Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Day 16 2025 ~ Let’s write a “Cinquain Poem” (style 1) for #NationalPoetryMonth ~ "30 poems in 30 days"

 Okay, today, let’s write one of my all-time favorite poetic forms: Cinquain. I have shared this form with a couple of variations every year that I have run this poetry challenge because I love it so much! 

Although I have enjoyed and dabbled in poetry (some rhyming and some not) all my life, it wasn’t until I attended a poetry workshop in the late 90s and was taught a few specific poetry forms, starting with cinquains, that I realized how fun following a specific poetic form (like those I have been sharing with all of you each day this month) can be. 

Here is the poem I created that night, which pretty much started me down my current poetry path: 


Comfort

Feeling secure

Where judgment has no place

Wrapped in the safety of your arms

Husband

                             © 1998 Stephanie Abney

 

That night, I was taught just one way of writing cinquains: using a specific number of syllables per line with exact requirements (subject, description, action, thoughts/feelings, and back to subject with a different word). I thought that was it, but I have since learned there are more ways to write a cinquain poem, and we may or may not get to the others this month. 

This is the most common format for Cinquain poetry. I call it “pattern 1.” Cinq is French for FIVE. The DICTIONARY says a “cinquain” is a short poem consisting of five, usually unrhymed lines containing, respectively, two, four, six, eight, and two syllables.

This short five-lined poem doesn’t have an actual title; rather, the FIRST line (two syllables in this case) becomes the title. 

It does not rhyme, and in this version, you count the number of SYLLABLES per line and each line has specific requirements. The first line has 2 syllables; each line increases by 2 syllables until the last line, which returns to 2 syllables.

RESIST  the urge to add words - follow the pattern - you'll be surprised at your results!! 

1st line ~ two syllables – the subject (or title) or your poem

2nd line ~ four syllables that describe the title/subject

3rd line ~ six syllables that express action

4th line ~ eight syllables that express a thought or feeling

5th line ~ two syllables that show a synonym for the title (restates your subject from the first line using a different word)


As always, I suggest you use the syllable counter (even if you think you are correct – sometimes it surprises you to see how many syllables are in a word)  


Here’s the poem I wrote today for our challenge:


Feeding

The hungry soul

Comfort foods surround me

But it's the wrong type of fuel to

Nourish

                             © 2025 Stephanie Abney



 






Here’s one more example of that form: 

 

Poems

Feelings expressed

From down deep in my heart

So you know who I am, I’ll sing

Word Songs

                             © 2011 Stephanie Abney











Sad woman ~ Image by Thể Phạm Khắc from Pixabay

Wooden heart also 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.

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