The Cinquain Challenge: Form 8—The Didactic Cinquain

This week, we’re looking at an eighth kind of cinquain—the Didactic Cinquain. Unlike the other forms, this one doesn’t use a syllable count as a base. Instead, it relies on a word count for each line.

The first line of this cinquain is a noun—which also acts as the title, the second line consists of two adjectives describing the title, the third line consists of a three-word phrase further describing the title, the fourth line has four words describing feelings about the title, and the fifth line is a single word, usually a synonym, that references the title subject.

For those of you who are new to this series, a cinquain is a five-line poem that has a set number of syllables (or word types) per line. Sometimes the title of a cinquain acts as a sixth line. Cinquains were invented by Adelaide Crapsey was an American poet who was inspired by the rules of Japanese poetry to create her own poetical form, the cinquain.

Here’s an example, originally written for a poetry collection to come out later this year:

Trolls

Trolls

Black-hearted

Destroyers of dreams

Terrify, traumatise, mortify, despised

Criminals

Starships

Starshps

Reflective, sparkling

Skybound hopes waiting

Lifted spirits, impatient optimists

Dreamers

Why don’t you give it a try? Try writing at least one didactic cinquain for each day of the week. They don’t take a lot of time, but they can be a bit tricky. Here’s one way you might want to approach them:

• Decide on a topic;
• Think of words, phrases, feelings and ideas that relate to your topic and work out the order you want to express those things in;
• Work out how to express each idea in the right number of syllables for the line it’s on;
• Write your cinquain;
• Check there are the right number of syllables on each line; and
• Centre the poem on your page.

Or you can just write them as you go, letting inspiration take you where it will, but remember to check your syllables and centre your poem at the end.

Enjoy