Here is a cinquain I wrote many years ago to show my seventh graders what a chinquapin is:

Books

creased, dog-eared

teaching, telling, transporting

exciting worlds of adventure

Books.

My love affair with books began at an early age. I remember my British grandmother, my long-distance grandmother, sending me my first Alphabet Book when I began first grade. She also sent a children’s book, a chapter book, we would call it today, about a naughty cat named Nicholas Thomas, who was always getting into trouble. The story I remember still was about two spoiled Siamese twins invited to tea. They tore up the parlor and blamed it on Nicholas Thomas. When Nicholas Thomas was asked what he wanted for tea, he mentioned tarts, pie, jam, biscuits, etc., eyes widening as he drooled over the sumptuous tea cart, only to be frowned at by his mother. When the twins were asked what they wanted, the replied, “Bread and butter, purr-lease.” I remember seeing that word, hyphenated in just that way, spelled out on the page. It was my favorite book for years, long after I could read it to myself. That book written for the nursery occupants, presumably British children, began my current love for books and cats.

Here’s another cinquain I wrote for my students:

Felines

silky, slinky

stalking, sneaking, posing

know how to relax

Cats.

In a cinquain, the first line gives a one word title. The second line describes the title in two words. The third line uses three action words to tell about the title. The fourth line gives feelings about the title in four words. The fifth line is another, single word for the title, a synonym. (or it can repeat the title word.)

HOW ABOUT TRYING YOUR HAND AT A CINQUAIN FOR NATIONAL POETRY MONTH. Provide the URL for your blog where you post it, or write it in the comments/reply box below.