What forms and techniques can children and youth use to write poetry?
Throughout history poets from all over the world have developed and used a variety of forms and techniques. Today’s young poets can try using some of these: Traditional verse forms: Couplet — two lines that rhyme Tercet/triplet — three lines ending in the same rhyming sound. Quatrain — four lines with any metrical pattern or rhyme scheme. Cinquain — an unrhymed stanza in five lines totaling 22 syllables. The first line is 2 syllables; each of the next 3 lines is longer than the previous one; the last line returns to 2 syllables (Line 1 = 2 syllables, 2 = 4 syllables, 3 = 6 syllables, 4 = 8 syllables, and 5 = 2 syllables). Asian verse forms: Haiku — 3 unrhymed lines with 17 syllables – Line 1 = 5 syllables, 2 = 7 syllables, 3 = 5 syllables. Usually the content is related to nature or the seasons of the year and the haiku presents a single image. Senryu — like a haiku, the lines in this form follow a 5, 7, 5 pattern and the poem presents a single image. However, the subject of the poem i
