Lillian here, delighted to host Tuesday Poetics.

Are any of you, in some ways, a creature of habit? Since I rejuvenated (never say retired) I’ve started almost every day except Sundays in the same way. With coffee nearby, I read the newspaper, then do the crossword in the paper, and then finally read the comics (but only my favorite ones). Thinking about what to do for a prompt for today, I started thinking about my love for words and wondered if there’s some kind of connection between crossword puzzles and poetry. Searching on the internet I found the article Talking to Poets About their Love of Crossword Puzzles which includes this statement:
“How is a poem like a crossword puzzle? feels like the start to a bad joke. Even though crosswords seem related to poetry on the surface—minute attention to language! love of words! precision!—poets and critics often bristle at the idea of the puzzle, and use it as a metonym for all things that a poem should not be.” It’s a fun article – I recommend it.

Then I started thinking about different forms of poetry and how sometimes, when we have MTB Thursdays, I read the prompt and think oh my gosh!!!! It’s another poetry sudoku! My way of saying, “Eegads, I’m going to be challenged by this prompt!” I must say though, I’ve always enjoyed the challenge and have a feeling of accomplishment when I’ve completed a poem in the required form….although sometimes, I must admit, they are not what I would call, my best posts. But that’s why my blog is called lillian the home poet! 🙂

So moving on….I decided to do two things for you today:
1) create a simple crossword puzzle for you to solve; and 2) explore acrostic poetry because, well…..acrostic sounds kind of like crossword, right?

Here’s my try at a fun crossword puzzle for you. Each answer is an animal. Obviously, I’m not going to be offered a job as a crossword puzzle creator by any reputable newspaper!

2) Acrostic poetry. I decided to expand on the form a bit….so I’ve created what I call an Acrostic Plus.

In an Acrostic poem, the first letter of each line, when read from top to bottom, will spell out a message or a name or a word.

In the Acrostic Plus, the first letter of each line in the first stanza, when read from top to bottom, spells out a message or word(s) and in the second stanza, the last letter of each line when read from top to bottom, spells out the rest of the message or additional word(s).

To me, one of the most important things in both the Acrostic and the Acrostic Plus, is that the poem makes sense. The form cannot overrun the meaning. I suppose that’s the case with any form of poetry.

So here’s my first try at an Acrostic Plus poem:

Do You Hear Me?

Always I think of you
revealing love and joy in your eyes.
Ever recalling, remembering,
your hand in mine as we walked
o’er these vineyards, so many nights.
Unprepared was I for your leaving.

All those years I could not tell
until your mistakes, like confetti
began to rain down like storms.
We used to talk well into the night.
Then, while here, you suddenly seemed to leave.
In those final days, you became but an apparition.
Your ears did not hear me and I knew . . . I . . .
whispered goodbye to you again and again,
my vineyard’s true sun, in what was your final fading.

Reading the “message” in my Acrostic Plus poem, Do You Hear Me: the first letter of each line in the first stanza spell out ARE YOU and then the last letter of each line in the second stanza spell out LISTENING. Are You Listening?

Well I’m sure I’ve completely confused you now and you’re wondering, what is the prompt she’s trying to get at here? I challenge you to either write a poem that in some way relates to a puzzle you’ve been faced with, or includes the word “puzzle”; or try your hand at an Acrostic; or extra points if you write an Acrostic Plus!
PS: let me know in the chat here if you solved the crossword puzzle! 🙂

New to dVerse? Here’s a quick review of the rules for the pub:

• Write a poem based on the writing challenge as described above. Post it on your blog or website.
• Enter your name and direct link to your poem in Mr. Linky.
• Remember to check the box re: privacy policy.
• Follow the links to other poets. Read and comment on other poems.  We all appreciate feedback on our poems.
• Link back to dVerse so others can find us too.
• Have fun!