Cinquain: 2, 4, 6, 8, 2
Cinquain
Cinquain poetry is a five-line type of poetry. A cinquain's syllable pattern is 2, 4, 6, 8, 2. The first line is two syllables long, the second line is four syllables long, the third line is six syllables long, the fourth line is eight syllables long, and the fifth line is two syllables long. Cinquains can be used to portray feelings, depict a situation, or freeze time.
The American cinquain is an organized and elegant poetic style. It is made up of five lines and follows precise stress and syllable patterns.
Let's dissect the American cinquain based on Adelaide Crapsey's growth:
Structure:
It consists of five lines in total.
Meter (Stresses):
The first version involves an accentual verse, where the pattern of stresses in each line follows 1, 2, 3, 4, and 1 stresses in order.
The evolved version has an accentual-syllabic verse, where the pattern becomes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 1 stresses and 2, 4, 6, 8, and 2 syllables in order.
Iambic Feet:
While not required, iambic feet, which are pairs of syllables with the emphasis on the second syllable, were meant to be the standard for the cinquain since they aligned well with the stated standards.
Additionally:
Crapsey titled her cinquains, effectively adding a sixth line across the title, unlike Eastern forms.
To portray a specific mood or emotion, these cinquains are constructed on tight structure and powerful physical imagery.
Let's look at Crapsey's "November Night" as an example:
Listen...
With faint dry sound,
Like steps of passing ghosts,
The leaves, frost-crisp'd, break from the trees
And fall.
Through strong imagery and a tight structure that corresponds to the recognized rules of the American cinquain, we sense the mood of a frigid, dismal night in these five lines.
Between 1933 and 1940, the Scottish poet William Soutar produced over a hundred American cinquains (he called them "epigrams").
Now, try to create your own cinquains to provoke emotions or paint vivid pictures within the restrictions of this literary form by following these rules and allowing for creative expression within the regulated framework.
Here are some links about cinquain poetry:
Cinquain: Link
Cinquain: Link
