[Duncan Gillies MacLaurin]

Exercise: Write verses where the acrostic formed by the first letter of each line is also the last word of the last line. These words should then have a meaning when assembled. Alternatively, write verses where the acrostic formed by the first letter of each line is also the FIRST word of the FIRST line. Or you could do a mix of these. Or you could find your own variation.

Here's my first attempt at this exercise:


Endurance


Earth:

Spineless waves, rolling ashore,
this is the Land you kneel before
and worship. How weak you are,
robbed of your will by a stillborn star.

Water:

Sure as an oak, you never could yield:
instead, I surrender like reeds in the field;
gently I’m touched. How blue is the brine
now you can’t boast the ghost of a sign.

Duncan