*Prologue:
In this lecture on
Acrostic Poems, my piece titled "HONEY" was used as one of the examples to explain to the
college students of Words, Rhymes and Rhythms College of Poetry what the style
is all about. I’m honored to be so lined up among some poetry greats like Edgar
Allan Poe and John Keats…
Please check the lecture notes below.
ACROSTICS
POETRY: DEFINITIONS, EXAMPLES & NOTES… By Kukogho
Iruesiri Samson on November 21, 2014
An acrostic poem is a type of poetry
where the first, last or other letters in the poems lines spell out a
particular word or phrase, which is oftentimes the title of the poem.
They are fun to write and the common
type is where the first letters of each line of a poem spell out a word or
phrase.
Personally, I find it useful when
writing poems for friends on occasions like birthdays.
Acrostics are
playful
contrivances of prose or verse
rendered so that each line
opens or closes with words in
sequence to read from
top to bottom, their
initial or final letters
constituting a word or phrase.
— Ned Halley, Dictionary of Modern English Grammar. Wordsworth, 2005
contrivances of prose or verse
rendered so that each line
opens or closes with words in
sequence to read from
top to bottom, their
initial or final letters
constituting a word or phrase.
— Ned Halley, Dictionary of Modern English Grammar. Wordsworth, 2005
Though the typical acrostic uses the
first letters of a line are used to spell the message, the words formed can
appear anywhere:
- At the beginning of lines
- At the end of lines
- In the middle of the lines
Examples
— FEAR
Frightening
Eerie and strange
Anxiety rises
Ready to flee
— Tijjani Muhammad Musa ‘HONEY’
(first letter word)
Howsoever I may wish to come
Over to your heart for comfort
Never will I be fulfilled, until I can
Enter into your smile, upon which
Yesterday gave birth to our love today.
Howsoever I may wish to come
Over to your heart for comfort
Never will I be fulfilled, until I can
Enter into your smile, upon which
Yesterday gave birth to our love today.
— POEM (internal word)
Pick uP a pen
Think of a tOpic
Be crEative
Use your iMagination
Pick uP a pen
Think of a tOpic
Be crEative
Use your iMagination
— STAR (end letter word)
Shines and twinkleS
In the nighT
There is a plethorA
Forever and eveR
Shines and twinkleS
In the nighT
There is a plethorA
Forever and eveR
Examples from the Greats:
— Edgar Allan Poe ‘ELIZABETH’
Elizabeth it is in vain you say
“Love not” — thou sayest it in so sweet a way:
In vain those words from thee or L. E. L.
Zantippe’s talents had enforced so well:
Ah! if that language from thy heart arise,
Breathe it less gently forth — and veil thine eyes.
Endymion, recollect, when Luna tried
To cure his love — was cured of all beside —
His folly — pride — and passion — for he died.
Elizabeth it is in vain you say
“Love not” — thou sayest it in so sweet a way:
In vain those words from thee or L. E. L.
Zantippe’s talents had enforced so well:
Ah! if that language from thy heart arise,
Breathe it less gently forth — and veil thine eyes.
Endymion, recollect, when Luna tried
To cure his love — was cured of all beside —
His folly — pride — and passion — for he died.
— John Keats ‘KEATS’
Kind sister! aye, this third name says you are;
Enchanted has it been the Lord knows where;
And may it taste to you like good old wine,
Take you to real happiness and give
Sons, daughters and a home like honied hive.
Kind sister! aye, this third name says you are;
Enchanted has it been the Lord knows where;
And may it taste to you like good old wine,
Take you to real happiness and give
Sons, daughters and a home like honied hive.
Can you try to write a poem with
your name and submit as a comment here?
Written with help from:
Young Writers
Grammar.About.Com
YourDictionary.com
Young Writers
Grammar.About.Com
YourDictionary.com
Source: http://college.wrr.ng/acrostics-definitions-examples-notes/
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