Photograph by John Francis Peters / NYT via Redux

the wall
will be built
come hell, come high
water, paid for by
our soul

~kat

A cinqku must always have 5 lines and a perfect seventeen-syllable count. The lines typically follow a 2,3,4,6,2 format. There is no title requirement on the second line. As for syntax and diction styles, it follows the free Tanka style originally. There are no metric requirements for a cinqku poem. Additionally, the final line must contain a cinquain or kireji turn for emphasis. 

Catching up…for September’s short form, I’ll be exploring the Cinqku. (Read the description below.)

1-

maybe
tomorrow,
usually
means never…but there is
one day

2-

tempests
rage wildly
it’s what they do
its victims, helpless still,
ask why

~kat
(Thoughts for those affected by the hurricane…may they be safe.)

A cinqku must always have 5 lines and a perfect seventeen-syllable count. The lines typically follow a 2,3,4,6,2 format. There is no title requirement on the second line. As for syntax and diction styles, it follows the free Tanka style originally. There are no metric requirements for a cinqku poem. Additionally, the final line must contain a cinquain or kireji turn for emphasis.