Elementary Technimetrics

Inspired by a recent event in which my child had an assignment....

 

Darling elf child with knitted brow today

Stared in wonder at what got him that way

Unburden himself of his homework task

Just what is a Cinquain he plead to ask

Taken by surprise WHAT what did you say

 

This thing a Cinquain I have to write one

By this Friday I must have it all done

Could this be true what I have just been told

Child is a wisp under seven years old

UGH Iambic Pentameter I would have none

 

Iambic Pentameter what is that

A way to fence the poet in I spat

It is often used in English Cinquain

And frankly my dear it is quite a pain

So you and I son will steamroll it flat

 

But mommy if that is what the rules say

We should be writing the poem that way

Dear boy I know just what will do the trick

A technicality called Limerick

A Cinquain of sorts with more room to play

 

April 2008

Reviews

[R J Askew]

To my amazement and dismay my wife told me about kids in classes in Britain being told about haikus and got to write them at the age of about six. Now, I thinks to myself, can these kids actually read yet, let alone work out what a syllable is. And as for getting them to attempt a very, very, very stupid form. I think haikus must just be fashionable right now. You can put any old rubbish down and slap excuse it by saying ah, but glasshopper, it is a high coo. I really don't think there is any point teaching young kids about metre. I'd never want to read another poem in my life if it were me. Hurrumph!

I feel so sorry for your nipper! A cinquain! Madess!

[Gary H]

Well done. Nicely written with a touch of humour in the words and construction. Amazingly I have just been on a writing class that was supposed to teach me about writing novels. Instead the class prefered to write poetry and discuss different types. But does anyone read poetry anymore? How many people actually read for entertainment? I'm not being a cynic here but there's too much happening in many peoples lives for them to be captured by a perfect ode. Perhaps it's good to teach kids how to write in a format but is this practical for their future?
These are just thoughts that the poem threw out.

[W.k.kortas]

It's not enough to make a six-year-old color inside the lines, now they all have to be junior Brownings and Coleridges as well....nicely tongue-in-cheek.

[Susan S.]

And all this time I thought a Limerick was harder because you have to get both the meter AND the rhyme right! Have you joined the Limerick group yet?

[Robert Luna]

I will have to go look that up because i have no idea what that is. LOL. But I really enjoyed this piece and the interaction of you and your son. Made this feel very real and quite enjoyable. I wish you both luck and now I am going to look that up. I feel a bit silly. Oh well.

Well Done!!!!!!