Acrostic

An acrostic is a poem or other form of writing. In an acrostic, the first letter, syllable, or word of every line, paragraph, or other feature spells out a word or a message. It can be used to remember things. For example, Edgar Allan Poe wrote an acrostic poem in English:

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 follie — pride — and passion — for he died.

The first letters of each line (E, L, I, Z, A, B, E, T, H) spell out Elizabeth.

Acrostic Media

• 1850 acrostic Dearborn.png

  An 1850 acrostic by Nathaniel Dearborn, the first letter of each line spelling the name "JENNY LIND"

• Acrostic poem on tombstone in Kilfane.jpg

  Acrostic poem on a tombstone in Kilfane Church, Ireland

• Sator Square at Oppède.jpg

  A Sator square (in SATOR-form), on a wall in the medieval fortress town of Oppède-le-Vieux, France

• Triple Acrostic by Thomas Browne.jpg

  Triple Acrostic by Thomas Browne

References

• Media related to Acrostic at Wikimedia Commons