POETRY FORMS
Couplet - a two-line poem with a simple rhyming pattern. Couplets are often silly.
Line of poetry that rhymes with line 2
Line of poetry that rhymes with line 1
Cinquain - a five-line poem consisting of five, usually unrhymed lines containing two, four,
six, eight and two syllables.
Line 1 – One word title
Line 2 – Two descriptive words
Line 3 – Three action words
Line 4 – Four feeling words
Line 5 – one word, which answers the question, “When I think of the title, I think of…?”
Diamonte - a diamond-shaped poem of seven lines that is written using parts of
speech. The Diamonte is a form similar to the Cinquain.
Line 1: Noun or subject
Line 2: Two Adjectives
Line 3: Three 'ing' words
Line 4: Four words about the subject
Line 5: Three 'ing words
Line 6: Two adjectives
Line 7: Synonym for the subject
Free Verse - poetry without rules of form, rhyme, or rhythm. Writing in any way the
author chooses to write.
Haiku - an ancient Japanese form with no rhyme. Haiku often deal with nature.
Line 1 – has 5 syllables
Line 2 – has 7 syllables
Line 3 – has 5 syllables
Tanka - Tanka is another Japanese form that depends on the number of lines and
syllables instead of rhyme.
Line 1 - 2 words
Line 2 - 3 words
Line 3 - 2 words
Line 4 - 3 words
Line 5 - 3 words
The Five W's Poem - Who? What? When? Where? Why? Use these questions to write
a non-rhyming poem. Here's how:
Line 1 - Who or what is the poem about
Line 2 - What action is happening?
Line 3 - When does the action take place? (a time)
Line 4 - Where does the action take place? (a place)
Line 5 - Why does this action happen? (a reason)
List - One descriptive word follows another.
Triplet - a poem of three lines. Most often the three lines rhyme. Some triplets have
only two rhymed lines with different patterns.
Quatrain – has four line stanza with repeating pattern.
(abab) (aabb) (abba)
Lines 1 and 3 rhyme Lines 1 and 2 rhyme Lines 1 and 4 rhyme
Lines 2 and 4 rhyme Lines 3 and 4 rhyme Lines 2 and 3 rhyme
Limerick - a very short but funny poem. There is a rhyme and rhythm pattern that
makes it flow smoothly.
Lines 1, 2, and 5 - rhyme and have eight to ten syllables
Lines 3 and 4 - rhyme and have five to seven syllables
Simile - poetry is a descriptive poem about the writer. The child may write four lined
poems of one or two verses, which need not rhyme.
Acrostic Alliteration - the first letters of each line, when read vertically, spell out a
word.
T – Descriptive words
I – Descriptive words
T – Descriptive words
L – Descriptive words
E – Descriptive words
Acrostic - the first letters of each line, when read vertically, spell out a word.
N – Descriptive words
A – Descriptive words
M – Descriptive words
E – Descriptive words
