Tweetspeak Poetry

Poetry Prompt: The Reverse Cinquain

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reverse cinquain poetry promptHopefully, you’ve tried your hand at writing the form poem called the Cinquain, created by American poet Adelaide Crapsey.

Since you now have a little Cinquain experience behind you through our previous prompts, why not experiment a little this time? To build on the traditional form, there are a few adaptations to add challenge to your repertoire.

This week we will try the Reverse Cinquain.

If you’d like to refresh your memory on writing the traditional Cinquain, please visit our original post here.

As the name suggests, this is still a traditional Cinquain with its structure reversed.

The first line has 2 syllables, the second has 8 syllables, the third line has six syllables, and the fourth has 4 syllables. Finally, the fifth and last line has 2 syllables.

Try It: A Reverse Cinquain Poem

So remember the order— 2,8,6,4,2 and start writing a Cinquain switcheroo! Consider writing your Cinquain about something that’s backwards, or moves in reverse— like backing the car into the garage after a long day at work. Remember, the Cinquain often tells a story so start thinking of clever ways to captivate with your poetry.

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Featured Poem

Thanks to everyone who participated in last week’s poetry prompt. Here is a poem from Shannon we enjoyed:

Awake
though dreams linger.
A letter from heaven
I couldn’t read; the writing looked
like hers.

—by Shannon Mayhew

Photo by 白士 李. Creative Commons via Flickr.

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How to Write a Poem 283 high How to Write a Poem uses images like the buzz, the switch, the wave—from the Billy Collins poem “Introduction to Poetry”—to guide writers into new ways of writing poems. Excellent teaching tool. Anthology and prompts included.

“How to Write a Poem is a classroom must-have.”
—Callie Feyen, English Teacher, Maryland

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Heather Eure
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Comments

  1. Maureen says

    Fall’s Leaves

    Weary,
    they slip to ground, their once-green skins —
    now worn mottled coats — shed
    in autumn’s own
    dust-up.

    ________________

    This will be up tomorrow at Writing Without Paper.

  3. Rick Maxson says

    Semiprecious

    once words
    leave the silkiness of the mind,
    they harden like amber
    if not contained
    in form

  4. Katie says

    pretty
    tip top leaves wiggle and shimmer
    drifting past on a breeze
    smears of cotton
    blue sky

    AND

    draft it
    draft it again and again, then
    yet again and again
    and then again
    revise

  5. Rick Maxson says

    Journey

    journey
    into all the territories:
    next rooms, the distant streets,
    the open mind—
    return

  6. Rick Maxson says

    Ban

    What locks
    without locks in the violent night,
    the tug of war, the need
    and longing to
    escape

  7. Shannon Mayhew says

    Ever since I learned about the “wind horse” printed on the TIbetan prayer flags, the mythology and the rituals around it, I’ve wanted to write a story with this guy as the protagonist. But for now, some poetry so I can get to know him better. 🙂

    wind horse
    woven wishes, silk strands of soul
    blest is the beast whose task
    is to carry
    whispers

  9. Josh Duncan says

    This one is called “Folk Art”

    Folk art
    When they’re eat up with eggshell walls
    When light leaks in past blinds
    When fragile eyes
    Perceive

  10. Kaiya Rose says

    Never
    Ask a mirror, ‘who in the world
    Am I?’ Trust my advice.
    Don’t ask, for it
    Will lie.

    Liar.
    I name her liar. But I can’t find
    It in myself to be
    Mad; I love her
    Too much.

  11. Laurie Flanigan says

    These are wonderful!

    Mine is a bit like an hourglass, a Cinquain coupled with a reverse Cinquain.

    The Twist

    I’ve watched
    her twist her hair,
    tighten it with ripples.
    She‘s never let the ends show, yet
    they slip.

    I’d like
    to say they glide, but glide would not
    be right. The ripples slip
    and twist her as
    they grip.

  12. Katie says

    I came across a mention of “paper whites” in my reading this afternoon and was reminded of the pretty porcelain bowl of them our Aunt Nancy brought us once.
    When we would visit her in the summer she would always serve us the coldest Schweppes Ginger Beer in the cutest little 6 oz. bottles:)
    We were new to Baltimore at the time and had little kiddos. Even though her children were grown and she had no grands living close by she would pull out the old wooden train set for our boys to play with:)

    So I tried both a cinquain and reverse cinquain in honor of her memory and hospitality:

    laughter
    cold ginger beer
    paper whites bring a smile
    wooden tracks and trains, boy oh boy
    warm heart

    AND

    warm hugs
    bright smiles, “you’re here,” “welcome, welcome”
    train set pulled from closet
    ginger beer fizz
    tickles

    • Shannon says

      I love these, Katie! I can feel that ginger beer fizz as much as the warmth of your Aunt Nancy’s hugs. You really transport us there — your words are themselves little wonders you’ve pulled out of your closet for our senses to play with!

  14. Sharon A Gibbs says

    A friend’s experience during fourth-grade recess.

    Unpaid Bet

    Plump worm
    Squirming, dangling.
    With bent arm, tilted head,
    she claimed it did not touch her teeth.
    Swallowed

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