Poetry Friday is hosted today by Kat Apel. with a fun poem about cats and dogs.
My students have gotten off with a rocking (and sometimes rocky) start to 2025. I have become re-committed to giving them notebooking time and prompts to consider. When they get to “poem-ish” on their notebook page, they often turn to the good-ole acrostic. In fact, I asked them yesterday to tell me why they like that form so much. “It’s a curse,” one student piped up. “Everybody’s got it.”
This response made me laugh. The curse of the acrostic. Perhaps it’s also a crutch, a form they can depend on. When I looked closer at some of the poems they had written, though, I found some thoughtfulness as well as expression of emotion. It may be a curse, but sometimes it works.
Avalyn chose a quote that used the word Glow and wrote the following poem in her notebook.
Get up and Love your freedom, or love someone. Wisely understand that you are a free bird. Ignite that flame of love. Never let your wings be pierced, Gone, broken, or enslaved. Avalyn, 5th grade
Just started on a New Year An arctic blast is happening Nature makes trees bare Under the weather limit All of us have jackets Runny noses You are frozen. Everybody is frigid. by Carson, 3rd grade
I presented Mary Lee’s poem from last week and wrote my own notebook page about the prompt “What wisdom do you yearn for?”
Where is wisdom hiding? Illusive Search for Definitive understanding Overcoming the overwhelming Melancholy Margaret Simon, draft
When you are looking for a way to enter your daily writing, try an acrostic. You may surprise yourself.
Thank you for this, Margaret. I’m going to take the suggestion of an acrostic for any morning in which a potential poem evades me! They always surprise…
I adore an acrostic! The visual forms of poetry speak volumes just as your students have demonstrated here. And your poem resonates deeply – the quest for wisdom in the overwhelming feeling of melancholy – right when we need it most!! Oh, the power of poetry to step inside our souls and keep presence when we need it most. I’m watching the snow fall here, the one time a year the earth in these parts is blanketed, and feeling the quiet hush that I need more often. Snow and poetry bring those moments of deep reflection, and I wish you were here to have a cup of green tea with me and write the day away!
[…] like my poem, actually) in the newly released Public Domain Image Archive. Inspired this morning by Margaret and her students, I leaned into our old friend the acrostic. Like her post title declares, “Sometimes Acrostic […]
Oh, I haven’t written an acrostic in a long time. Thanks for the reminder. And since it’s mine turn next week to post the prompt in my poetry group, now I have an idea!
Long ago my students used this form often. I think they felt safe in its structure. They knew where the next step was. It is a place to jump off of and them push to other forms once again. Enjoy those thoughtful students.
I love your students’ poems Margaret– thank you for sharing that. And, I agree– acrostics can be a great way to shake loose a stuck poetry brain. Happy Poetry Friday!
I am a big fan of acrostics. If I have a topic in mind, I often start with an acrostic to get things flowing. They are such an approachable form, and often they open the door to something new and interesting. And, oh, how I feel that overwhelming melancholy you mention in your poem.
Your comment about a fragile egg day sent me that thought. Winter does this even if there’s nothing to really to be sad about. Poetry gives us a way to talk about it.
A curse? How funny! Cursed with poetry fingers…aren’t we all. I like acrostic similar to golden shovel–there’s conversation with something that already exists. These poems are great conversations! Well done, kids…and teacher.
Acrostics can really inspire careful, inventive word choices, as they did here. “Illusive” is a fun choice…are we deceived in our search for wisdom’s hiding place? It feels that way sometimes…that we are looking in the wrong locations.
When one has a special word, the phrases seem to appear so beautifully, like Avalyn’s, Carson’s, and yours, Margaret! Your ability to give your students the freedom to show such emotions is very special! Hope you warm up soon!
Margaret, as usual you understand your students and give them opportunities to use their notebooks and find possibilities with word choice. The acrostic poems you shared are filled with emotions. Please tell the children their work is commendable. Your wisdom poem starts with a good question. I can use that ? for the word discernment (I have searched for that answer for years.
Margaret Simon lives on the Bayou Teche in New Iberia, Louisiana. She teaches gifted elementary students, writes poetry and children's books. Welcome to a space of peace, poetry, and personal reflection. Walk in kindness.
Reflections on the Teche 
Thank you for this, Margaret. I’m going to take the suggestion of an acrostic for any morning in which a potential poem evades me! They always surprise…
I adore an acrostic! The visual forms of poetry speak volumes just as your students have demonstrated here. And your poem resonates deeply – the quest for wisdom in the overwhelming feeling of melancholy – right when we need it most!! Oh, the power of poetry to step inside our souls and keep presence when we need it most. I’m watching the snow fall here, the one time a year the earth in these parts is blanketed, and feeling the quiet hush that I need more often. Snow and poetry bring those moments of deep reflection, and I wish you were here to have a cup of green tea with me and write the day away!
Write the day away is a lovely invitation. I need it. Happy snow day!
[…] like my poem, actually) in the newly released Public Domain Image Archive. Inspired this morning by Margaret and her students, I leaned into our old friend the acrostic. Like her post title declares, “Sometimes Acrostic […]
Sending gratitudes to you and your students. Because of this reminder to go ahead and fall back on our old friend Acrostic, I have a poem for today!
Oh, I haven’t written an acrostic in a long time. Thanks for the reminder. And since it’s mine turn next week to post the prompt in my poetry group, now I have an idea!
Long ago my students used this form often. I think they felt safe in its structure. They knew where the next step was. It is a place to jump off of and them push to other forms once again. Enjoy those thoughtful students.
Sometimes the acrostic form can surprise and delight! Thank you for sharing three fine examples!
I love your students’ poems Margaret– thank you for sharing that. And, I agree– acrostics can be a great way to shake loose a stuck poetry brain. Happy Poetry Friday!
Oh, I do love an acrostic. Because it is so much more than a word inspired by a letter. The possibilities of challenge can be endless.
Powerful and emotive “Wisdom” poem Margaret, and thanks for sharing your moving student’s poems too!
I am a big fan of acrostics. If I have a topic in mind, I often start with an acrostic to get things flowing. They are such an approachable form, and often they open the door to something new and interesting. And, oh, how I feel that overwhelming melancholy you mention in your poem.
Your comment about a fragile egg day sent me that thought. Winter does this even if there’s nothing to really to be sad about. Poetry gives us a way to talk about it.
A curse? How funny! Cursed with poetry fingers…aren’t we all. I like acrostic similar to golden shovel–there’s conversation with something that already exists. These poems are great conversations! Well done, kids…and teacher.
Acrostics can really inspire careful, inventive word choices, as they did here. “Illusive” is a fun choice…are we deceived in our search for wisdom’s hiding place? It feels that way sometimes…that we are looking in the wrong locations.
I had to look it up to make sure illusive and not allusive was the word I wanted. Wisdom often feels out of reach to me, hiding behind my emotions.
At first my mind translated it into “elusive” but then I thought about it, a different meaning!
When one has a special word, the phrases seem to appear so beautifully, like Avalyn’s, Carson’s, and yours, Margaret! Your ability to give your students the freedom to show such emotions is very special! Hope you warm up soon!
I love that they think of acrostic as a curse! LOL Lovely acrostics all around.
Margaret, as usual you understand your students and give them opportunities to use their notebooks and find possibilities with word choice. The acrostic poems you shared are filled with emotions. Please tell the children their work is commendable. Your wisdom poem starts with a good question. I can use that ? for the word discernment (I have searched for that answer for years.
I think Analyn is another Amanda Gorman!
Your students always delight and inspire me, Margaret. Acrostics offer such a solid starting point for kids, but for us too! 🙂