Diamante poetry is an interesting way to explore oppositions, relationships, and contrasts in a simple structured format. These diamond-shaped poems blend different ideas in a creative way in only seven lines.
Here we will walk you through some steps, create a poem, share examples for inspiration, and provide free printable templates to inspire your students’ creativity.
Also, fill out the form on this page to receive our free printable bundle, five of which worksheets are available for all the poems below!
Diamante’s poem explains
The Dimante Poem is a seven-line poem that has the shape of a diamond. This word Diamante From the Italian word “diamond”, it reflects the shape of the poem. It is designed to explore contrasts, relationships or opposites using concise, powerful language, and is an excellent tool for students to practice descriptive writing.
Diameters do not require rhyme, they come in two types: synonyms (the starting point and the end noun are similar) and antonym Diamantes (the starting point and the end noun are opposite).
“The Rules of Dimante’s Poems”
- A total of seven lines.
- There is a word (noun) on the first and seventh lines.
- There are two words (adjectives) on the second and sixth lines.
- There are three words in the third and fifth lines (the verb ends with -ing).
- There are four words on the fourth line (this is a transition line, so the first two words must be related to the words in line 1, and the second word will be related to the words in line 7).
This structure is visually engaging and educational, enhancing students’ understanding of synonyms and antonyms in a creative way.
How to write a poem
With these simple steps, let the children write their own eye-catching diametric poems.
Step 1 – Select two relative or related nouns
Choose two opposing or related nouns. For example, for the antonyms, “sun”, “moon”, “dog” and “cat” are good choices. For synonyms, “flowers”, “tulips”, “pits” and “ocean” work. These two nouns will be the focus of the poem and help emphasize their relationship.
Step 2 – Brainstorming Related Words
Brainstorming adjectives, verbs and phrases are related to two chosen nouns. Create a list of words that describe nouns, focusing on the qualities, movements, and emotions they evoke. This will help to establish a solid foundation for writing this poem.
Step 3 – Follow the structure of diameter
Diamante poetry follows a specific structure, where a certain number is used to describe two relative or related nouns. Use this simple structure to guide the creation of Diamante poems:
- Line 1: Noun (Subject 1)
- Line 2: Two adjectives describing line 1
- Line 3: Three action verbs related to Line 1
- Line 4: Four nouns (This is a transitional line, so the first two words must be related to topic 1 and the second word will be related to topic 2 in line 7.)
- Line 5: Three action verbs related to Line 2
- Line 6: Two adjectives describing line 2
- Line 7: Noun (Subject 2)
Step 4 – Write a poem
Start writing your diameter poem using the structure of step 3 and the brainstorming words of step 2. Focus on creating smooth flow from line 1 to line 7. Consider how words transition between the first and second topics.
Step 5 – Add the final touch
After writing the poem, please review it. Are there more powerful words to enhance poetry? Does it highlight the relationship or contrast between two nouns? Make adjustments to improve flow, spacing and word selection for a more influential final work.
Diamante Poetry Examples and Template
These examples help students visualize what they create when inspiring creativity. They demonstrate how to connect or contrast two words with exact connections or contrasts, which makes elementary, middle and high school students an engaging activity.
Free printable diameter poem template
Need help getting started? Download our free templates to guide your students in creating diamond-shaped poems. Just click the button below to get our free printable bundle with a worksheet for all five poem examples above.
