Welcome Poets!
This time we are going to use ONLY the
single Cinquain Form -
- Cinquain -
The Cinquain is a short, usually unrhymed poem,consisting of twenty-two syllables distributed as2, 4, 6, 8, 2, in five lines.It was developed by the Imagist poet,Adelaide Crapsey.
A simple Form which requires
no more than two breaths -
Syllable count:
2
4
6
8
2
Example:
by Bear
~*~
why have
you left this home
your faithful seeds planted
within distant neighbors gardens
tilled soils
~*~
If you think this is easy, give it a try,
...but I am looking for perfect aesthetics and smooth flow -
No punctuation or CAPS allowed, except for *God's* *Jesus's* *Angel's*
http://www.ask.com/web?q=Punctuation+Marks&qsrc=6&o=10601
You must create a Cinquain which makes the Reader stop and ponder -
Using graphics is okay,
...but I do want to see your Cinquain stand on its' own -
Good luck to all of you and God bless you!
- Bear -
Other Notes:
Knowing What Counts: The Cinquain
By Deborah P Kolodji
On October 8, 1914, a thirty-six year old woman died of chronic pulmonary tuberculosis in
Rochester, New York. One year later, Manas Press published her first (and only) book of
poetry, Verse. This poet’s name was Adelaide Crapsey, the inventor of the American Cinquain.
Crapsey was born in 1878, the third child of an Episcopal clergyman. She graduated from
Vassar College, returning to her high school boarding school, Kemper Hall, to teach literature
and history. A few years later, while teaching a course entitled, “Poetics: A Critical Study of
Verse Forms” at Smith College, she began a study of metrics which led to her invention of the
cinquain as we know it.
In its simplest dictionary definition, a cinquain is a poem of five lines. Crapsey’s cinquain was
more specific, a poem of five lines with a specific syllable count of 2-4-6-8-2, usually iambic.
The ideal cinquain for Crapsey was one that worked up to a turn or climax, and then fell back.
Similar to the “twist” that often occurs in the final couplet of a sonnet, a cinquain’s “turn” usually
occurs during the final, shorter fifth line or immediately before it. Thus, the momentum of a cinquain
grows with each subsequent line as another two syllables, usually an ambic foot, is added bringing
the poem to a climax at the fourth line, falling back to a two syllable “punch line”.
Part of the imagist movement in the early twentieth century, Crapsey wrote her cinquains in
precise, natural language with minimal use of adjectives. Although influenced by her study of Asian
poetry forms and her translations of Japanese haiku, she titled her cinquains and was not opposed
to the use of literary devices such as alliteration and assonance.
At some point in the mid-twentieth century, elementary school teachers started using a modified
version of the cinquain as a grammar lesson. Instead of syllables, these poems emphasized
grammar forms as the criteria for each line. Although useful as a teaching tool, these “didactic”
cinquains were never widely published. Recently, there has been a renaissance of cinquain poetry
on the internet, of the syllable-patterned form that Crapsey developed. Modern cinquain writers
have been refining the form as they experiment, sometimes using resonance between the first
and last lines to bring the poem full circle. Many poets writing today’s cinquains draw from their
experiences with haiku, effectively using juxtaposition to divide the poem into two halves, which
compliment each other with layered meanings.
Cinquain poets have also been experimenting with cinquain variations – cinquain sequences
(polystanzaic poems made up of cinquain stanzas), crown cinquains (a five stanza cinquain
sequence), reverse cinquains (a cinquain with a reverse syllable pattern of 2-8-6-4-2), mirror
cinquains (a two stanza cinquain sequence of the pattern 2-4-6-8-2 2-8-6-4-2), and cinquain
butterflies (a “merged mirror cinquain” where the two stanzas of a mirror cinquain are merged
together, one of the middle 2 syllable lines is dropped, resulting in one nine line stanza of the
form 2-4-6-8-2-8-6-4-2). Please note that a cinquain butterfly is not a “cinquain” because it
doesn’t have five lines, but it is a “butterfly” made up of two cinquains that were merged together
into one poem.
Now it is the reader’s turn to experiment. After some practice, the rhythm of a cinquain will begin
to feel natural. It is important not to force a poem into the cinquain form but to allow the form and
the discipline of its syllable count to grow the poem. Since there are only twenty-two syllables to
work with, it’s good practice to avoid the use of unnecessary words and make each syllable count.
However, be forewarned – writing cinquains can be addicting!
ShelleyA, is a Sponsor of this contest - 300 points -
Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on October 22, 2008
- Rewards: Gold: 600, Silver: 150, Bronze: 75, Honorable mention: 4 people
- Final notes:
Ok Poets & Artists!
As my Regulars are noticing, I have 4 HM's.....and usually I only have 3 Greenys.....but, there was one more I had to give recognition to......but, that does not mean the others were not good as well....you all did great with the Cinquain Form ~
Remember.....Aesthetics, Flow & Message are key to winning in my Poetry Formed Contests ~
I hope to see all of you back for Poetry Formed XXXIX.....lots of great talent.....but......if your Form is off in aesthetics, your message is not going to gain you favor for Gold......as I take Formed Poetry....(not shaped poetry)....very seriously, as it is Art, indeed ~
Congrats to chatelain.....nice!
Almost Timmy!
Nevad.....powerful penning....keep it up!
Nice job Dutchie....getting two into Finals!
Jessifer....love your insight and moment to sigh with your Readers as they take in your thoughts.....nice!
The HM's ( ARE ) in order of personal preference ~
Thanks to all of you for coming out to support this contest......God bless you!
Bear ~
Contest Winners
-
• Commented on by judge. [remove]
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• Commented on by judge. [remove]
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by nevadapoet 7 lines, 18 comments, on Oct 17 4:33 PM 2008. In Contest, Conquain
Bronze trophy winner
• Commented on by judge. [remove] -
are you
the shooting star• Commented on by judge. [remove]
Gold trophy winner
Silver trophy winner
Honorable mention
Entries [18]
-
neighbours
home and awayby macplodski 5 lines, 3 comments, on Oct 17 4:15 PM 2008• Commented on by judge. -
inhale
fragrance smoke inby kendhal22 5 lines, 2 comments, on Oct 17 2:50 PM 2008• Commented on by judge. -
matter
grey if you likeby macplodski 4 lines, 3 comments, on Oct 17 3:54 PM 2008• Commented on by judge. -
one man
standing besideby sheltered 7 lines, 11 comments, on Oct 17 3:55 PM 2008• Commented on by judge. -
• Commented on by judge.
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• Commented on by judge.
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by butterflywriter 7 lines, 7 comments, on Oct 18 8:49 AM 2008• Commented on by judge.
Add a comment
Comments
-
i still din get what a cinquain is
S= -
-
Hello
Read the example above -
1st L = 2 sylls
2nd L = 4 sylls
3rd L = 6 sylls
4th L = 8 sylls
5th L = 2 sylls
-
-
Notice!
Hello Poets
As it states in the Rules.....I am looking for perfect aesthetics in Form.......and if you all have been with me since Poetry Formed I, you'll know I am a NUT for aesthetics, as this is Poetry in Art Form -
Please work on your grammatical choices to fit perfectly into your Form...WITH, good Flow as well...as that IS the challenge of Poetry in Form
God bless,
Bear ~ -
much thanks and congrats
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