by Jamie Elizabeth

Created on: November 23, 2009   Last Updated: May 13, 2010

An acrostic poem is a poem that is created using the first letters of a certain word or phrase. These first letters of the word or phrase are written vertically, so that they read from top to bottom down the page. Other words, phrases, or sentences are then written based on those first letters, in order to convey an idea or story. These words or phrases are written horizontally so that they are read from left to right.

The acrostic form of poetry is often used with names, holidays, or activities as the starting point for the vertical first letters. Adjectives, or descriptive phrases are then often used for the horizontal body of the poem. However, there is no set form to acrostics other than the vertical/horizontal structure. Acrostics do not have to rhyme, do not need a certain set of syllables, and it is up to the writer to be creative with the words to get across the desired effect.

An example of an acrostic poem for 'Helium' is:

H yper writers

E nthusiastic readers

L overs of learning

I ntelligent articles

U seful ideas

M oney makers

Note how the vertical column spells out 'Helium,' and all of the letters are capitalized for effect. Capitalization is only necessary if the poet deems it to be so, but is useful when acrostics are written for specific occasions. The words reading across are all two word descriptions which lends some uniformity to the poem, but that is a personal choice of the poet and the most creative license is used for how the author of the poem chooses to structure those horizontal lines and tie them into the overall poem.

This is an acrostic poem in its more basic form. This is the form most commonly, and easily used, for things such as birthday cards or holiday greetings. It is an easy exercise to get your children involved with, especially if they are stuck on what to write in a card for mom, dad, grandma, or grandpa. Acrostics in this simple format can also be a great classroom exercise to get young students excited about writing, or even to help them understand the distinction between nouns and adjectives. A 'Thanksgiving,' 'Halloween,' or 'Winter' -themed acrostic poem can get students thinking and can be much fun, especially if they are encouraged to accompany it with an illustration.

While acrostics are often found in this somewhat basic, stunted writing style, they do not have to be. It is possible to be more creative, and more expressive with an acrostic poem if you are able to connect all of the words of the poem together to tell a story. Acrostics are a good way to get your creative juices flowing and to inspire others, especially students, to begin to write and to understand basic ideas about words and the English language.

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