How to Write a Cinquain Poem

What is a cinquain poem, and how do you write one? Here are simple instructions for creating cinquain poems, along with original and published examples.

What is a cinquain poem?

A cinquain poem is a simple, but strictly structured verse. Cinquain poetry is marked by an economy of language, as few words are used to create the lines within this poetic form.

Basically, a cinquain poem includes five lines, each containing a prescribed number of syllables. The most common forms of cinquain poetry are structured as follows:

Line 1 contains two syllables (usually the one-word title of the cinquain poem).

Line 2 contains four syllables (usually two words, describing the title of the cinquain poem).

Line 3 contains six syllables (usually three words, citing an action or plot of the cinquain poem).

Line 4 contains eight syllables (usually four words, portraying the emotion or feeling of the cinquain poem).

Line 5 contains two syllables (usually one word, recalling the title of the cinquain poem - either as a synonym or repetition).

This structure of a basic cinquain poem is often noted this way: 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 2.

Here's an example of a basic cinquain:

Fatique, by Linda Ann Nickerson

Fatigue -

Dragging downwards,

Calling wakeful away

Beyond being, making mortals

Fizzled.

Who invented the cinquain poetry form?

American poetess Adelaide Crapsey created the five-line cinquain. A fan of Japanese poetic forms, such as haikus and tankas, Adelaide Crapsey devised the tightly structured cinquain poetic form in the 19^th Century.

Five-line poetry predated Adelaide Crapsey's American cinquains. The English quintain, the French cinquain, the Italian quintain, the Japanese tanka, the Spanish quintella all existed before Adelaide Crapsey first penned her American cinquins.

Here's an example of a cinquain poem, penned by Adelaide Crapsey:

Triad, by Adelaide Crapsey

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

How to write a cinquain poem:

To write a cinquain poem, the writer must begin with a simple concept. Often, a cinquain will express an emotion, an epiphany or a seemingly universal truth. Some cinquains are practically proverbial, offering worldly wisdom.

After choosing a cinquain concept, the poet selects a two-syllable word as the title. The cinquain builds from there, using the basic syllable structure: 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 2.

Beginning poets may find a thesaurus helpful, as they construct their first cinquain poems.

What variations of the cinquain poem exist?

Cinquain poetry may contain several variations of form. Five cinquain poem variations are often found.

A backwards (or reverse) cinquain contains five lines, with this syllable structure: 2 / 8 / 6 / 4 / 2.

A butterfly cinquain contains nine syllables, with this syllable structure: 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 2 / 8 / 6 / 4 / 2.

A mirror cinquain contains two stanzas of five lines, with this syllable structure: 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 2 and 2 / 8 / 6 / 4 / 2.

In addition, cinquain poetry may appear in clusters or patterns. For example:

A crown cinquain contains five stanzas of cinquains, each using the traditional cinquain syllable structure: 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 2.

A garland cinquain contains six stanzas. The first five stanzas use the traditional cinquain syllable structure: 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 2. The sixth (and final) stanza in a garland cinquain takes one line from each of the preceding ones. The last stanza of the garland cinquain takes the first line from the first stanza, the second line from the second stanza, and so on.

Here are a few additional examples of cinquain poetry (found on Associated Content):

A Butterfly Cinquain About Junk Food, by Maria Roth

A Surprising Arising - Cinquain of Green, by Linda Ann Nickerson

Cinquain - River, by Tikuli Dogra

Cinquain Poem - Christmas Time Is Here, by Thomas Griffin

Didactic Cinquain - August, by Abby Greenhill

Falling Glacier - A Cinquain in the Style of Adelaide Crapsey for National Poetry Month, by Sheri Fresonke Harper

Free - Cinquain for National Poetry Month, by Sandra Essary

Pieces to Live for - A Cinquain, by Khara House

Poem: Huggable Katie, by John Gugle

Porcelain Messiah, by Walton S. Tissot

Spring Cinquain Poem, by Betty Malone

Spring Cinquain, by Rebecca Wrenn

The Sounds of Gunshot - My Cinquain, by Janet Hunt

Worthy Wealth - A Cinquain on True Gain, by Linda Ann Nickerson

Note: Unless otherwise indicated, cinquain poetry samples included in this article are copyrighted by Linda Ann Nickerson. Copying or reprinting without permission is prohibited.