Tulip Test Gardens Journal Entry Cinquains Turning Observations into Poetry Opening your senses to the world around you is an important skill for scientists and artists alike. Sights, smells, textures and sounds all make up the intricate picture that surrounds any object we set out to explore. Things once unnoticed take on powerful importance when captured in notes and images. Let your journal pages be a springboard to creativity. Quiet observations often reveal rich word content and material for poetic expression. Take a walk with your journal. Focus your exploration on any particular topic you choose; the season, the playground, or a nature trail. Use your senses and record your observations. Change Your Observations into Poetry Here is a simple form of poetry called a cinquain (SIN cane). Cinquains are a great way to get started with poetry because they are formula poetry. These poems contain 22 syllables in a 2-4-6-8-2 syllable pattern. Here is a suggested idea for the text: first line: two syllables (stating the title) second line: four syllables (describing the topic) third line: six syllables (expressing an action) fourth line: eight syllables (expressing a feeling) fifth line: two syllables (another word for the title) Allison Bailey's students from Citrus Elementary School in Vero Beach, FL wrote some cinquains about springtime in honor of the Spring Equinox. Here are a couple of the poems they shared: Spring Time Longer days come Blowing wind tomorrow Animals are getting happy Spring day by Michael T. Spring Time Plants, butterflies Laying eggs, eggs soon hatch Curious cygnets and small kits Spring's here. by Maggie Good poets choose words carefully. They create powerful images when they use unexpected comparisons, repeat words and phrases, choose words for their sounds, recreate sounds, or select rhyming words. The process of writing poetry can be truly fulfilling to any writer. Follow the process you would for any writing project, starting with brainstorming, then go through first and second drafts. Once you have a draft you like, share it with another writer. You might decide to modify a word here or there to fine-tune your work. Try reading your poem to someone or sharing it with your class. Reading poetry aloud allows the poet to fully share the magic of the words they have selected. Try This! Write your own cinquains: Take a walk with your journal and write some of your observations. Write 3 or 4 cinquains using the observations you wrote down. Feel free to embelish with new words you find that offer richer sounds or help you describe. Celebrate with a class poetry reading, or publish a book of class poetry. Facebook Pinterest Twitter © 1997 – 2019 Journey North. All rights reserved.