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.

Tanka:

Tanka is another form of Japanese poetry that consists of 31 syllables (5-7-5-7-7). 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

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. 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