Jonathan ROBIN (22 September / London)

Notes on Polyacrostic Palimpsests.

Acrostic: Verse in which certain letters form a word or message
Polyacrostic: Several acrostics within the same composition
Acrostics to be found below – in alphabetical order:


Aim at less today
All things enjoy
Amorous Anorexy
Amorous Ecstasy


Palimpsest: A manuscript on which more than one text is written
with earlier writing, or one level of meaning, partially visible.


I: plain text - in black
II: Complete acrostic palimpsests highlighted

All Things Enjoy



As tastes oft change, some shy stay, some shine new
Minds may be calm, like springtime's settling dew,
Or may life's flood lose, under moonlight drowned.
Regard here, there, stares, reader, may be crowned
O see though now our thread too poor seems, through
Underlay is strung twine link pure and true,
So sentence sense seek near the surface bound
Each cog spins easy, runs glad wheel round, round
craft, sense seen not as missing clue by you?
Spleen hunting out, strong ever scans verse too.
Then think! soon row on row is neatly bound,
As Jane might dread whatever Jean feels sound,
Some sonnets wax and some are lost to song -
Yet through the years my work may still shine on.