I found my book with "formulas". Some are well known, others were new to me.
I'm including them all since they may spark an idea with someone. :-)
* Cinquain - poem consisting of five lines, and each line has a mandatory
purpose and number of syllables: 1) the title in two syllables, 2) a
description of the title in four syllables, 3) a description of action in
six syllables, 4) a description of a feeling in eight syllables, and 5)
another word for the title in two syllables.
example: Forests
Graceful, growing
Climbing among clouds
Calmly awaiting the sunrise
Alive
* Diamante - poems are diamond shaped and consist of seven lines that follow
the following pattern:
noun
adjective adjective
participle participle participle
noun noun noun noun
participle participle participle
adjective adjective
noun
example: seed
small buried
growing breathing living
protection oxygen shade habitat
dying rotting crumbling
moist rich
soil
* Acrostic - poetry in which the first letter in each line, when read
vertically, spells out the name of somthing or conveys some other kind of
message
example: Towering
Reaching
Extending
Embracing the sky
* Windspark - poem has five lines with the following pattern: 1) "I
dreamed", 2) "I was..."(something or someone), 3) where, 4) an action and 5)
how
example:
I dreamed
I was a tree
On a hillside
Playing with the wind
Joyfully
These are some of my favorites. There is no rule that says you can't alter
poetry formulas, change them to fit your needs, interests, or intent.
~Michal
K-12 Kansas Art Teacher
http://www.geocities.com/theartkids
