November: 4/5 Day Monthly Writing Challenge

Inspiration

Try a quatrain today and see if it restricts or liberates - or some combination.

A quatrain is a four-line poem that can have the same number of syllables in each line to create rhythm. You might try an end-rhyme pattern like abab, aabb, abba, or abcb. The fifth line could follow the syllable and rhyming pattern or not.

Here is an excerpt from a longer poem made up of quatrains; notice each line has 6-7 syllables, and the end-rhyme is abcb (e.e., bank and sank rhyme: "Life is Fine" by Langston Hughes.

I went down to the river, a

I set down on the bank. b

I tried to think but couldn't, c

So I jumped in and sank. b

Guidance

• Here are some ideas for your quatrain. If you need help with rhyming, try this site. (I really hope some of you choose the last line option):

• What made you smile today?

• Can you tell me an example of kindness you saw/showed today?

• Did anyone do anything silly to make you laugh today?

• Did anyone cry today?

• Did anyone tell you "thank you" today?

• What made you laugh today?

• Tell us something you know today that you didn't know yesterday.

• Teach us something we don't know.

• What kind of person were you today?

• What made you feel loved today?

• If you switched places with your principal or administrator on the first day of school, what would you say or do with your staff/faculty?

Gap teeth and a little boy - (7) a

He smiles and leans on me. (7) b

I loop my arm around his back (7) c

His comfort is plain to see (7)b

While checking for ee and ea (7)