Crafting Poetry One Syllable at a Time
March is the first month to feature five Tuesdays. So, this is our first chance to work with a specific syllabic poetry form. Please only write your poetry in the specific form for this week. Thanks.
The Cinquain & It’s Variations, (excluding the Tanka)
Here’s a quick review of the Cinquain forms:
CINQUAIN: A cinquain is a form of shape poetry and is always centered on the page. The required syllables needed for each line give it a unique shape. The cinquain (aka the quintain or the quintet) is a poem or stanza of five lines.
ALSO: Check out the Cinquain variations listed here: Cinquain-Wikipedia (See below):
The Crapsey cinquain has subsequently seen a number of variations by modern poets, including:
Variation | Description |
---|---|
Reverse cinquain | a form with one 5-line stanza in a syllabic pattern of two, eight, six, four, two. |
Mirror cinquain | a form with two 5-line stanzas consisting of a cinquain followed by a reverse cinquain. |
Butterfly cinquain | a nine-line syllabic form with the pattern two, four, six, eight, two, eight, six, four, two. |
Crown cinquain | a sequence of five cinquain stanzas functioning to construct one larger poem. |
Garland cinquain | a series of six cinquains in which the last is formed of lines from the preceding five, typically line one from stanza one, line two from stanza two, and so on. |
Form | Description |
---|---|
Tanka | is a five-line form of unrhymed Japanese poetry, totalling 31 moras structured in a 5-7-5-7-7 pattern. |
Tetractys | is a five-line poem of 20 syllables with a title, arranged in the following order: 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, with each line standing as a phrase on its own. It can be inverted, doubled, etc. and was created by English poet Ray Stebbings. |
Lanterne | is an untitled five line quintain verse with a syllabic pattern of 1, 2, 3, 4, 1. Each line is usually able to stand on its own. |
PLEASE support the other poets by visiting blogs and leaving comments. Peer reviews help poets perfect their writing craft. Remember… sharing is caring.
This site even has a link so you can install the extension on Google Chrome.
For Synonyms and Antonyms. When your word has too many syllables, find one that works.
Find out how many syllables each word has. I use this site to compose my poems. Click on the “Workshop” tab, then cut and paste your poetry into the box. Click the Count Syllables button on the button. This site does the hard work for you.
Every Tuesday I’ll post the challenge early enough so everyone can see it. Remember, there will be no recap.
Do a link-back by placing the HTTPS:// address of the challenge post into your post. ALSO, please copy your poem and add it to the comments. If you created a Haiga, let us know in the comments with a link to your post. Now, all of the poetry ends up on the challenge post in one place.
Follow the schedule listed below:
I will visit your blog, comment, and TWEET your POETRY. If you add these hashtags to the post TITLE on your blog (depending on which poetry form you use) your poetrymay be viewed more often on Twitter:
#Haiku, #Senryu, #Haiga, #Gogyohka, #Tanka, #TankaProse, #micropoetry, #poetry, #5lines, #Haibun, #Prose, #CinquainPoetry, #Etheree, #Nonet, #Shadorma
Pingback: Pine Wood: A Reverse Cinquain | Padre's Ramblings
https://padresramblings.wordpress.com/2020/03/31/pine-wood-a-reverse-cinquain/
Pine Wood
Evergreen scent fresh on the breeze
The delicate needles
And sturdy cones
Embrace
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Excellent! All my senses lit up! I smell the pine. 😍🌲
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Pingback: #Tanka Tuesday: Between seasons – Jane Dougherty Writes
Here’s one of the usual, Colleen 😉
https://janedougherty.wordpress.com/2020/03/31/tanka-tuesday-between-seasons/
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Pingback: Meaning – Reena Saxena
https://reinventionsreena.wordpress.com/2020/03/31/meaning/
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Pingback: Waterfall #cinquain | Trent's World (the Blog)
Hi Colleen. I’ve missed this for a few weeks, so decided I needed to join 🙂 My cinquain is here: https://trentsworldblog.wordpress.com/2020/03/31/waterfall-cinquain/
And also here:
Water
Wispy curtains
Clothe rock in twisting threads
The cool air throbs with moist thunder
And peace
I chose a version of this form that is, in order, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 1 stresses and 2, 4, 6, 8, and 2 syllables.
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Hi, Colleen, another new one for me 🙂
http://susansplace.blog/2020/03/31/spring-cinquainpoetry/
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Pingback: population | Does writing excuse watching?
https://joem18b.wordpress.com/2020/03/31/population/
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Pingback: Colleen’s 2020 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 171, #SpecificForm – theindieshe
Pingback @ https://wp.me/p93zQi-Mr
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Hi Colleen, the Cinquain form is so nice to put together, I should use it more. Here is my link for this week, stay safe!
https://teandpaper.ca/2020/03/31/entrapped-butterfly-cinquain/
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I love the Cinquain form. It has a certain poetic rhythm! 😍
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Pingback: Butterfly Quintain | thoughts and entanglements
Hi Colleen,
Here’s my entry for this week.
it’s spring
the sprint is on
peony shoots rise up
garden is coming alive, now
nature
bold in its infinite wonder
flaunting its ugly side
agile microbe –
a plague
Pat R
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Hi Colleen… here’s the link
Pat
https://thoughtsandentanglements.wordpress.com/2020/04/01/butterfly-quintain/
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Pingback: Looking Out the Window – Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings
Hi Colleen! I didn’t wait till the last moment this time! A Crapsey Cinquain again. I don’t think they are centered on the page. I tried to get the rhythm right, too, but I’m not sure that I did.
https://merrildsmith.wordpress.com/2020/04/01/looking-out-the-window/
Looking Out the Window
Red sky
dawns blush-tipped,
a warning to sailors–
yet I delight in night’s demise,
day breaks.
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And, like all the rules I’m researching, some say we must center on the page and others say nothing about it. Because Cinquain is also called shape poetry, I think the belief is that centering is visually more pleasing. I should take that phrase out of the instructions until I can verify that for sure. Thanks, Merril. ❤
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I think it depends on the particular type of Cinquain.
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Good point. ❤️
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I love learning about the different forms, Colleen. I can’t play this week, but hope to next week. 🙂 I’m so glad you’re keeping this up. It’s a wonderful easy way to stay creative. Be well, my friend. ❤
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Absolutely love my poetry community, Diana. As always, join in when you can. Creativity is what will save us all. Stay well. ❤
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Pingback: Colleen’s 2020 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 171, #SpecificForm | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine
One of my favourite forms.. thanks Colleen…♥
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You’re welcome, Sally ❤
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♥
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Okay, that was a lot of variations of a cinquain, only confused me reading them all, lol. Is there a basic rule you can recommend for syllable counts for the 5 lines? 🙂
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The Crapsey Cinquain, Sis. The first one listed on the poetry cheat sheet. ❤️
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Lol thanks ❤
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https://kblog.blog/2020/04/02/april/
the perfect form for spring!
April–
new translations
of ancient intervals
gathering darkness to exchange
for light
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I love this Kerfe! ❤️❤️❤️
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Thanks Colleen!
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One from me, Colleen. https://scvincent.com/2020/04/01/becoming/
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Hello, Sue. ❤️
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Pingback: Renewed Love (A Crown Cinquain) – tales told different
Hi Colleen, I wrote a crown cinquain, a bit much to post here but here’s the link.
https://wordeologist.wordpress.com/2020/04/02/renewed-love-a-crown-cinquain/
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Ohhh, I can’t wait to read. 👀
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Pingback: Rebirth – #TankaTuesday #Cinquain – Let Me Tell You the Story of…
I wrote a cinquain once, but I didn’t put it into a shape. 😦
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When you center the five lines, you get a shape. The butterfly cinquain is perfect for this. Centered or not, it’s still a Cinquain (5 line poetry).
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Pingback: Poetry Friday ~ Cinquain | The Writer Next Door
Hi, Sis! Happy Friday! Thanks for another poetry challenge. Here’s my contribution this week: https://vashtiqvega.wordpress.com/2020/04/03/poetry-friday-cinquain/
Stay safe! ❤ xo
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Mine must not have posted before. It’s at https://tracikenworth.com/2020/04/01/colleens-weekly-2020-poetry-challenge-4-1-2020-a-didactic-cinquain-and-a-story/
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Got it!
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Loved this challenge! https://www.djranch.org/2020/04/03/cinquain-circle/
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The Cinquain is one of my favorites!
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I have written a Found Triple Tetractys Poem this week based on a poem by Frank O’Hara 🙂
https://toofulltowrite.com/2020/04/04/colleens-2020-weekly-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-171-specificform-micropoetry-cinquainpoetry-its-only-turning-by-david-ellis-a-found-triple/
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Cool! Sounds great!
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Pingback: My Take – Colleen’s 2020 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 171, #SpecificForm – Ruth Scribbles
A reverse cinquain
I am
An introvert extraordinaire
Inside – isolated
Peaceful, alone
Home, safe
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Pingback: Smorgasbord Poetry – Colleen Chesebro’s #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge – #ButterflyCinquain -The Air | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine
Thanks for the prompt Colleen…♥
Butterfly Cinquain – The Air
The Air
unpolluted
absorbed by the planet,
is then inhaled by all creatures
and plants.
Whilst humans wait behind closed doors
nature takes advantage
of the break from
progress.
©Sally Cronin 2020
https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2020/04/04/smorgasbord-poetry-colleen-chesebros-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-butterflycinquain-the-air/
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Perfect, Sally. Isn’t it amazing how the earth responds? I love it! ❤️
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Mother nature is unbeatable..♥
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My mirror cinquain: https://mjmallon.com/2020/04/03/colleens-poetry-challenge-cinquain-poetry-challenge-vincentvan-gogh-cov19-coronavirus/
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Pingback: Updates, Quotes, and Creating Mythology – The Blood Inheritance Quartet