CPC #8: Butterfly Cinquain

Cinquain Poetry Challenge #8

The Butterfly Cinquain

I’ve seen many Butterfly Cinquains in the years I’ve been blogging, so I know this isn’t a new form to most of you. For that reason, I’ll be brief—and I’ll expect lots of participation! 😀

The Butterfly Cinquain isn’t really a cinquain at all. It is a nonostich (9-line poem) and uses the syllable count of the Crapsey Cinquain and then reverses it, dropping one of the center lines, hence the misnomer.

Another way you might think of it is as a Mirror Cinquain minus one of the 2-syllable lines from the middle. But whereas the Mirror Cinquain may be centered or justified to the right or left margins, the Butterfly Cinquain is required to be centered.

So in summary, the Butterfly Cinquain is:

•  A nonostich (9-line poem) written in a single stanza
•  Syllabic count: 2-4-6-8-2-8-6-4-2
•  Unrhymed
•  Must be centered on the page

Sample:

The sample below is my own. It’s kind of my version of “My Favorite Things.” And, yes, it was written in winter. I know it’s spring now, but some folks still have snow hanging around. I hope you won’t be too upset with me for the reminder of cold winds and white stuff. I’ve been sick, so I have neither the time nor the energy to write a new poem right now. 😉

Splendor

red doors
and icicles
snowflakes on my window
sunlight glittering on the snow
fireside
togetherness with my loved ones
the laughter of children
singing wind chimes
friendship

Copyright © 2019 Abigail Gronway – All Rights Reserved

Write Your Own

Now it’s time for you to write your own Butterfly Cinquain.

1. 1. Write your poem.
   2. Publish to your blog.
   3. Come back here and click the link to add your post to the linkup.
   4. Encourage your friends to join the party!
   5. Read other people’s posts and leave a comment.

   You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

   Click here to enter