Mrs. Brown’s Guide to
POETRY
Part I
Part I Poetry
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Haiku
Tanka
Cinquain
Diamante
Haiku
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Has three non-rhyming lines.
First line has 5 syllables.
Second line has 7 syllables.
Third line has 5 syllables.
Often about something beautiful in nature.
Haiku
X
X
X
X
X
5 syllables
Brisk spring and fall air
7 syllables
New colors glance in my hair
5 syllables
X
X X
X X
X
X
X
X
As I watch in awe.
X
X
X
Haiku
Let’s try one together:
Title:
5 syllables
7 syllables
5 syllables
Tanka
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Has five lines.
First line has 5 syllables.
Second line has 7 syllables.
Third line has 5 syllables.
Fourth line has 7 syllables.
Fifth line has 7 syllables.
Uses similes, metaphors, & personification.
Tanka
X
5 syllables
X
X
X
X
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X
X X
X
X X
Pouring life-giving torrents
X
7 syllables
X
Releasing themselves
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7 syllables
X
Gathering strength as they grow
X X X
5 syllables
X
Thunderclouds building
X X
7 syllables
X
X
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X
X X
X
Cleansing the world in shower
Tanka
Let’s try one together:
Title:
5 syllables
7 syllables
5 syllables
7 syllables
7 syllables
Cinquain
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Has five lines:
Line 1: noun
Line 2: two adjectives describing the noun
Line 3: three verbs showing the actions of the
noun
• Line 4: a four-word phrase telling about the
noun
• Line 5: repetition of the noun or use of a
synonym for the noun
Cinquain
noun
Sneakers
2 adjectives
White, squeaky
3 verbs
Running, jumping, skipping
4-word phrase
synonym for noun
They cover my feet
Nike
Cinquain
Let’s try one together:
noun
2 adjectives
3 verbs
4-word phrase
synonym for noun
Diamante
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Diamond-shaped poem with 7 lines:
Line 1: 1 NOUN-A
Line 2: 2 ADJECTIVES-A
Line 3: 3 GERUNDS-A (verb + -ing)
Line 4: 2 NOUNS-A + 2 NOUNS-B
Line 5: 3 GERUNDS-B (verb + -ing)
Line 6: 2 ADJECTIVES-B
Line 7: 1 NOUN-B
Diamante
1 noun A
2 adjectives A
3 verbs + -ing A
Winter
Rainy, cold
Skiing, skating, sledding
2 nouns A + 2 nouns B
Mountains, wind, breeze, ocean
3 verbs + -ing B
Swimming, surfing, scuba diving
2 adjectives B
1 noun B
Sunny, hot
Summer
Diamante
Let’s try one together:
Title:
1 noun A
2 adjectives A
3 verbs + -ing A
2 nouns A + 2 nouns B
3 verbs + -ing B
2 adjectives B
1 noun B
Mrs. Brown’s Guide to
POETRY
Part II
Part II Poetry
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Bio Poem
Simile Poem
ABC Poem
Limerick
Bio Poem
• Bio poetry gives basic information about a
person in a poetic form.
• Bio is short for biography which is a story
written about a person’s life.
Bio Poem
•Line 1: Your first name only
•Line 2: Four traits that describe you (adjectives)
•Line 3: Wishes to…
•Line 4: Dreams of…
•Line 5: Wants to…
•Line 6: Who wonders…
•Line 7: Who fears…
•Line 8: Who likes…
•Line 9: Who loves…
•Line 10: Who wants to see… (3 things)
•Line 11: Who resides in… (name of your city)
•Line 10: Your last name only
Bio Poem
•Dana
•Woman, Teacher, Mother, Happy
•Wishes to see Oprah
•Dreams of winning the lottery
•Wants to travel
•Who wonders what her children will do when they get older
•Who fears roller coasters
•Who likes scrapbooking
•Who wants to see Washington D.C., sunset in the West, the World!
•Who resides in Portland
•Brown
Simile Poem
• Uses the word “as” to make a comparison with
the subject.
• A statement then follows.
Simile Poem
Summer is as hot as a cauldron
with boiling water.
comparison
statement
Hurricanes are as destructive and
angry as a mother tiger
when it’s lost its baby.
Simile Poem
Let’s try some together:
comparison
statement
ABC Poem
• Don’t always make good sense
• May be fun but challenging
• Start with A and go through the alphabet
writing a word for each letter
ABC Poem
A
Kitten
Questioned
Bad
Littles
Raccoons
Cat
Make
Sing
Did
Noises
Tunes
Eat
On
Under
Falling
Pianos.
Vents
Goat
With
Hairs
Xtra
In Jamaica.
Yelling
“Zunes”!
Limerick
• Five line poem
• Funny or nonsensical
• First line often begins with
– “There once was…”
Limerick
Rhymes with 2
What happens?
2 short
snappy lines
There once was a sweet little frog
Who lived by himself on a log.
He saw a fat fly,
And he said, “Oh my!
How it ended?
Rhymes with 1
&2
I think I’ll go out for a jog.”
Limerick
Rhymes with 2
What happens?
2 short
snappy lines
There once was a farmer from Maine
Whose cow was in terrible pain
He went to the vet
To care for his pet
How it ended?
Rhymes with 1
&2
But then he got caught in the rain.
Limerick
Rhymes with 2
What happens?
2 short
snappy lines
There once was a puppy named Prince,
Who guarded his owner’s back fence
He barked at the man
Who picked up the can
How it ended?
Rhymes with 1
&2
Stealing garbage just didn’t make sense!
Limerick
Let’s try on together:
Usually begins with
“There once was…”
Rhymes with 2
What happens?
12-
Rhymes with 1
2 short
snappy lines
3-
3 & 4 rhyme
4-
How it ended?
Rhymes with 1
&2
5-