Playing with the Alphabet

A few months ago, I posted “ABC Poem of Good News,” but we’ve talked about alphabet poems aka abecedarian poems before that. So, today, I revisited John Drury’s book, The Poetry Dictionary, published in 1995 by Story Press. 

Flipping through the pages, I saw his inclusion of “Alphabet Poem” with an uncommon take on the subject. To illustrate, here are a few of my favorite lines from that poetic entry, “A Lowercase Alphabet” by David Young:

 

c mouth, moon, riverbend

…

i the levitation of the spot

..

k where three roads almost meet

…

m comb from the iron age

..

v the hawk above the valley

 

Undoubtedly, I read those delightful lines years ago because they most likely influenced this playful entry in my The ABC's of Poetry: A Dictionary for Children and for Fun.

 

Starting an Alphabet Poem in All Caps

 

A = Side view of a roof or a swing set in the park

B = Owl eyes staring sideways in a cartoon in the dark

C = Pour that much into my cup and please add nothing more

D = That whitener made my teeth so bright, I'm giggling on the floor

 

Besides much needed levity (hey! that’s important) you might ask, “What’s the point?” For one thing, the format of an ABC poem can act like a structure that channels a river of creativity. Or, in the following example, I used the alphabet as a means of listing what being a Christian means. (Yes, I know. Few enter that narrow way, but one can hope!) Your choice of characteristics will likely differ, but my list below might give you the impetus to start your own list on this or any other topic:

 

Accountable

Biblical

Caring

Discerning

Encouraging

Forgiven & forgiving

Grace-filled

Hope-full

Inspired

Joy-full

Kind

Loving

Merciful

Necessary

Obedient

Prayer-full

Quickened

Reborn

Spirit-Filled

Thank-full

Understanding

Versatile

Worship-full

X-ed out of sin

Young-at-heart

Zealous

 

An alphabet poem can also be a means of expressing a serious topic with each line giving readers a cause to pause and absorb what’s said. For example:

 

Abecedarian on C Street

 

A workman's

Bandana

Comes with

Dirt

Enough to

Fill a

Gourd. Does his

Head ache

In the          

Jibes of suited employees

Known to have

Legal documents in

Most of their

Nailed-down pockets

Or computer-chipped

Pockets or other pockets, nightly combed?

Quietly,

Riveting

Strengthens a hard-working man, who

Takes a big yellow

Umbrella in his

Velvet-topped hand – the palm well-

Worn with calluses – and, without one

Xenophobic thought of anyone or anything

You might discuss in a whisper – praises rain in his

Zanily beautiful dance.

 

by Mary Harwell Sayler

 

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