menu Language Is A Virus

Poem Builder

The Poem Builder will show you 3 flip cards to help you build a poem.

  1. The first card reveals the subject of the poem, a spark to ignite the imagination.
  2. The second card suggests a poetic form, a structure within which to shape the words.
  3. And the third card offers a bounty of language, a treasure trove of words to be woven into the fabric of the poem.

Hover over each image below to reveal the choices:

Look below the flip cards for the poetic form definition and how-to.

Subject:

Write about:

The meaning of life

Poem Form:

In this format:

Cinquain Poem

Definition: A cinquain poem is a five-line poem that follows a specific syllable pattern (2-4-6-8-2) and often follows a specific theme or subject. This format allows for a concise and focused expression of a specific idea or emotion.

How-to: Distill your thoughts and feelings into a concise and focused expression. Take a single idea or emotion and to explore it through the structure of a five-line poem. The structure of the cinquain is an important part of the poem. Notice the way the words interact with each other, and the way they create a precise and focused expression of a specific idea or emotion.

(definition below images)

Words:

Use these words:

  1. dawn
  2. snow
  3. sweat
  4. snow
  5. darken
  6. rattle
  7. smoke
  8. hectic
  9. dank
  10. painted

Cinquain Poem

Definition: A cinquain poem is a five-line poem that follows a specific syllable pattern (2-4-6-8-2) and often follows a specific theme or subject. This format allows for a concise and focused expression of a specific idea or emotion.

How-to: Distill your thoughts and feelings into a concise and focused expression. Take a single idea or emotion and to explore it through the structure of a five-line poem. The structure of the cinquain is an important part of the poem. Notice the way the words interact with each other, and the way they create a precise and focused expression of a specific idea or emotion.