Lanturne, 1-2-3-4-1 Options

[JustDaniel]

Lanturne

The 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