Our youngest son’s school assignment was to write an acrostic poem. We’ve all seen an acrostic. They can be used as mnemonic devices to remember things, like the planets (and yes, I’ve included sad little Pluto; it will always be a planet to me). A sentence is created using the first letter of each planet, per order from the sun.
My Mercury
Very Venus
Eager Earth
Mother Mars
Just Jupiter
Served Saturn
Us Uranus
Nine Neptune
Pickles Pluto
When Sam told me about his assignment, I admit my mind went to “this is easy.” How many times have I played the ice-breaker where I choose a word to describe myself using each letter of my name? Sam did a fantastic job with “grass.” His words and image, although simple, did make me think about those moments walking and lying on cool grass.
Green
Rising
Abundant
Single
Soft
I thought I’d research the etymology of acrostic (one of my favorite activities since childhood) and I was opened up to a slew of information that elevates this seemingly childish activity into the art form that it is.
Here we go.
Acrostic comes from the Koine Greek ἀκροστιχίς (ἄκρος “highest, topmost” and στίχος “verse”). That’s not the exciting part (although I think it’s super cool). Besides being used as mnemonic devices, acrostics have been used in secret forms of communication and by beloved poets. Wikipedia is my main source, but I’ve looked at other sources to verify. (Wikipedia really is a great source of information – enough to get you started, at least)
Christians who have actually studied the historicity of what they believe would recognize the term ICHTHYS. Many of us have seen the sign of the fish on the bumper of someone’s minivan. Fine. But if we dig into the history of that symbol, we’ll find that it’s not just about being fishers of men. ἰχθύς (ichthus/ichthys), is the Greek word for “fish.” In the early church, during heavy persecution, especially from Rome, they would use the symbol of the fish as a way for early Christians to identify one another and to mark houses of worship or safe places. They used the term ἰχθύς as an acrostic:
Ιησούς Iesoús Jesus Χριστός CHristós Christ Θεού THeoú God's Υἱός Yiós Son Σωτήρ Sotêr Saviour
So clever…taking a common thing (fish), and using each letter to name the Savior in whom they believed and in Whose name they were persecuted. And then using that symbol to easily identify one another. Brilliant! I know I was aware of this, but for some reason, it feels like I’m learning it all over again.
Edgar Allan Poe is the famous American writer, best known for his poems and short stories, “The Raven,” “The Telltale Heart,” “The Pit and the Pendulum,” “The Bells,” and “The Fall of the House of Usher.” There is one poem, in particular, that he uses an acrostic structure.
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,
Breath 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.
He wrote this in response to a poet, who’s initials are L.E.L. and who had a less favorable look on love. He wanted to give her a different perspective (they were contemporaries).
Some have applied complicated uses of acrostic poetry…quite a commitment.
And so…I thought I’d write my own acrostic. It’s a good challenge, to fit thought and meaning into a seemingly basic structure. Let’s see how I do…
Finding splintered darkness tripped by rippled, flicking light
Obeying soul’s desire for arboreal delight
Revise the path, revise again, encompassed adaptation
Evergreens and cooling breeze in playful, sweet flirtation
Strings are pulled, from skin to soul, in harmonious vibration
Trailing off in deepening green, for spirit to take flight
Give it a try. Have fun. Easy way to write something for a loved one, a friend in need of a pick-me-up…
a tilting of air 