Creative Writing Workshop 1 – Acrostic & Cordonostic

For this exercise we will concentrate on two different Poetry Forms, Acrostic poetry, and Cordonostic Poetry.

Acrostic poetry has been around for a long time, and is much favoured by school teachers, I think, who find it an easy way for their students to get into writing poems. With this style, a single word can be chosen, and then the first letter of each line begins with each of the letters of the word, in order. So, with my chosen word – Autumn, the first line begins with the letter, A, the second line, U, the third line, T, and so on, all the way to the final letter, N.

 

You can choose to use just one word for each line, or you can write a short phrase, whichever you wish. But a poem is not a novel, so keep those phrases short. Autumn is my favourite season, and I enjoyed writing this poem, some years ago.

 

The poem just below is my own Acrostic poem, based on Autumn, my favourite season. Attendees are to choose one of the four seasons, for their own two poems.

 

Autumn

April comes along, trees

Until then heat struck, though

Tended well, and watered

Ultimately recover,

Managing leaf colour changes –

Nature’s amazing beauty …

 

 

Next Poetic Form – Cordonostic Poem We may have looked at this form previously, but I will clarify what it is all about:

 

The Cordonostic poem is based on syllable counts, with the first line having three syllables, the second line having five syllables, and the third and final line of the first stanza (verse) having seven syllables.

 

For the second stanza, start with seven syllables for the first line, then five syllables for the second line, and three again for the last line. For the third stanza, follow the stanza count as the first stanza, and for the fourth stanza, follow the second stanza, and so on.

 

Using the same season as you used for your first poem, write a poem, using words and phrases about your chosen season, bearing in mind the necessary syllable counts for each line. For the title of your poem, choose a word that is relevant to what you have written.

You don’t have to concern yourself about the poem title first though, often you need to finish a poem to see what it’s about, and so what the title could be.

 

This poem below was written after I had done some research into why leaves changed their colours, and I feel it is a fitting tribute to the wondrous way Autumn brings on this colourful phenomonem.

 

Photosynthesis

trees, their leaves

red, orange, yellow

lovely, chemically changed

 

trees and branches a backdrop,

and a gallery

for the leaves

 

wind-released

they drift off downward,

as ground becomes a carpet

 

then leaves, in decay, produce

nutrients, and trees,

fed, grow more –

 

trunk, and leaves

then blossom, perhaps

and after blossom, come seeds

 

and then, wondrous, welcome fruit.

the process goes on,

always will,

 

so long as

trees get the water

they need, fruit will come again.

 

autumn – colour, winter – rest

spring – blossom, then fruit –

nature’s way …

 

Thank you, I hope you have enjoyed this poetry session today, and I look forward to our next session!

 

Carolyn Cordon,

 

Writer, Poet, Community member, lover of Nature

www.carolyncordonwriter.wordpress.com

 

kittycordo@gmail.com

 

0418806490