Shackled, or: Flowing

Posted on by ben Alexander 
Shackles
Cold Restraining
Chilling Locking Binding
Inescapably bound in place
Cable
Round Connected
Coiling Twisting Looping
Securely wrapping all around
Bracelet
Pretty Shiny
Sparkling Glinting Twinkling
An attractive wrist ornament
Trinket
Tiny Worthless
Hanging Dangling Swinging
Only for sentimental folks
Trifle
Paltry Little
Piddling Trifling Niggling
Utterly worthless minor thing
Fragment
Shattered Pointed
Piercing Cutting Stinging
Greater picture remains hidden
Portion
Lot Separate
Parting Taking Giving
Different for every person
Fortune
Wealthy Elite
Boasting Owning Spending
Far beyond mere security
Plenty
Nice Comforting
Soothing Saving Freeing
Enough for all emergencies
Torrent
Wet Powerful
Gushing Bursting Flooding
Tremendous deluge overcomes all
Outflow
Swift Measured
Streaming Rolling Pounding
Water and language similar
Poem

I’ve been experimenting with various forms of poetry of late, and I came upon the ‘cinquain’. At its core, the ‘cinquain’ is a five line poem. There are, of course, variations; and I settled upon the following rules, as a challenge to myself:

  • Line 1: One word, two syllables (a noun, the subject of the poem)
  • Line 2: Two words, four syllables (adjectives that describe the subject in line 1)
  • Line 3: Three words, six syllables (-ing action verbs–participles–that relate to the subject in line 1)
  • Line 4: Four words, eight syllables (a phrase or sentence that relates feelings about the subject in line 1)
  • Line 5: One word, two syllables (a synonym for the subject in line 1 or a word that sums it up)

I was immediately struck by the fact that the 5th line of a cinquain (according to the above rules) takes the very same form as the 1st line (i.e. one word, two syllables), which led me to wonder… how many cinquains could I reasonably manage to string together?

My goal, I decided, would be to start with the word ‘shackles’ and somehow get myself to the word ‘poem’.

57 thoughts on “Shackled, or: Flowing”

    1. you know, FF, I actually think this is a legitimate philosophical question – for me, the poem was actually both of these things at once!

      thank you so much for your support, kind Sir!

      -David

      1. I find that it was intentionally bound and uncontrollably fluid. I think you have managed to capture these words- then set them free.
        You are welcome to all my support! Thank you in turn, for yours as well!

        ~FF

      1. Aww that’s so sweet of you to say. I’m enjoying your exploration of poetry forms. I’m inspired ( and tempted:) to try

  7. Wow, this sounds like a challenge, but I love what you’ve done with it! Perhaps I’ll set it as an EIF poetry challenge if I can get the hang of it myself first 😅

  9. I love the cinquain form! You’ve cracked it here for sure. Well written!

  10. Yes, I like it very much, the philosophical is there. Most notably in the comparisons (implied or expressed) between water and poetry. Nicely penned. How your images progressed from “shackles” to “poem”…amazing 🙏😊👍

    1. Thanks, Suzette 🙂

      You know, that was actually (to be even more specific) my goal – I figured if I could somehow get from ‘shackles’ to some word related to ‘flowing’ — then I could end it with ‘poem’… and it seems you saw that right away 🙂

      Yours,
      David

  14. Wow that is a crazy idea and I love how it really worked for the poem so well. Never thought playing around with structures and forms of poetry could seem so much fun. This is fascinating! 🤩💕

  16. Glasses
    Magnified sight
    Looking zooming seeing
    Yay, finally seeing clearly
    Eyeglass

    Gah, this is HARD! You did it awesomely

    1. With all the online dictionaries and thesauruses available today, it’s much easier than it once was… can you imagine doing this without any reference books? 🤯

      ❤
      David

  18. you nailed the format but better still its like a cascade with deep profound meaning when you string this lot together … well done!

    1. Thanks so much, Eilidh!

      This isn’t related, but you have a lovely name – I’d never seen it before. (I had to look it up 🙂 )

      Yours,
      David

  21. A nice play on the poetic form. You were very unshackled on this one!
    I love your opening lines…
    Shackles
    Cold Restraining
    Chilling Locking Binding
    Inescapably bound in place

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