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Stephanos
Deputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Elite
since 2000-07-31
Posts 3618
Statesboro, GA, USA

0 posted 2000-09-17 04:46 PM


(I wrote this poem to express the fun I've had experimenting with acrostic techniques, and also the difficulties I've had with writing them well.  It's been my conviction that an acrostic should be a good poem apart from its acrostic element.  In other words, someone could read it without even knowing it was acrostic and say "that is a good poem".  It's hard to write them without mangling the content of the poetry just to fit the pre-determined word(s). )  A kind of Acrostic I've yet to be successful with is one that spells a word at the beginning of the lines and at the end of the lines.  Oh I'm sure I could write one, but the poem itself would be horrible!!!!  If anyone is interested, try this challenge and get back with me on it.  I'll be trying myself (let you know in a few years LOL!)


Acrostics have been worlds of fun.
Cramming verse and lines around
Ready written words that fell
On margin tops then to the ground.
Silly rhymes and awkard styles
That married my acrostic wiles
Indeed made writing them a task.
Can anything compare I ask?

More fun you'll rarely have with ink
And yet ignore what others think
Never deem this form a joke.
Inside the poet's brains must soak
Another hour's length or three, to write them very well you see



© Copyright 2000 Stephen Douglas Jones - All Rights Reserved
Brad
Member Ascendant
since 1999-08-20
Posts 5705
Jejudo, South Korea
1 posted 2000-09-17 06:29 PM


Hmmmm, it does seem you are in the didactic form today -- you'd rather write about good poetry or the potential of poetry. Okay, That's fine. I agree with the sentiment here. However, I also believe that an acrostic to be fully effective it's got to give, not simply the theme of the piece, but some message that is hinted in the piece, some moment that is never directly stated, nor easily gleaned from the lines themeselve, but which gives the poem a new angle when to the work after the poem has been read.  

Just an opinion,
Brad

Stephanos
Deputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Elite
since 2000-07-31
Posts 3618
Statesboro, GA, USA
2 posted 2000-09-17 11:02 PM


Brad,

hmmm, that's a new thought on acrostics for me.  But I think I agree with you there.  The acrostic words I've put in my poems have been pretty much directly linked to the content of the poetry.  I like your idea of making the connection more subtle, at least sometimes depending on what the purpose of your poem is.   I am pretty new at acrostics (like Haiku) and I guess that's why I have been writing "didactically".  My mind has been on what makes a good this or that kind of poem.  I guess I am just using the form itself to express the thoughts I am having about the form.  I am sure that I will reach beyond such elements, but I enjoyed doing it.  I think it would be very creative and challenging to teach about a particular form, style, genre, etc... by using the form itself.  Just an idea.

Thanks again for your comments!

Elyse
Member
since 2000-04-16
Posts 414
Apex (think raleigh) NC
3 posted 2000-09-18 12:10 PM


hi stephanos.  gosh, brad is SO demanding!   i thought it was cute.  a good excersise if nothing else, right  
luv Elyse

Romy
Senior Member
since 2000-05-28
Posts 1170
Plantation, Florida
4 posted 2000-09-18 09:14 AM


Hi Stephanos, I enjoyed your poem and I agree that it would be very difficult to try and write this form with words spelled at the beginning and the end!
I did see a great one a week or two ago, very nicely done, but I can't remember if it was corner pub or open that I saw it in!
If anybody remembers who wrote it, I would love to read it again!

Craig
Member
since 1999-06-10
Posts 444

5 posted 2000-09-19 03:24 PM



I’ve been known to write a few of these myself, they are extremely hard to pull off successfully especially when attempting a Telestich  (end letters of the line used) or the even more difficult Double Acrostic (start and end letters used. If you really want to do serious damage to your grey cells try a Masostich (medial letters used) combined with either of the above, it’s guaranteed to frazzle your cranium.  

The main problem with this form, when attempted in a rhyming format is the magnification of the curse of all rhymers - the use of forced rhyme to adhere to the format.  We’ve all seen it (or done it my case) often enough, a line is twisted along with a meaning just to reach the Holy Grail, a word that rhymes with one that came a couple of lines before. With many Acrostic forms the problem is compounded as the available words you can use are further restricted by the necessity to start or finish with a certain letter.

Saying that they are an interesting form to take on, your word usage certainly gets some exercise and writing a good one, by that I mean one that flows and meets the start/end letter criteria, is definitely an worthy achievement. Alas these are few and far between (at least from my pen)  

If you ever need proof of how twisted and false one of these can sound taken to it’s extreme let me know and I’ll dig out the last one I wrote and let you read it for a laugh. It had a message at the front, the same one at the end, and four medial versions of the same message – a total of six, mixed amongst the most inane poetry you ever read.  

Brad’s right about the use of the message to add or underline the poems meaning. Another thing to bear in mind is that Acrostics that give themselves away by having ACROSTIC in the title don’t work well, people concentrate on reading the message rather than the poem. Plus it’s a waste of that nice feeling you get when you point it out after they’ve read it and missed it completely.

Thanks for the chance to read and reply

Craig


Yes, I admit your general rule. That every poet is a fool:
But I myself may serve to show it. That every fool is not a poet.


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