LanturneThe
lanturne (or
lanterne) is a five-line light verse evidently derived from Haiku and shaped like a Japanese lantern (hence the name) with a syllabic pattern of 1 2 3 4 1 syllables. Sometimes described as a
half-cinquain there seems to be no particular requirement for subject matter, though the original intention may have been a statement of nature.
Generally, each line is a self-contained statement, such that the poem is not merely a sentence arbitrarily divided into syllables. Some suggest that the form should begin with a noun, with line 2 giving an action or description of the noun and lines 3 & 4 each giving a further description, and the 5th line offering another word for the noun, though not necessarily a synonym or even a noun. The form may or may not have a title, but it can be an integral part as the ‘sixth line’ of the poem.
snow
adrift
covering
ice where it may
fall
© MLee Dickens'son 25 Feb 2005
nose
sensing
what eye can’t
seeks to acquire
skill
© MLee Dickens'son 22 Feb 2005
naught
I ’ d r e a d
echoed sense
to comprehend
aught
© MLee Dickens'son 27 Feb 2005
food for thought
sleep
eschews
leaves quickly
with morning's break
fast
© MLee Dickens'son 24 March 2005