A **cinquain** is a five-line poem prized for concentration and clarity.
In English, it often follows the American syllabic pattern popularized by Adelaide Crapsey,
but there are flexible variants used in classrooms and contemporary practice.
Common approaches and features:
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Five Lines: The defining feature—compact form encourages vivid images and precise diction.
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American Cinquain (Syllabic): Typical syllable counts per line:
2 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 2.
Variants sometimes use 3/5/7/9/3 or loosen counts slightly.
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Didactic Cinquain (Parts of Speech): A teaching-friendly pattern:
Line 1—one noun; Line 2—two adjectives; Line 3—three verbs/participles;
Line 4—a four-word phrase or feeling; Line 5—a synonym/summary noun.
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Form Variants: Mirror cinquain (5+5 lines, the second in reverse counts), crown cinquain (a sequence of five cinquains), and free-verse adaptations.
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Tone & Focus: Image-driven, momentary, and distilled—ideal for capturing a scene, object, or flash of insight.
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Rhyme & Meter: Not required; sound comes from line-length contrast, stress, and strategic repetition.
The cinquain’s small frame invites exactness—each line a step that sharpens the image and lands with a clean, memorable close.