Invented by Edmund Clerihew Bentley.

This form is only four lines long. It should be funny and there is no set syllable count or meter. In the first line, you must name a person. (This means the second line ends with something that rhymes with that name.)

Rhyme Scheme: a/a/b/b


EXAMPLE:

"Family Love"
by Anastasia V. Pergakis
(Two clerihew poems, one for my husband and one for my son, combined into one "poem")

Here comes the man I love, Chris
Oh there is no sweeter love than this!
I’d like to choke that man at times
Instead I wrote these silly rhymes.

There is my baby boy, Mason
On wobbly feet he hastens
Then falls down on his face
Oh the laughs I get sitting in this place!

Comments (0)

Two staznas, five lines each. First stanza follows a regular cinquain syllable structure but the second stanza is mirrored, or reversed in pattern. I'm sure you can use this same pattern with a "Cinquain Double" set up. (double the syllables for each line).

Structure:
Line 1: 2 syllables
Line 2: 4 syllables
Line 3: 6 syllables
Line 4: 8 syllables
Line 5: 2 syllables

Line 6: 2 syllables
Line 7: 8 syllables
Line 8: 6 syllables
Line 9: 4 syllables
Line 10: 2 syllables

CHALLENGE: Use a rhyme pattern.

Comments (0)

A single 5 line stanza, with double the syllable count per line than a regular Cinquain. Still no rhyme pattern.

Structure:
Line1: 4 syllables
Line 2: 8 syllables
Line 3: 12 syllables
Line 4: 16 syllables
Line 5: 4 syllables

CHALLENGE: Use a rhyme pattern.

Comments (0)

Also called "Cinq-cinquain".

Write 5 stanzas using the cinquain structure (2/4/6/8/2 syllable count) for each stanza.

FUN FACT: If you turn your head to the right, you can see the "crown points" with the line structure!

CHALLENGE: Use repetitive lines or a rhyme pattern with this form.

Comments (0)

The cinquain was developed by Adelaide Crapsey.

Contains five lines and a total of 22 syllables. No set rhyme pattern.

Structure:
Line 1: 2 syllables
Line 2: 4 syllables
Line 3: 6 syllables
Line 4: 8 syllables
Line 5: 2 syllables

CHALLENGE: Use a rhyme pattern with this form.

Comments (0)