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AcrosticAn acrostic poem is one in which certain letters of the lines, usually the first letters, form a word or message relating to the subject. Of ancient origin, examples of acrostic poems date back as far as the fourth century. Note: Strictly speaking, an acrostic uses the initial letters of the lines to form the word or message, as in Lewis Caroll's Acrostic; notice the first letters spell Lorina, Alice, and Edith. If the medial letters are used, it is a mesostich; if the final letters, a telestich. The term acrostic, however, is commonly used for all three. When both the initial and final letters are used it is called a double acrostic. (Compare Abcedarian, Serpentine) References
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