Day 28 ~ Cinquain Pattern 3 for #NationalPoetryMonth and "30 poems in 30 days"

OK, let’s revisit the Cinquain Poem – it always has FIVE LINES, but sometimes you count the syllables per line and sometimes you count the words per line, but this time, the version I call “Pattern 3,” you fill each line in ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTIONS BELOW!! J

This Cinquain Poem has a certain number of words for lines 1, 2, 3, and 5 but line 4 is any phrase (just a short sentence) you want to use so it sort of “pull it all together”

Here is the PATTERN:   

Line1: A noun

Line 2: Two adjectives

Line 3: Three -ing words

Line 4: A phrase

Line 5: Another word for the noun

Here are two examples of mine:

                                                                    

Dancer

Graceful, lyrical

Leaping, twirling, spinning

My beautiful granddaughter

Payton

                                                                                                                           © 2019 Stephanie Abney

Babies

Sweet, precious

Laughing, babbling, crying

If only they stayed little

Adorable

                                                                                                                                    © 2011 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 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.

Photo credit: sobima at Pixabay

Day 23 ~ Tetractys Poem for #NationalPoetryMonth and "30 poems in 30 days"

Today we will attempt writing Tetractys poems. I have not used this form yet for Poetry Month and I will be trying it out for the first time along with all of you.

This poetic form was created by Ray Stebbing and consists of 20 total syllables, with no need for rhyming (although you can rhyme if you wish) arranged in the following fashion:

NOTE: For the first one syllable line strive to use an interesting word; not just the article “A” or “The”

Line 1 ~ one syllable

Line 2 ~ two syllables

Line 3 ~ three syllables

Line 4 ~ four syllables

Line 5 ~ TEN syllables

So, that’s the basic outline, but things get more interesting than that! This could be a magical poem for you! The ancient Greek mathematician, Euclid of Alexandria, felt the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 were magical because they add up to TEN. And there are your first ten syllables. The last ten syllables all fall on the same line, 5.

And that can stand alone as a complete Tetractys poem.

However, there can also be Double and Triple Tetractys poems, etc. simply by reversing the process.

Here’s an example of the form for more than one verse:

X

X•X

X•X•X

X•X•X•X

X•X•X•X•X•X•X•X•X•X

X•X•X•X•X•X•X•X•X•X

X•X•X•X

X•X•X

X•X

X

            (and if you want a third verse, flip it again)

X

X•X

X•X•X

X•X•X•X

X•X•X•X•X•X•X•X•X•X

             (You can make as many verses are you wish as long as each subsequent verse     

            is reversed from the previous one in terms of the syllable count).

Here is my example:   

Love

As true

And sweet as

Ours can only

Grow with forgiveness, humor, and patience

Over the years we have experienced

Loss of our son

Happiness

Sadness

Love 

                       © 2019 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 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 and the creative work of others.

Photo: courtesy of Stephanie Abney

Day 18 ~ National Poem in Your Pocket Day for #NationalPoetryMonth and "30 poems in 30 days"

~ Poem in You Pocket Day ~

"Poem in Your Pocket Day 2019" is on April 18 and is part of National Poetry Month. On this day, select a poem, carry it with you, and share it with others at schools, bookstores, libraries, parks, workplaces, street corners, and on social media using the hashtag #pocketpoem. 

"Poem in Your Pocket Day" was initiated in April 2002 by the Office of the Mayor in New York City, in partnership with the city’s Departments of Cultural Affairs and Education. In 2008, the Academy of American Poets took the initiative to all fifty United States, encouraging individuals around the country to participate. In 2016, the League of Canadian Poets extended Poem in Your Pocket Day to Canada.

Above clipped directly from: poets.org

You can find it here and even find a 62 page downloadable PDF of a free guide for celebrating "Poem in Your Pocket Day" in your school, community, or business. It has pages and pages of suggested poems to use.

OR, I like the idea of carrying around one of your own poems and sharing it with others today. 

So, there really isn't a poetry form to follow today! Just enjoy poetry in any way you wish and if writing more poetry is one of the ways you want to celebrate it, then please do so - any poetic form we have gone over or any you wish to look up or better yet, here's a day to write some free verse poetry. It's all up to you. Cheers!!

Photo credit: "congerdesign" at Pixabay

Day 15 ~ Tyburn Poem for #NationalPoetryMonth and "30 poems in 30 days"

OK, hold onto your hats!! Woozier! This is beyond tricky, but I think y’all can have lots of fun with it. I had not tried this before writing this post and so I’ve never shared it as part of poetry month. (OH, and if this discourages you – that is NOT my desire – just write any poem you choose and COME BACK TOMORROW and see if you like it better). I do hope a bunch of you will try this one though. It really stretches your skills as poets and writers (and thinkers). So . . .

Tyburn poems are deceiving in that to look at a completed poem, it appears simple enough. Yeah, right! But it was a good exercise. I’ve tried to explain it step by step and even created a little chart to help you out. Plus there are a couple of websites that help with description and rhyming that I think you will find useful.

Here we go:

We are back to counting syllables and lines. This is a SIX-LINE poem and the first 4 lines are EACH a SINGLE DESCRIPTIVE WORD with TWO SYLLABLES, that all RHYME and make sense together. Phew!! We’re not done . . .

The last two lines (5 & 6) are EACH NINE SYLLABLES LONG, and Line 5 incorporates the first two of the words of the poem while Line 6 incorporates the next two of the words of the poem IN A SPECIFIC PLACE.

Line 5 will have 4 syllables (any word count, just FOUR syllables) and then the repeated words from lines 1 and 2 and then Line 6 has 4 syllables (any word count, just FOUR syllables) and then the repeated words from lines 3 and 4 . . . AND then each line ENDS with just ONE word – with only ONE syllable and they have to rhyme with each other (but do not need to rhyme with lines 1-4).

So, if you choose a word that ends in “y” to start off your poem – they will all probably need to end in “y” and if you choose an “ing” ending word, then they will all need to end with “ing” (that’s just for lines 1-4). Better look at the examples AND the chart!
I know you can do it!! Cheers!!

Here is an example I found on the web – it’s rather lite-hearted and cute:

PEANUT BUTTER

Nutty,

Sticky,

Crunchy,

Tasty,

Peanut butter, nutty, sticky spread

With jellied bread, crunchy, tasty fed

                                                                           Copyright © 2016 Charles Sides   

Handy little site to find some “Describing Words” https://describingwords.io/ ~ just plug the word you want to describe and then click the search button.

This site not only helps you find rhyming words, but it separates them into 1 syllable words, 2 syllable words, etc. https://www.rhymer.com/ - RHYMER

Okay, here is my first one:

Poetry

Lyric

Cryptic

Magic

Epic

Poetry month, lyric, cryptic, jots

Share emotions, magic, epic thoughts

                                  © 2019 Stephanie Abney

Below the chart I show, step-by-step, my thought process in writing one of my examples:

Hope this little chart that I created proves helpful ~

# of syllables per line	Rhyming pattern	Meter & where to repeat words	Hints of what should be used per line
2	A	aa	One word adjective with 2 syllables
2	A	bb	Different one word adjective with 2 syllables
2	A	cc	Different one word adjective with 2 syllables
2	A	dd	Different one word adjective with 2 syllables
9	B	xxxxaabbB	Any four syllables then aa, bb, single syllable word
9	B	xxxxccddB	Any four syllables then cc, dd, single syllable word

       Tyburn Poetic Form Chart © 2019 Stephanie Abney

Here is my second one:

Satan

Cunning

Lying

Cheating

Tempting

Heartless trickster, cunning, lying, doled

Flattering lies, cheating, sneaking, cold

                                    © 2019 Stephanie Abney

How I tried to figure it out: So, first I made a list of some adjectives (“ing” words) – more than I needed and then another list that could be used in lines 5 & 6 – then I started playing around with it, crossed off the words I didn’t want to use, which left me with 4 descriptive words and then I created lines 5 & 6, incorporating the words from lines 1 & 2 and lines 3 & 4, respectively:

Satan

Cunning

Charming

Lying

Raging

Cheating

Sneaking

Tempting

Words to possibly use in lines 5 & 6: Crafty, jealous, avenging, heartless, destructive, destroy, destroying, bitter, conniving, flatter, flattery, cowardly, trickster, tricking, tricky, malicious, deceitful, cold, sneaky, creepy, creep, reap, reaper, damned, persistent, tenacious, dangerous, rob, steal, louse, angry, anger

And I posted the finished product from this effort just under the chart.

READY? Go try this one out!! Cheers!!

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 and the creative work of others.

Image credit: Clker-Free-Vector-Images at Pixabay (Satan)

Photo credit: Cromaconceptovisual at Pixabay (poetry book)

Day 14 ~ Couplet Poem for #NationalPoetryMonth and "30 poems in 30 days"

Okay, here is another basic poetry form – every poet should know how to write a couplet. It is the basis of other poems and it’s only TWO lines of poetry. How easy is that?

Although I’ve seen some that are totally random, the dictionary definition of a “couplet” suggests that they usually consist of two lines that rhyme and have the same meter (although in the spirit of “full disclosure,” they do not need to have the same meter). Gasp! In fact, if you opt for what is called an “unrhymed couplet” they don’t even have to have ending rhyming words. So, there is a little wiggle room when it comes to couplets.

Try expressing your complete thought in two mid-sized poetic lines. The last words traditionally rhyme. It can be spiritual or silly or romantic or whatever suits your fancy – couplets are great to write for children or with children.

It is possible to string a bunch of couplets together to create a longer poem, but for today – just try creating one or more individual 2-line couplets, unless you are bound and determined to make a longer poem. 

Just a few more explanations when it comes to couplets: when a couplet can stand alone from the rest of the poem, it is considered independent, and it is called a “closed couplet.” Conversely, a couplet that cannot stand alone without the rest of the poem is an “open couplet.”

There actually are quite a variety of couplets – if you feel so inclined to research them – here are a few: Heroic Couplet, Unrhymed Couplet, Blank Verse Couplet, Short Couplet, Split Couplet, Qasida, Alexandrine Couplet, Shakespearean Couplet, and Chinese Couplet. No doubt there are more, but that’s a start.

OK, for examples here are a couple of couplets (hee hee) that I wrote quite a few years ago. For what they are worth (one is simple; the other is silly):

~~ I was thinking about the Lord's tender mercies and came up with this:

I know the Lord is mindful of me,

And it makes me happy as can be.

                             © 2011 by Stephanie Abney

~~ then, in a moment of frustration, I thought a little on "getting one's nose out of joint" and came up with this:

Writing this little assignment
Puts my nose out of alignment.

                               © 2011 by Stephanie Abney

Did you think of a couplet? Just look around and think on an object or an emotion and give it a shot!!

 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 and the creative work of others.

  

Day 9 Rictameter Poem for #NationalPoetryMonth and "30 poems in 30 days"

Welcome to Day 9 of our “30 Poems in 30 Days” challenge. Today we are going to write a poem that has nine lines. It’s called a “Rictameter Poem.” I’ve used it a number of times over the years for this challenge, but it’s a unique poetry form and if you center it on your page, it looks really cool as each line increases in syllable count until it reaches the middle and then begins to decrease until the end. (Or it can all be aligned on the left).

Rictameter Poem ~ this poem focuses on the number of syllables per line. It doesn't matter if they rhyme of not. 

Here is the pattern for a RICTAMETER POEM ~ be sure to use the same word(s) for the first and last line!!

A rictameter is a nine line poetry form. The 1st and last lines are the same, syllable count as follows:

       ~ line 1 - 2 syllables - same word(s) as line 9

       ~ line 2 - 4 syllables

       ~ line 3 - 6 syllables

       ~ line 4 - 8 syllables

       ~ line 5 - 10 syllables

       ~ line 6 - 8 syllables

       ~ line 7 - 6 syllables

       ~ line 8 - 4 syllables

       ~ line 9 - 2 syllables - same word(s) as line 1  

EXAMPLES:

Marriage

Eternal love

In spite of the hard times

We have so much fun together

Until the years have refined us in ways

We never would have expected

The best is yet to come

Our kids have kids

Marriage

                                               

                                      © 2019 Stephanie Abney

Baby

Sent from heaven

Our prayers have been answered

Sweet to smell and soft to cuddle

Eyes sparkling, dimpled grin, little chin

Angelic face and tiny toes

Oh how we all love you

Bundle of joy

Baby 

  

                                                                         © 2018 Peggy Barker

China

My first time here

I came to teach English

You students were eager to learn

Our team taught you many wonderful things

And you taught us things in return

I hope I can come back

To my new love

China

                                  © 2016 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 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.

Image 1 - Pixabay

Photo 2 - Nico Grütter at Pixabay

Photo 3 - courtesy of Stephanie Abney