Funny poetry for children



















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How to Write Acrostic Poems

by Bruce Lansky

Acrostic poems are easy to write, and some of the easiest acrostic poems use names. Try this exercise: Write your name vertically on a piece of paper or type it vertically on your computer. For this example, we'll pretend your name is Joe.

J
O
E

Now think of a word or a phrase that describes you that begins with the letter J. Then think of a word or phrase that begins with O. Finally, think of a word or phrase that begins with E. Here's what your acrostic poem might look like:

Joe

Jolly
Outgoing
Excellent

After you've written an acrostic poem using your name, try writing poems with other words, such as "football," "horse," or "summer." For a real challenge, see if you can make the acrostic poem tell a story rather than just describe the word you chose. These examples may get your creative juices flowing:

Garbage

Grounds (coffee)
Apple (core)
Rinds (mellon)
Banana (peel)
Anchovies (from a pizza I wouldn't eat)
Grapes (too ripe to eat)
Emptying the stinking bag (my job)

Candy

Charleston Chew
Almond Roca
Nestle's Crunch
Dots from Mason
Yummy

Notice that both of these poems tell a story. In the first, the speaker knows what's in the garbage bag because it's his duty to empty it when it's full. In the second, the speaker has candy on the brain and would spend his last quarter at a candy store or movie theatre.

Have fun writing!

--Bruce Lansky

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