[A. E. Stallings]

Of course, I can churn out a bad sonnet in 10 minutes, but that doesn't necessariy reflect on the sonnet...

Anyway, I'm not wild about any of the examples, but I'm not persuaded that good poetry cannot be written in this form. Any arbitrary rules can be put to good use by a good poet. Take syllabics of Marianne Moore, no less arbitrary in syllable count than these. Doesn't Verlaine say a poet must invent even his obstacles?

And Michael, surely you are just adding to the "considerable clatter" by this thread! You have perversely insured talk on the cinquain will continue into another week!