Poetry Formats
K. Danielson/UNO & J. LaBonty/University of Montana
1. I used to be… but now poems
I used to be _______________________________
But now I am _____________________________
2. Similes
The snow was like _____________________
As happy as a _________________________
3. Hink-Pinks (two one syllable word poems that are either riddles or descriptions)
Glide Ride (sledding)
Brawl Ball (football)
4. Alphabet pyramids (cumulative poems that contain specific parts of speech and
begin with the same letter)
Line 1: the letter
Line 2: a noun
Line 3: add an adjective
Line 4: add a verb
Line 5: add an adverb
A
Ant
Angry Ant
Angry Ant Answers
Angry Ant Answers Awkwardly
5. Cinquain
5 line descriptive poetry, about 22 syllables
Line 1: Subject
Line 2: four syllables describing subject
Line 3: six syllables showing action
Line 4: eight syllables expressing feeling or observation about subject
Line 5: two syllables renaming subject
Piggy
Pink and portly
Grunting, munching, smacking
He is getting fatter daily
Pork chop
K. Danielson/UNO & J. LaBonty/University of Montana
6. Diamante –
Line 1: Noun
Line 2: 2 adjectives describing noun
Line 3: 3 -ing words describing noun
Line 4: 2 nouns about noun above, 2 nouns about noun below
Line 5: 3 -ing words describing noun below
Line 6: 2 adjectives describing noun below
Line 7: Noun
Corn
Sweet Golden
Boiling Drenching Drooling
Butter Vegetable Organ Meat
Butchering Frying Cutting
Slimy Tough
Liver
7. Haiku
3 lines, 17 syllables, in a 5-7-5 pattern, non-rhyming verse about nature
Beautiful mountains
Shimmering in the sunset
Day is leaving Earth
8. Tanka
5 lines, 31 syllables in a 5-7-5-7-7 pattern, expresses thoughts about something
At morning sunrise
The ranch hands discuss the day
Their work never ends:
Riding the rugged hillsides
Searching for straying cattle.
K. Danielson/UNO & J. LaBonty/University of Montana
9. Parody
Poems that borrow structure and rhythm from poetry written by someone else.
Okay Everybody!
Okay, everybody, listen to this:
I am tired of being smaller
Than you
And them
And him
And trees and buildings.
So watch out
All you gorillas and adults
Beginning tomorrow morning
Boy
Am I going to be taller.
Karla Kuskin
Okay Everybody!
Okay, everybody, listen to this:
I am _____ of _____
Than _____
And _____
And _____
And _____
And _____ and _____
So _____
All _____ and _____
Beginning _____
Boy
Am I _____.
10. Limericks
Five line rhyming poem – 34-39 syllables; 9-9-5-5-9; AABBA rhyming pattern
A Young Farmer of Leeds
There once was a young farmer of Leeds
Who swallowed a whole packet of seeds
It soon came to pass
He was covered with grass
And he couldn’t sit down for the weeds.
K. Danielson/UNO & J. LaBonty/University of Montana
11. Bio Poem –
Line 1:
Line 2:
Line 3:
Line 4:
Line 5:
Line 6:
Line 7:
Line 8:
Line 9:
First name only
Four adjectives describing the person
Family information (Son/daughter of… or Sibling of… Significant other of…)
Who loves… (3 things or ideas)
Who feels… (3 things or ideas)
Who fears … (3 things or ideas)
Who would like to see (3 things or ideas)
Resident of…
Last name only
12. Patterned poem -- I Like –
I like noun!
I like noun!
Adjective noun
Adjective noun
Adjective noun
Adjective noun
Any kind of noun!
I like noun!
Noun prepositional phrase…
Noun prepositional phrase…
Noun prepositional phrase…
Noun prepositional phrase…
I like noun!
I like cookies!
I like cookies!
Soft cookies
Round cookies
Raw cookies
Chewy cookies
Any kind of cookie!
I like cookies!
Cookies with milk
Cookies from a bakery
Cookies hot out of the oven
Cookies in my mouth
I like cookies!