Summary

The web content discusses the use of acrostic poetry as a creative constraint to facilitate the writing process.

Abstract

The article "Acrostic Poetry as a Forcing Function" explores the author's recent affinity for acrostic poetry as a means to overcome writer's block and produce meaningful poetry. The author defines a forcing function as a design element that compels consideration of relevant information before action, and illustrates how acrostic poetry serves this purpose by requiring the poet to construct lines around a specific word or phrase. This structured approach helps in organizing thoughts and emotions into coherent poetry. The article includes an example of an acrostic poem by Edgar Allan Poe and invites readers to share their own experiences with acrostics. The author also provides a brief instructional guide on writing acrostic poetry and promotes their own published works in the genre.

Opinions

The author expresses a personal struggle with entering the necessary headspace for writing poetry.
Acrostic poetry is praised for its ability to act as a forcing function, preventing the poet from writing without conscious thought.
The author finds value in the constraints of acrostic poetry, which help in shaping and directing the creative process.
The author appreciates the definitional clarity provided by interaction-design.org and personalmba.com regarding the concept of forcing functions.
The author encourages the sharing of other acrostic examples and personal acrostic poems, indicating a community-oriented approach to poetry.
The inclusion of Poe's "An Acrostic" serves as an external validation of the acrostic form's significance in poetry.
The author's own acrostic poems, "Torment of Restlessness" and "Movement," are presented as evidence of the effectiveness of this poetic technique.
The "Acrostic Instruction" provided by the author offers a practical guide for readers interested in attempting to write their own acrostic poetry.

Acrostic Poetry as a Forcing Function

Poetry from the next cubicle

I love acrostic poetry these days.

I appreciate all forms of poetry but have recently struggled to write my own. I rarely get myself into the headspace necessary for poetry.

I use acrostic poetry as a forcing function.

To explain, we need some definitional help.

“A forcing function is an aspect of a design that prevents the user from taking an action without consciously considering information relevant to that action.” (interaction-design.org)

There are other definitions, but I like this one for this conversation.

Actually, this one is also good:

“A forcing function is a process or constraint that requires an action, decision or trade-off within a certain time frame.” (personalmba.com)

Then what is an acrostic poem?

“An acrostic is a poem or other word composition in which the first letter (or syllable, or word) of each new line (or paragraph, or other recurring feature in the text) spells out a word, message or the alphabet.” (wikipedia)

Or from the Poetry Foundation:

“A poem in which the first letter of each line spells out a word, name, or phrase when read vertically.” (Poetry Foundation)

One external example I found of an acrostic poem to show here is from Poe:

An Acrostic

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.

(Poets.org)

I also have published a couple of my own:

Torment of Restlessness

poem

medium.com

Movement

A poem

medium.com

The idea of the acrostic poem as a forcing function likely is not new but has worked for me over time. When pulling together disparate thoughts and trying to express specific feelings. The framework of a single word or phrase is a constraint that prevents me from writing without consciously considering information relevant to the writing.

Please share if you have other examples of acrostics you love or your own.

Acrostic Instruction

Action taking is key when you desire to take action Consider the general message you wish to express Remain within the form but allow yourself Options of directions to look out from the path Share your vision through your words Tell us all what revelations you have learned Insights felt along your journey Constrained in a poem made from your thoughts.

Acrostic Poetry as a Forcing Function

Poetry from the next cubicle

Torment of Restlessness

poem

Movement

A poem

Oysters, the Universe, and Jimmy Pearls CLT

An evening with the Piedmont Culinary Guild

For the Effort To Write

A poem

Using Podcasts and Finding My Flow

What works for you?