Kinds of Poetry
Acrostic Poetry:
In Acrostic poems, the first letters of each line are aligned vertically to
form a word. The word often is the subject of the poem.
L oves to play on the computer
A lways humorous
U nique in every way
R unning, jumping, tumbling at gym
E xceptionally bright
L earner
Cinquain:
Cinquain poems are five lines long with a certain number of syllables or
words in each. Cinquain poems do not rhyme. There are many ways to
write cinquain poems. Here is an example of one cinquain pattern.
Line 1: Title - one word or two syllables
Line 2: Description or example of the title - 2 words or four syllables
Line 3: Action about the title - a 3 word phrase or six syllables
Line 4: a 4 word phrase describing a feeling about the title or 8 syllables
Line 5: Synonym for the title - one word - 2 syllables
Line 1: Panther
Line 2: Sleek, graceful
Line 3: Running, hiding, emerging
Line 4: Happy to be free
Line 5: Cat
Concrete Poetry:
Concrete poems form a picture of the topic or follows the contour of a
shape that is suggested by the topic. For example:
Couplets:
The couplet is the easiest of the verse forms. It consists of two lines with
an end rhyme.
Grandmother sits in her old rocking chair.
She rocks and she rocks all day there.
Diamonte:
Diamonte poems are easy poems to write. You need to think of a
subject and its opposite and then follow the format listed below:
First line: one word (subject).
Second line: two adjectives describing the subject
Third line: three words ending in -ing telling about the subject
Fourth line: four words, the first two describe the subject and the last
two describe its opposite
Fifth line: three words ending in -ing telling about the opposite
Sixth line: two adjectives describing the opposite
Seventh line: one word (opposite from the first line)
Example:
Limericks:
A limerick is a funny little poem containing five lines. The last words of the
first, second, and fifth lines rhyme with each other (A) and the last words of
the third and fourth lines rhyme with each other so the pattern is AABBA. It
should also have a rhythm pattern, like
da DUM da da DUM da da DUM for the first, second, and fifth lines (A)
and da da DUM da da DUM for the third and fourth lines (B). Make sure your
limerick has the pattern by reciting it with “da” for all unaccented or
unstressed syllables and “DUM for all the accented or stressed syllables.
Here is an example of a limerick:
1. There once was a girl named Cheryl (A)
da DUM da da DUM da da DUM
2. Who dreamed she was in great peril (A)
da DUM da da DUM da da DUM
3. She awoke wtth a fright B)
da da DUM da da DUM
4. When she discovered the sight (B)
da da DUM da da DUM
5. The “monster” was just a small squirrel. (A)
da DUM da da DUM da da DUM
Haiku:
A form of centuries old Japanese poetry that consists of seventeen
syllables and has nature as its subject or theme. Haiku is very short and
has a 5-7-5 syllable structure with 5 syllables in the first line, 7 syllables in
the second line, and 5 syllables in the third line. With just a couple of
words, haiku poetry conveys emotion. It suggests that the reader look and
listen to the world. This poetry was created by a famous writer named Issa.
He had a very sad life. His mother died when he was two and his own four
children all died before they were a year old. As a writer and poet, this
sadness, loneliness and compassion helped him be more sensitive to
everything around him. Issa took the time to listen and enjoy the beauty he
found as he heard crickets chirp and as he gazed at the skies. Issa saw the
beauty of the natural world around him; he valued every living thing, even
insects, and wanted to share his love of nature through his haiku. Haiku
requires you to observe! Here is an example of haiku:
As I lay and gaze
Blue skies and white clouds
Billowing high above me
Tanka:
Tanka is another form of Japanese poetry that consists of 31 syllables (5-75-7-7). The themes for Tanka are love, nature, seasons, and friendships,
Here is an example of Tanka:
Wind
Wind blowing my face
Making my cheeks rosy red
It's biting my nose
And chilling through all my bones
It is pushing me along