Acrostic Poems

Acrostics

An Acrostic poem is more a word game than poetry in the strict sense of the word.

One takes a phrase or word and writes a verse with each line containing one of the letters of the phrase or word chosen. Typically, the first letters of a line are used to spell the message; but, they can appear anywhere.

LOVE IS A BLACKBIRD – April 11, 2013

Longingly I walked along the path,
Over the hill, among the trees.
Virtually lost in contemplation,
Envisioning times long gone.

Insight lost,
Sightless, I walked – lost…

Anxiety, besieged me as I sadly wandered on.

Bright, was the sight that greeted me:
Luxuriant green ferns pushing towards the sky
And there was a blackbird’s song …
Creating an echo within my soul.
Kind nature, gave me a gift of love,
Bringing me peace when I and then,
Iridescent water tumbling, laughingly onto mossy rocks,
Rendering my dark thoughts – light …
Dancing near the waterfall a blackbird sang.

Soft Embraces – June 19, 2013

Some will tell you that embraces are for passion…
Only remember this is only partly so
Friends and family exchange soft embraces!
Truer loving warmth than this is hard to find…

Embraces are the language of affection
Many caresses exist within this world:
Brotherly, motherly and even virtual hugs!
Remember the sweet feeling of loving arms and kisses…
And even when you’ve grown very old
Caresses will make you feel young again!
Everyone, I embrace you with this poem,
So you will be aware of just how much I care!

Look Up Please – October 22, 2013

Leaden was my weary mind
On a sad and dreary night
Overcome by his harsh words
Kindness all but fled away.

Upon the mantle a candle burned,
Peacefully shedding golden light
Perhaps it was a little miracle since
Lighter became my leaden heart
Evening seemed so much warmer
Angels seemed to sing somewhere in choirs
Simple is often the cure for sadness
Even just a little candle light.

River Sarca – October 26, 2013

River Sarca flows calmly throughout the year.
Inside it’s narrow grassy banks…
Venturing from Santa Columba,
Emptying into Lake Garda.
Recreation for both man and beast.

Suddenly …
Another side of the river comes to light,
Raging brown waters roar past angrily,
Charging through Arco with uprooted trees …
And we tremble before the river’s might.

Autumn Leaf – November 24, 2013

Aged by the season
Untouched, yet, your beauty, I’m
Thinking of life’s passing
Under this early morning sun,
Marvelling at your loveliness
Now that rain has ceased.

Leaf fell upon wet cobbles
Enlightening me …
As I walked along the pathway
Feeling in tune with nature.

Sidewalk Café – May 27, 2014

Sitting that morning at the café
Inside a womb – almost a cocoon
Disdaining to read the papers
Even though I knew I should, …
Would there might be something interesting, I
Asked myself
Looking at front at the page …
Knowing what I’d see …
Casualties and murder, extortion, war and rape …
And so I looked around me
Focusing on the street life …
Evading society’s idea of information.

Palindrome – March 11, 2014

praise the day
and raise your voice
lead the band
into a song
new and wonderful
drop your caution
read, write and try
one more palindrome
merry and bright
earning a rousing applause ..

Shipwreck – Front and back Acrostic – April 15, 2014

Soggy winter, hoary wraith-like wisps,
Hauled my ship into water’s which,
Immobilized me with fear, tried and tried as might I,
Prod at the wretched prow to change its dip,
When the shoals … somehow,
Reared up! Clawing mercilessly at my rudder.
Egad! My ship would have to die!
(Callously, so that I could write this acrostic
Knowingly, I created in my mind, a shipwreck.)

Khamseen – May 15, 2014

When spring comes to the Sahara
Ifrit in spirals fly through the sky
Nothing can be seen, when gritty sand rises
Dimming the sun itself …

When did the devils reach Europe
Ignoring the traditions of time
Now will we too have the Khamseen,
Driving us into our homes?

Wandering from its ancient home
Insistently blowing for days
Northern lands rocked by its might
Desert breeze visits our land.

Dawning – June 27, 2014

Down through the valley I see,
Antennas growing everywhere.
Wonder who’s watching TV
Now that dawn draws nigh?
Insomniacs … All night zappers?
Night owls without a choice?
Gracefully the sun tops the hills.

Before the Battle Begins – October 2, 2014

Brave were the knights
‘Ere the battle began
Forthright and true
On their horses so smart
Ready for combat
Eager to fight
The king
Honored and
Elegant
Bowed to his men
And hailed
Them smiling
Thinking of victory
Loving his power
‘Ere the battle began
But the corpse soon lay
Evilly deformed
Gone was the joy
And
Nothing was gained.

Amazing Grace

Arrogant are those leaders
Moving people with religion still today
Animists or monotheists
Zionists, Christians or Muslims …
Intoning their crude hymns of fire and hate
Negate each other’s faith
Grazing upon the fear and hatred of our souls.

Greed and avarice abounds
Rending life from the innocent
Animosity’s supple reasoning
Creates illogical xenophobic doctrines
Evicting grace from faith.

Feather and Shadow January 15, 2015

Feather laying on the grass,
Ethereal and light
A memento of a gull
Thoughtlessly left behind …
Heavenwards it flew away
Eastward towards the dawn,
Released from duty off it went
Away, from the noonday sun.
Noon bells peel in cacophony,
Down in the bustling town
Silently I turn,
Homeward bound I leave behind
All my fantasies …
Did a feather fly into the morn
Or was that just a dream?
Wistfully I wish, that somewhere it is real.