Crapsey Cinquain and Some of Its Variations

[Tinker]

Explore the Craft of Writing
American Verse

Crapsey Cinquain and some of its Variations

Crapsey Cinquain, one of the most popular modern variations of the cinquain was created by the American poet Adelaide Crapsey, 1897-1914. In 1909 Ms Crapsey became interested in Japanese poetry. In her study notebook she lists tanka and haiku translations from which she developed a set form which she called the "Cinquain". In some poetic circles this form is referred to as the Crapsey or Crapsey Cinquain, in others, particularly on-line it is simply referred to as a Cinquain. (The latter could be misleading since technically the term "cinquain" is defined as any poem or stanza which is 5 lines.

The elements of the Crapsey Cinquain are:

1. a stand-alone poem, a complete poem in 5 lines. It can be written in a chain, but each cinquain should be able to stand alone.
2. syllabic lines in a pattern of 2-4-6-8-2 syllable per line. The original poems were mostly iambic.
3. often composed with a reflective theme
4. unrhymed.
5. always titled. The title almost acts as a 6th line.Triad by Adelaide Crapsey1910 from The Complete Poems" 1915

   These be                                                                          
   Three silent things:
   The falling snow...the hour
   Before the dawn...the mouth of one
   Just dead.

   Patriarch by Judi Van Gorder 12-5-10                                                                 The glue that held us close has gone at ninety five. Today he closed his clear blue eyes and died.

   Parent by Judi Van Gorder 9-14-02 Behave! Manners are required, hooligans not welcome. Mother reminds rowdy children, with love.

   
   didactic cinquain by Marti
   
   Forest
   Blue, hushed
   Dreaming, breathing, living
   Imperious in its beauty
   Sacred
    

The following are some variations on the form that I have run across in my research:

• Cinq Cinquain is a verse form of 5 Crapsey Cinquains written as 5 sequential stanzas.
   
• Butterfly Cinquain
   
• Cinquain Chain or Corona of Cinquains is stanzaic invented verse made up of a series of Crapsey Cinquains linked in a chain or corona by the last line of each cinquain repeated as the first line of the next cinquain.

  Headline by Judi Van Gorder
  
  A child
  is yanked from play
  while frightened playmates stare;
  the thief flies in a blue Honda,
  somewhere. . .
  
  somewhere,
  the mother begs
  for her child's safe return;
  lights and microphones shadow her,
  hopeful...
  
  hopeful
  deputies search,
  pressing every bell;
  a body is found, thrown down, neck
  broken
  
  broken,
  a rookie cop
  fights tears and wipes his eyes,
  then rushes home to hold his own,
  a child.

• Badger's Hexastich is a fun variation of the Crapsey Cinquain invented by our own Badger. It simply expands the cinquain to another line and 2 more syllables.  The elements of the Badger's Hexastich are:
  1. a poem in 6 lines.
  2. syllabic, 2-4-6-6-4-2.
  3. unrhymed, optional rising and falling end-words.

     reading, rooted in mind, not tasting ripe berries,     the oozing summer window open, waiting ~~Phil Wood

     First flight, small granddaughter visits Grandma with Dad,      Mom, brother and sisters in soccer play-offs back home. --Judi Van Gorder

     Happy for no reason. But who needs a reason to smile and laugh and sing? Who needs prompting? Not I. ~~ Mordee2 at Writing.com

• Garland of Cinquains is a series of 6 Crapsey Cinquains with the 6th and last cinquain made up of lines from the previous cinquains. L1 of the poem is L1 stanza 6, L2 of the 2nd stanza is L2 of the stanza 6, L3 of the third stanza is L3 of the stanza 6 etc.
   
• Cinquain Swirl is an invented verse form based on 2 or more Crapsey Cinquains syllable count written without breaks using L5 of each cinquain as L1 of the next cinquain. When centered on the page the lines form a swirling effect.
  1. Writing.com Syllable count is 2-4-6-8-2-4-6-8-2-4-6-8-2 etc. It can be written in any number of lines that complete the 2-4-6-8-2 cycle.
  2. At Poet's Garrett L1 of the first cinquain is repeated as the 2 syllable line similar to a refrain throughout the poem. 2-4-6-8-2-4-6-8-2 It can be written in any number of lines that complete the 2-4-6-8-2-4-6-8-2 cycle.
      
• Cinquino is, what seems to me, a gimmicky invented verse form that reverses the syllable count of the Crapsey Cinquain. It was found in a book on poetry for teachers and was created by a 20th century American educator James Neille Northe.   The elements of the Cinquino are:
  1. a poem in 5 lines.
  2. syllabic, 2-8-6-4-2 syllables per line.
  3. unrhymed

     I Am                                                                     Holiday Travel by Judi Van Gorder
     
     alone
     time flies on flitting fairy wings
     up down and all around
     I am here now
     alive
                    ~~ jvg

• Mirror Cinquain simply doubles the Crapsey Cinquain. The elements are:
  1. decastich (10 line poem)
  2. syllabic, 2-4-6-8-2-2-8-6-4-2 syllables per line.
  3. unrhymed.
  4. titled.
      
• The Pensee found in the Caulkins Handbook stresses exact syllable count and strong end words. This invented verse form was first introduced by American poet and educator, Alice Spokes. It can be found on line at Instant Poetry Forms for Kids  The elements of the Pensee are:
  1. a pentastich, a poem in 5 lines.
  2. syllabic, 2-4-7-8-8 syllables per line.
  3. unrhymed.
  4. titled.

     Memorial by Judi Van Gorder

     Soldiers
     lost in battle,
     boys sent to war, die as men.
     Our security and freedom
     paid at the cost of their future.

  • Quintiles are multiples of Crapsey Cinquains that center on a similar theme. Any number of cinquains may be gathered and since not otherwise addressed, I assume the different stanzas of this stanzaic invented form may be written by different poets, much like the Renga.
     
  • Reverse Cinquain, an invented verse form, is a backward Crapsey Cinquain reversing the syllable count to 2-8-6-4-2 per line.

[Tinker]

Crapsey Cinquain

Bird Watching 

Warbler
sings melody
to stir the lust to mate
They build a twig home in the trees,
fledglings
      ~~Judi Van Gorder      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tinker]

Measuring Time

iPhone
links to wristwatch
monitors blood pressure,
steps taken and sleep quality
tick tock
                   jvg