Quatrains - The Chicago Poetry Center

Quatrains

We took a look at a selection of the quatrains of Rumi–four-line untitled poems by the 13th-century Persian poet of immense popularity around the world. I gave the students a limitation of four lines and the use of a concrete, sensory image. We talked about how poetry can express an abstract idea in the form of some concrete image.

Room 320

Kassandra G. Ivan P.

was walking through the beach the sun is
setting the stars are almost visible you
sit down and feel the fresh air and think of what a good life you
have

Hillary C.

People are sad because they don’t
have a Valentine but some people don’t
even have a mother on Mother’s Day or
a father on Father’s Day.

Room 322

Moonlight Jennifer L.

moonlight shines down above my head
when I see the sky I know it’s awake
so now I’m awake with the moonlight
shining down

so I stare down the moon
and wait until the morning to come
but when the sun comes up
I start to smile

Spring Wendy S.

Everyone loves spring
It’s not so cold, yet not too warm.
The flowers begin to come out
and the sun smiles longer.

Chelsy R.

Love is like air
It goes all over and never stops
Once you lived through it you can’t forget
Someone special will fix your heart again

Room 314

Music Justin R.

In the train station I hear it playing
On the streets
In cars
Everywhere I go music is what I hear
It’s making me insane

Untitled Kiara L.

You were so happy and bubbly
But they broke you down
Every time they say something
I can see you losing a spark in your eyes

Happiness Turns into Sadness Matilda A.

It’s like a ray of sunshine
that is so bright
Feeling the cool breeze with a
smile on your face

Then you hear the worst
news of your life: your family
has moved away and left
you to stay in the U.S.A.