single word and ends with its opposite. And it’s surprisingly more challenging than it appears.

Line 1: One noun (or topic)
Line 2: Two adjectives about the noun in Line 1
Line 3: Three gerunds (-ing verbs) that relate to the noun in Line 1
Line 4: Four nouns ~ (This is the transition point where the poem changes from one of the opposites to the other.)

(the first two nouns relate to the noun in Line 1,

the last two nouns relate to the noun in Line 7)

Line 5: Three gerunds (-ing verbs) that relate to the noun in Line 7
Line 6: Two adjectives that describe the noun in Line 7
Line 7: One noun that is the opposite of the noun used in Line 1     

Example:

Girls

Curious, creative

Sharing, learning, exploring

Sugar, spice, snips, snails

Climbing, daring, hollerin’

Active, mischievous

Boys

(Author Unknown)

 

Here’s more of a visual:

Noun
Adjective, Adjective
ing-Verb, ing-Verb, ing-Verb
Noun, Noun, Noun, Noun
ing-Verb, ing-Verb, ing-Verb
Adjective, Adjective
Noun

  

 

City
busy crowded
bustling rushing honking
offices building farmland tractors
grazing growing harvesting
spacious green
Country

© Denise Rogers ClassroomPoems.com

 Photo by John Cameron on Unsplash

 

 

                                                             Photo by Match Sùmàyà on Unsplash

 

 

Sad

Distraught, hopeless

Crying, hurting, sighing

Despair, discouragement, comfort, joy

Loving, caring, sharing

Blissful, delightful

Happy

 © Stephanie Abney 2024

 

For more ideas, check out Kenn Nesbitt’s Poetry4Kids website – you can peruse his site for hours. Great stuff, especially when working with children, but adults can learn a bunch there as well ~

Give it a shot ~ whatcha’ got?

 

PLEASE REMEMBER ~ any poetry found on this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not be used without my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson or to read it to someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the comments of this blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They are the creative property of the person who writes them. These poems are their original work and no one may use them without their permission. It is understood that they own the copyright to them as soon as they create them and especially once they post them. Thanks so much!

*** Also, if you choose to post your poems on your own blog or elsewhere on social media ~ that’s awesome. But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather post your poem on your blog or your FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO EACH DAY’S SPECIFIC BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve spent considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to share with you. Thanks for respecting my work.

Day 15 2024 ~ How to write a “Quinzaine Poem” for #NationalPoetryMonth ~ "30 poems in 30 days

For Day 15, let's write an interesting little poem with exactly 15 syllables!!

This one is short and sweet BUT there are VERY specific guidelines to it so pay careful attention to your intent on lines 2-3 (You are basically asking a question – relating you your statement on line 1 - on those two lines).

So here are the details:

A quinzaine is an unrhymed three-line poem that contains 15 syllables, with a SPECIFIC number for each of the 3 lines. AND there is a format in that the FIRST line MAKES a STATEMENT. You will use the next two lines to ASK a QUESTION about that statement.

The pattern is:

The first line has 7 syllables [make a statement]

The second line has 5 syllables [start your question about your statement]

The third line has 3 syllables [finish your question about your statement]

 

Remember, the first line makes a statement and the next two lines ask a question about the subject.

 

Here's a few of mine:

 

Jesus said, “Come, follow me.”

Do we have the faith

to do so?

      © 2024 Stephanie Abney

 

 

We're on earth to serve others.

Why is finding time

hard to do?

      © 2011 Stephanie Abney

 

God sees us as we can be.

Can’t we see others

that way too?

       © 2011 Stephanie Abney

 

                 YOUR TURN!!

 

Digital painting of the Savior created by Chas Hathaway

PLEASE REMEMBER ~ any poetry found on this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not be used without my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson or to read it to someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the comments of this blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They are the creative property of the person who writes them. These poems are their original work and no one may use them without their permission. It is understood that they own the copyright to them as soon as they post them. Thanks so much!

Also, if you choose to post your poems on your own blog ~ that’s awesome. But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather post your poem on your blog or your FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO THIS BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve spent considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to share with you. Thanks for respecting my work.

Day 14 2024 ~ How to write a “Brevette Poem” for #NationalPoetryMonth ~ "30 poems in 30 days

OK!! We are almost half way through the month!! Unbelievable! Today we are going to write a rather short, BUT very specific style of poetry. It’s called a Brevette ~ and it is ONLY THREE WORDS LONG – but you need to be precise in order to qualify as a Brevette.

This LOOKS simple – THREE WORDS? Yeah, but it can be tricky ~ check it out!! The Brevette has NO title. It’s a bit of a grammar-style poem in that the first word is the SUBJECT (noun) and the second word is a VERB while the last word it the OBJECT (noun)

ONLY THREE WORDS? Yikes!!

It is SUPER IMPORTANT that the SECOND word HAS A SPACE BETWEEN EACH LETTER – like t h i s

There are a FEW particulars to this poetry form created by Emily Romano. Here’s a little grammar for you – I know you love it – this poem consists of TWO NOUNS & a VERB:

LINE 1: a subject (noun)

LINE 2: a verb (the verb has a space between each letter:  v e r b)

LINE 3: an object (noun)

They need to STAY in that exact order and yeah, be sure to remember!! In order for the verb (2^nd word) to show an ongoing action, it is spaced out, l e t t e r  by  l e t t er.

There is NO title. There is NO punctuation. AND all words are lower case ~

Your formatting program is going to mess with you – you will probably need to go back and change the first letter on each line to a lower case letter. There are NO capital letters in a Brevette Poem

THREE WORDS – don’t be adding “helping verbs” or “articles” – that’s cheating. Coming up with a subject and an object for the nouns is surprisingly difficult. Seriously, this is trickier than it seems. So, here are a couple of examples, some better than others:

 

Example #1: (written by the poetry form’s creator)

rainbow

r a d i a t e s

spectrum

      © 2007 Emily Romano

 

Example #2:

stars

l i g h t

skies

© 2024 Stephanie Abney

 

 

Example #3:

patience

u n t a n g l e s

knots

© 2018 Stephanie Abney

 

 

Example #4:

dreams

c o m e

true  

© 2018 Stephanie Abney

 

 

Example #5:

eyes

l e a k

tears

          © 2017 Stephanie Abney

 

PLEASE REMEMBER ~ any poetry found on this blog, written by me, is my personal property and may not be used without my permission, other than sharing it as an example in a lesson or to read it to someone. The same goes for any poems that are shared in the comments of this blog or elsewhere online as a result of this challenge. They are the creative property of the person who writes them. These poems are their original work and no one may use them without their permission. It is understood that they own the copyright to them as soon as they create them and especially once they post them. Thanks so much!

*** Also, if you choose to post your poems on your own blog or elsewhere on social media ~ that’s awesome. But PLEASE don’t just copy and paste my daily instructions, but rather post your poem on your blog or your FB wall or wherever AND LINK BACK TO EACH DAY’S SPECIFIC BLOG POST for others to come here to read the instructions. I’ve spent considerable time researching the poetry forms and writing them up to share with you. Thanks for respecting my work.