Poem Criteria

1.  Must be in blue or black ink   (up to 5 points)

2.  If typed, use black ink and 14 point font   (up to 5 points)

3.  Correct punctuation  (1 point per punctuation)

4.  Correct spelling  (1 point per misspelling)

5.  Correct capitalization  (1 point per non-capitalized word)

6.  Neatness  (up to 5 points)

7.  Necessary artwork  (up to 20 points)

8.  Artwork must have color (pen/pencil not considered color)  (up to 5 points)

9. NO WHITE OUT to correct mistakes.

10.  Page isn't landscape. ( up to 3 points)

 

HOW TO WRITE:

DIAMANTE CINQUAIN WINGSPARK
PORTMANTEAU HAIKU ALLITERATION
CIRCLE POEM COUPLET CLERIHEW
EPITAPH QUATRAIN LIMERICK

 

 

Rhyming Words http://rhyme.poetry.com
   
   
   
   

 

Diamante

A Diamante is a special kind of poem which has a special form-the shape of a diamond-and some very strict rules about the handling of the subject.  A diamante has seven lines.  It starts with a feeling-either pleasant or unpleasant.  In the middle of the poem, look for the asterisk mark (*), which points out where the feeling changes to its opposite. 

Sample Poem Line/Writing Rules
Glad! 1.  One word describes a feeling
Happy, Joyful 2.  Two words, same feeling
Laughing, Smiling, Loving 3.  Three action words ending in -ing, same feeling
Quiet, Calm, * Tense, Noisy 4.  Four descriptive words--two pleasant, two unpleasant
Crying, Frowning, Hating 5.  Three -ing action words, opposite in feeling to line 3
Unhappy, Angry 6.  Two words describing feeling opposite from line 2
Sad. 7.  One word, opposite from line 1
 
  • Each word begins with a capital letter
 
  • Comma separates words in lines 2,3,4,5, and 6
 
  • Exclamation mark at the end of line 1.
 
  • Period at the end of line 7.
 
  • Asterisk in center of line 4. 
 
  • Poem in the shape of a diamond.
   
 

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ARTWORK

  • Write one Diamante Poem.
  • Use the lined paper given to you in class.
  • Select 8 words from your poem.
  • Use magazines to cut out individual letters to spell each of those 8 words.
  • Glue each word around the outside of your poem.
 

Cinquain

Sample Poem

 Writing Rules
Kitten
  • Line 1:  One word giving the title
Soft, tiny
  • Line 2:  Two words describing the title
Mewing, sleeping, tumbling
  • Line 3:  Three action words ending in -ing
Warm against my cheek
  • Line 4:  Four word sentence describing a feeling
Love
  • Line 5:  Another word for the title
 
  • Each line begins with a capital letter.
 
  • A comma separates words in lines 2 and 3
 
  • Each line is centered under the previous line
 
  • You will write 2 Cinquain poems.
   

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ARTWORK

  • Write 2 Cinquain poems.
  • Write each poem in the center of the page.
  • Draw the title object around the poem to fill the entire page.
 

Wingspark

The Wingspark poem was created by students in Wing Spark school.

Sample Poem Writing Rules
I dreamed . . .
  • Line 1:  I dreamed . . . (It is already written for you)
I was Mickey Mantle
  • Line 2:  I was (followed by the answer to the question "WHO"?  (someone))
In Yankee Stadiium
  • Line 3:  In, At, On, (followed by answer to question "WHERE"?  (someplace))
Whacking a home run
  • Line 4:  Let's have some action . . .What would the person do at the place?
Effortlessly!
  • Line 5:  One word describing how the person felt or how the action was done.

--William Rierson
  • Must write 2 Wingspark poems
 
  • First letter of each line begins with a capital letter.
 
  • All proper nouns begin with a capital letter.
 
  • Line 5 ends with an exclamation point.
 
  • All 5 lines are aligned with each other on the left.
 

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ARTWORK

  • Must write 2 Wingspark poems.
  • Write poem in the center of the right half of the page.
  • Find a photo of the person the poem is about.  Attach it to the left half of the page.
 

Portmanteau Cinquain

Portmanteau words are two descriptive words that are combined together in meaning and spelling in order to create a new word with the combined definitions of each word.  Take the first part of one word and add it to the back part of another word.  For example:  smoke + fog = smog

Use portmanteau words to describe the sad looking fellow on the paper you received in class.

Sample Portmanteau Writing Rules:
Bonster
  • Use writing rules for a cinquain poem.
Brong, sungry
  • Must use 5 portmanteau words in poem
Pointing, crying standing
  • Define portmanteau words on back of paper
Very barge, loopy mouth
  • Do not repeat any combination of words
Fig
  • Combine words that are descriptive
 
  • First line will be Bonster
 
  • Write 1 Portmanteau Cinquain
 

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ARTWORK

  • Write one Portmanteau Cinquain
  • Color and add design to the Bonster to enhance the meaning of your poem

 

Haiku

This is a form of Japanese poetry which has a specific structure.  A haiku generally has a word or expression that indicates the time of year, thus forming a background for the visual picture presented by the poet.  In haiku the important goal is suggestion.  Nature and natural phenomena are used to reflect human emotions. 

Sample Poem

 Writing Rules
Blossoms on the pear
  • Line 1:  5 syllables
A woman in the moonlight
  • Line 2:  7 syllables
Waits for someone there
  • Line 3:  5 syllables
 
  • First letter of each line is a capital letter
 
  • No end punctuation
 
  • Poem should not rhyme
 
  • Write 3 Haiku
 

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ARTWORK

  • Write 3 Haiku poems
  • Write poem in the middle of the paper
  • Do string art around the poem.  Make abstract designs.  Do this for two poems.
  • Use your coloring utensils to make abstract designs around  your third poem. 

 

Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of the first letter or sound in two or more words in a line or phrase.  Sometimes poets repeat sound for effect.  You may be familiar with these examples: 

My sister Susie sells seashells by the seashore. . .  or  . . . How much dew could a dewdrop drop if a dewdrop could drop dew?. . . or . . . Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Sample Poem

 Writing Rulues
D   Darling Debbie dances delightfully.
  • Each line is 4 words in length
E   Eager eggs exhibit earrings.
  • First word is an Adjective
B   Bouncy bunnies blow bubbles.
  • Second word is a Noun
B   Brave boys break boats.
  • Third word is a Verb
I     Icky igloos irritate Indians.
  • Fourth word is a Noun or Adverb
E   Exciting elbows eat eloquently.
  • Your name is written vertically
 
  • Each letter of name will represent beginning sound for each word in the sentence.
 
  • Use only your name in poem and must also be in first line.
 
  • Each word in line must begin with the same sound
 
  • Sentences may be silly.
 
  • Must be grammatically correct.
 
  • Capitalize the first letter of each line and all proper nouns
 
  • Period at the end of each sentence. 
 
  • Do not repeat any words. 
 
  • Write 2 Alliteration poems
 

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ARTWORK

  • Write 2 Alliteration poems.  One using your first name, the other using your last name.
  • Use Word Art to create your name down the left hand side of the paper.
  • Color and add designs to the letters of your name.
  • Write each sentence next to its corresponding letter. 
  • Do not use the Word Art letters as the first letter of each word. 
 

Circle Poem

A Circle poem is a poem in which the title "triggers" the word or phrase of your first line, which "triggers" the next line and so forth.  Try to surprise us with each new line, taking us on a rich trip through time, place, ideas, objects, colors, tastes, names, and so forth.  Your poem ends when your last line "circles back" to the beginning, showing a relationship with the title.  Each poem should consist of at least 10 lines.

Sample Poem Writing Rules:
Dairy Cows
  •  Each word begins with a capital letter.
Milk
  •  No punctuation
Calcium
  •  Minimum of 10 words per poem.
Bones
  •  Cannot repeat a word.
Humans
  •  May not use more than 2 names in each poem.
Pollution
  •  Write 2 Circle poems
Factories  
Assembly Line  
Henry Ford  
Vehicles  
Tractors  
Farm

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ARTWORK

  • Write 2 Circle Poems
  • One poem per page
  • Write poem down the center of page.
  • Find pictures of objects in poem to decorate page.
  • No drawings-may use magazine photos, actual photos, computer clip art
  • Minimum 2 pictures per poem.
 

           

                                                                                                           

Rhyming Poems  Poems which have end rhyme generally have a pattern or sequence in which this rhyme occurs.  The pattern can be labeled with a kind of alphabet shorthand.  Here's how it works:

The first sound is represented as a, the second sound is represented as b, and so on, as each new sound is introduced.  When the first sound is repeated, it is represented as a again.  We call the pattern of rhyme in a poem rhyme scheme.

                    Examples:

The year's at the spring a
And day's at the morn; b
Morning's at seven; c
The hillside's dew-pearled; d
The lark's on the wing; a
The snail's on the thorn; b
God's in his heaven-- c
All's right with the world! d

---Robert Browning                   

 

 

Couplets

Couplets are a "couple of lines" that rhyme.  A couplet has a rhyme scheme aa.  This means that the first line and the second line end in a word that rhymes.  Try to keep each line within one syllable of the other in order to keep the meter, or flow, of the poem.  One couplet equals two lines of poetry.  Below are three couplets. 

Sample Poem

 Writing Rules
Monday, March  7 was a day very cool,
  • The beginning of each line begins with a capital letter.
I put on my jacket before going to school.
  • The last word of each line must rhyme.
 
  • Each line must be within one syllable of the other.
I looked in my pockets to find a comb,
  • Each line needs to be five or more syllables.
But, lo and behold, I had left it at home.
  • Comma at the end of the first line.
 
  • Period at the end of the second line.
I went to the local County Fair,
  • Write 6 couplets.
When I arrived, no one was there.  
 

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ARTWORK

  • Write 6 Couplets
  • Two couplets will go on each sheet of paper.
  • Write one couplet at the top, center of each half.
  • Below each couplet, draw a picture of what is described in the couplet.
  • It's okay for artwork to look silly!
 

 

Clerihew

A clerihew is a short poem consisting of two couplets.  It is always about a famous person, whose name forms one of the lines.  Of course, since it is two couplets, the rhyme scheme is aabb.  The number of stresses per line can vary from line to line. 

Sample Poem

 Writing Rules
Edgar Allan Poe,
  • Lines 1 and 2 end with a word that rhymes.
Wrote of horrors and woe,
  • Lines 3 and 4 end with a word that rhymes.
And mysterious places full of doom,
  • All 4 lines DO NOT rhyme with each other.
He made great poetry out of gloom.
  • Each set of couplets is within 1 syllable of each other.
 
  • The second couplet has more syllables than the first couplet.
 
  • All lines need to be five or more syllables.
 
  • The beginning of each line begins with a capital letter.
 
  • Lines 1, 2, and 3 end with a comma.
 
  • Line 4 ends with a period.
 
  • Person's name needs to be in the first line, but does not need to be the ONLY words in that line.
 
  • Write 2 Clerihews--one about yourself, one about another person in the room.

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ARTWORK

  • Write 2 Clerihews.
  • One Clerihew is about yourself, one Clerihew is about someone else in the room.
  • Put one Clerihew on each sheet of paper.
  • Clerihews should be written on the left side of the paper, in the center.
  • On the page about another person, trace their hand on the right side of the paper.  Design the hand with colors, rings, and other fun designs.
  • On the page about yourself, find a fun design on the bottom of a shoe.  Step in some dirt, then step on the paper to get an imprint of the shoe design.  Use coloring utensils to outline the design and redesign the shoe print.

 

Epitaph

Long ago, before you and I were born, the epitaph was a very popular form of remembering a person on a tombstone.  The epitaph sort of summarized the person's life or accomplishments.  It was sometimes written by the person when he or she was still alive.  Other times, it was written for the deceased by a friend

Sample Poem

 Writing Rules
Here she lies all grim and pale,
  • Use the rules for writing a Clerihew.
When she died she broke a nail,
  • Person's name does not need to be in Epitaph.
If alive she would have fainted,
  • Write an Epitaph for yourself for far in the future.  You
Because she left her nails unpainted.            may include any future accomplishments, successes,
             or failures.

 
 

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 ARTWORK

  • Create and design your own tombstone in the center of the page.
  • Write the Epitaph in the middle of the tombstone.
  • Don't forget to add flowers and other decorations.
 

 

Quatrain

The Quatrain is the most common stanza form in English and, for some reason, is more easily read and created than some other stanza forms.  It consists of four rhymed lines.  The rhyme scheme we will be using is abab.

Sample Poem

 Writing Rules
I never saw a purple cow,
  • Lines 1 and 3 end with a word that rhymes.
          I never hope to see one,
  • Lines 2 and 4 end with a word that rhymes.
But, I can tell you anyhow,
  • All 4 lines DO NOT rhyme with each other.
         I'd rather see than be one.
  • All lines should be within one syllable of each other.

---Gelett Burgess
  • All lines should have five or more syllables.
  • The beginning of each line begins with a capital letter.
  • Lines 1, 2, and 3 end with a comma.
  • Line 4 ends with a period
  • Lines 2 and 4 are indented.
  • Write 2 Quatrain poems.
  • One poem is about events in the kitchen, the other  is about school.
 

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 ARTWORK

  • Write 2 Quatrain poem.
  • One poem is about events in the kitchen, the other is about school.
  • Write each poem in the center of the paper.
  • On the poem about the kitchen, trace common kitchen utensils found in your drawers at home.  Then give them fun designs and colors.
  • On the poem about school, trace some of your school supplies.  Give them fun designs and colors also. 
 

Limerick

The limerick is really the only form of poetry that is original to the English language.  I first appeared in Songs for the Nursery by Elizabeth Goose.  A limerick has five lines and in its most common form has a special rhyme scheme of aabba.

Sample Poem

 Writing Rules
There was an Old Man with a beard,
  • Lines 1, 2, and 5 end with a word that rhymes.
Who said, "It is just as I feared,"
  • Lines 1, 2, and 5 are within one syllable of each other.
          Two owls and a hen,
  • Lines 3 and 4 end with a word that rhymes.
          Four larks and a wren,
  • These lines are within one syllable of each other.
Have all build their nests in my beard!
  • Lines 3 and 4 are considerably shorter than lines 1, 2, and 5.

--Edward Lear
  • All lines need to have five or more syllables.
 
  • Each line begins with a capital letter
 
  • Lines 1, 2, 3, and 4 end with a comma.
 
  • Line 5 ends with a period, exclamation mark or question mark.
 
  • Lines 3 and 4 are indented and aligned with each other.
 
  • Write one Limerick.
   

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ARTWORK

  • Write one Limerick.
  • Write poem in the center of the page.
  • Using a crayon, go around the room and do texture rubbings.
  • Change colors and overlap textures.