A cinquain is a five-line poem that follows a specific syllable or word count pattern. The most common form, known as the American Cinquain, consists of lines with 2, 4, 6, 8, and 2 syllables, respectively. This structure allows poets to express ideas concisely while maintaining a rhythmic flow. Another variation is the didactic cinquain, which is based on a word count rather than syllables. In this form, the first line is a noun, the second line consists of two adjectives, the third line has three verbs, the fourth line is a four-word phrase, and the fifth line returns to a synonym of the noun. This format encourages creativity and clarity in expression.