Lesson 1, 9-21-09 Cinquain/Cinq-Cinquain

Poetry Workshop
Monday September 21, 2009

The Original Form: Cinquain
A cinquain is a poem of 5 lines that does not rhyme.
The syllables in each line must follow the count: 2, 4, 6, 8, 2

Example of the pattern:
Line 1: S S
Line 2: S S S S
Line 3: S S S S S S
Line 4: S S S S S S S S
Line 5: S S


The Challenge: Cinq-Cinquain
A cinq-cinquain follows the same structure as its original form seen above, the challenge about it is, that it takes 5 sets of cinquains to make this poem.
Line 1: S S
Line 2: S S S S
Line 3: S S S S S S
Line 4: S S S S S S S S
Line 5: S S

Line 6: S S
Line 7: S S S S
Line 8: S S S S S S
Line 9: S S S S S S S S
Line 10: S S

Line 11: S S
Line 12: S S S S
Line 13: S S S S S S
Line 14: S S S S S S S S
Line 15: S S

Line 16: S S
Line 17: S S S S
Line 18: S S S S S S
Line 19: S S S S S S S S
Line 20: S S

Line 21: S S
Line 22: S S S S
Line 23: S S S S S S
Line 24: S S S S S S S S
Line 25: S S

SAMPLE POEMS:
These be
Three silent things:
The falling snow. . .the hour
Before the dawn. . .the mouth of one
Just dead.

©Copyright: Jane Reichhold 1996 http://www.ahapoetry.com/cinqhmpg.htm


It was
ridiculous
the way you tried to steal
my schtick and dispense with my shell shuck me. ~ You can’t
co-opt my cool
through sleights of hand, through slights
and underhandedness. You are
still you. ~ Taking
my happiness
could not make you happy
taking what is mine means taking
my pain. ~ Was it
necessary?
You wanted my life but
if you had asked I’d have gave it
to you.~ My friend
I forgive you
for what you did to us
under possession of envy.
Go heal. ~
©Laura Chase and Domino 2008 http://domino1014.wordpress.com/2008/12/17/cinq-cinquain-2/