Cinq is the French word for "five". A cinquain is a short, five-line, nonrhyming poem which follows the following format:
First line - The title (one word)
2nd line - Describes the title (two words)
3rd line - Express action (three words)
4th line - A feeling or thought (four words)
5th line - A synonym for the title or a word close in meaning to it.
In this variation the lines depend on parts of speech and syllables. The pattern is:
1st line - one noun of 2 syllables
2nd line - adjectives with a total of 4 syllables that describe the noun
3rd line - words showing action and having a total of 6 syllables (-ing words work well)
4th line - words with a total of 8 syllables that tell how you feel about the noun
5th line - Another noun of 2 syllables that makes you think of the first noun
