WHAT IS AN ACROSTIC POEM?
It is a poem in which the first letters of each line spell out a word or phrase. The word or phrase can be a name, a thing, or whatever you like.
Usually, the first letter of each line is capitalized. This makes it easier to see the word spelled out vertically down the page.
Acrostics are easy to write because they don’t need to rhyme, and you don’t need to worry about the rhythm of the lines. Each line can be as long or as short as you want it to be.
CREATING AN ACROSTIC IN FIVE EASY STEPS
- Decide what to write about.
- Write your word down vertically.
- Brainstorm words or phrases that describe your idea.
- Place your brainstormed words or phrases on the lines that begin with the same letters.
- Fill in the rest of the lines to create a poem.
Now let me show you how to follow these steps.
I recommend you start by writing an acrostic based on your name or on your favorite thing, whatever that happens to be. It doesn’t matter if your favorite thing is soccer, video games, chocolate, music, pizza, movies, or anything else.
EXAMPLE: AN ICE CREAM ACROSTIC
I
C
E
C
R
E
A
M
Next, you want to say something about ice cream in each line:
I
Cookies & Cream.
English Toffee.
Chocolate Chip.
Rocky Road.
E
Almond Fudge.
M
Finally, I filled in the missing lines, like this:
I love every flavor.
Cookies & Cream.
English Toffee.
Chocolate Chip.
Rocky Road.
Even Strawberry and
Almond Fudge.
Mmmmmmmm.
You can also write them about things you don’t like, such as chores, homework, and so on. Here is an example acrostic about homework.
A HOMEWORK ACROSTIC
Begin by writing the word “HOMEWORK” down the page:
H
O
M
E
W
O
R
K
Next, brainstorm as many words and phrases as you can think of. Here are some I came up with:
Hard to do
Overwhelming,
M
Every day
Writing
O
Reading for hours.
K
Finally, fill in the rest of the words, and even give it an ending. Here is the finished acrostic:
Hard to do and sometimes
Overwhelming,
My teacher gives us homework
Every single day!
Writing for hours
Or
Reading for hours.
Kids need a break!
THINGS TO REMEMBER
- Acrostics can be about anything!
- Names are a common topic.
- You can use single words, phrases, or even full sentences in your acrostic poem.
- Finally, remember, acrostic poems are one of the easiest and most fun ways to create poems of your own. Give it a try and see what you can come up with.
