Walking by Inner Vision Journal – Writing Assignment #15

“Pachysandra Gifts”

Introducing:  The Diamante Poem

(The Diamond Poem) In Italian, the word “Diamante” means “diamond.”

The unique 7-Line STRUCTURE of the Diamante poem will give it the appearances of a diamond shape.

I like this form so much for it is a work of art created from words and line structure.  I give my poem a modernist flair by eliminating punctuation or rhyme.  My preference is for a clean look and I allow my readers to create meaning as they read the poem because I am not giving directions for reading it via punctuation or rhyme. Therefore, we are co-creators in the process of the poem and it’s reading. This notion is very exciting to me!

If  you choose similar nouns for lines 1 and 7 it will be a SYNONYM Diamante Poem.

If you choose opposing Nouns for lines 1 and 7 it will be an ANTONYM Diamante Poem.

(My example is an antonym poem – my subjects are “Flower” and “vines.” As you move through the 7 lines of my Diamante poem, you will see that it moves from summer (flower) to winter (leaves).

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Here is the PATTERN for the Diamante Poem

Line 1:  One Noun (your subject is introduced in Line 1)

Line 2: Two DESCRIBING  words (Adjectives) about Line 1

Line 3:  Three DOING words (Verbs) about Line 1

Line 4: A short phrase about Line 1 AND a short phrase about Line 7

Line 5: Three DOING words (verbs)  about Line 7

Line 6: Two DESCRIBING words (Adjectives) about Line 7

Line 7: One Noun (this is the final subject of the poem)

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As instructed in Writing Assignment #14, you will use your short essay to write this poem. Refer back to Writing Assignment #14 to gather your images and information for this poem.  I will use the short essay I published in the last article to create my sample poem for you!

Pachysandra Gifts

by Lynda McKinney Lambert

flower

perky white

grow bloom flourish

pachysandra gifts dead to the world

shrivel wither sleep

crisp brown

vines

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Lynda McKinney Copyright 2015. All Rights Reserved.