Quatrain Poems

QuatrainsQuatrains

Investigate for yourself, and soon you will be creating your own!

Investigate for yourself, and soon you will be creating your own!…click on the snowflake in the lower right corner in order to

continue along in this activity?

What is a Quatrain?

The word “quatrain” is related to some other words you know that have the “quad” prefix which means “????”. Look at the picture for another hint.

Quatrain Patterns:

Just like visual patterns are pleasing to the eye, auditory patterns in Quatrains can be pleasing to the ear.

Quatrain Patterns:

Quatrains follow an identifiable pattern based upon the last word in each line.

Quatrain Patterns:

Let’s take a look at four of those possible patterns. Click on each pattern for a sample Quatrain by a famous Poet.

AABC

ABAB

ABCB

AABB

“The Tyger”By William Blake

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright

In the forests of the night

What immortal hand or eye

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

Can you see the pattern?

“The Tyger”By William Blake

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright A

In the forests of the night A

What immortal hand or eye B

Could frame thy fearful symmetry? C

The first two lines end with the same sounding word so they are both called “A.” The third line ends with a word that doesn’t rhyme so it is called “B.” The last line ends with a word that doesn’t rhyme with A or B so it is given the letter “C.”

“Look Before You Leap”By Auden

The sense of danger must not disappear

The way is certainly both short and steep

How ever gradual it looks from here

Look if you like, but you will have to leap

Can you see the pattern?

“Look Before You Leap”By Auden

The sense of danger must not disappear A

The way is certainly both short and steep B

How ever gradual it looks from here A

Look if you like, but you will have to leap B

In this Quatrain, the first and third lines rhyme, so they are both called “A.” The second and fourth lines also rhyme, but not with the first and third, so they are called “B.”

“The Wife of Usher’s Well”

Author Unknown

There lived a wife at Usher’s well

And a wealthy wife was she

She had three strong and healthy sons

And slept while they were out at sea

Can you see the pattern?

“The Wife of Usher’s Well”

Author Unknown

There lived a wife at Usher’s well A

And a wealthy wife was she B

She had three strong and healthy sons C

And slept while they were out at sea B

In this Quatrain, the first line is called “A,” but it doe not rhyme with the any other line in the poem. The second and fourth lines rhyme and are called “B,” and the third line which, again, does not rhyme with any other line is called “C.”

“The Mountain”Donna Brock

The mountain frames the sky

As a shadow of an eagle flies by

With clouds hanging at it’s edge

A climber proves his courage on its rocky ledge

Can you see the pattern?

“The Mountain”Donna Brock

The mountain frames the sky A

As a shadow of an eagle flies by A

With clouds hanging at it’s edge B

A climber proves his courage on its rocky ledge B

In this last Quatrain sample, the first two lines rhyme and are given the letter “A.” The third and fourth lines rhyme and are given the letter “B.”

Quatrain Patterns:

So, how did you do…can you identify patterns on your own?

Continue on and give it a try. Click the snowflake to continue…

Identifying Patterns:

In the next section, you will demonstrate your ability to correctly identify the patterns of some sample Quatrains. If you identify them correctly, you may click the snowflake to continue…if you make a mistake, you will be asked to try again.

Good luck, watch those ending words!!!!

Pattern PracticePattern Practice

Snowman BluesSnowman Blues

Building a snowman out in the sunBuilding a snowman out in the sun

Working real hard, but having such funWorking real hard, but having such fun

Seeing him rise right out of the snowSeeing him rise right out of the snow

Three days later, he’s H2OThree days later, he’s H2O

Snowman BluesSnowman Blues

Building a snowman out in the sunBuilding a snowman out in the sun

Working real hard, but having such funWorking real hard, but having such fun

Seeing him rise right out of the snowSeeing him rise right out of the snow

Three days later, he’s H2OThree days later, he’s H2O

Click on the snowman that shows the correct pattern

ABBA ABCB AABB

Writing to Specific Patterns:

In the last section, you will demonstrate your ability to correctly complete quatrains using a specific pattern. Look at the pattern first, then decide which word should be used to complete the specified pattern.

Good luck, watch those ending words!!!!

Finishing QuatrainsFinishing Quatrains

Pattern = ABABPattern = ABAB

At the sea I’ll wait on my kneesAt the sea I’ll wait on my knees

As I watch for scattered shellsAs I watch for scattered shells

On the beach I’ll feel the _______On the beach I’ll feel the _______

As I listen to the bellsAs I listen to the bells

Pattern = ABABPattern = ABAB

At the sea I’ll wait on my kneesAt the sea I’ll wait on my knees

As I watch for scattered shellsAs I watch for scattered shells

On the beach I’ll feel the _______On the beach I’ll feel the _______

As I listen to the bellsAs I listen to the bells

Click on the snowman above the word that correctly completes this Quatrain

sand smells breeze

That’s not it…Choose a word the correctly fits into the pattern…is it supposed to match another word? Look closely.

Finishing QuatrainsFinishing Quatrains

Pattern = AABBPattern = AABB

Do we really ever know what we should____?Do we really ever know what we should____?

Can I tell any better than you?Can I tell any better than you?

What we need to do is give our best tryWhat we need to do is give our best try

Then we can look everyone in the eye.Then we can look everyone in the eye.

Pattern = AABBPattern = AABB

Do we really ever know what we should____?Do we really ever know what we should____?

Can I tell any better than you?Can I tell any better than you?

What we need to do is give our best tryWhat we need to do is give our best try

Then we can look everyone in the eye.Then we can look everyone in the eye.

Click on the snowman above the word that correctly completes this Quatrain

do lie wear

That’s not it…Choose a word the correctly fits into the pattern…is it supposed to match another word? Look closely.

GREAT JOB!!!!LET’S TRY TO COMPLETE ONE MORE QUATRAIN!

That’s not it…Choose a word the correctly fits into the pattern…is it supposed to match another word? Look closely.

GREAT JOB!!!!NOW, SHOW ME WHAT YOU KNOW!CLICK ON THE SNOWMAN!

When you have completed the 2nd worksheet, close the worksheet, click on the slide to return to the show, and click on the snowflake to end this activity.