Roger, I think the fact that the three examples here have a last line with the initial and final letters the same is just one of those scary coincidences. The rubric simply stipulates 16 lines max and that the left-hand initial letters of the piece spell out the last line.
In the 14 winning entries in the two previous Spectator panacrostic comps linked to in this thread only one of the spelled out lines (initial lines in this case) has intial and final letters the same. ( 'Sarah Palin's specs'.)
If Susan's ingenious twelve lines (sorry Susan) had ended
Reaps no maizes
Ample feels good, but
Less wins praises.
she would still have complied with the instructions.
|