Acrostic poetry is one of the most popular forms.  Acrostic poetry does not have to rhyme, but can be more of a challenge if it does.  The only twist compared to a regular poem is that when you read the first letters from each line, you'll find a name or a sentence, oft' time the title.

An Example:

The Color of Hunger

Heated arguments bounced around
undercurrents of anger and hatred abound.
No way to tell who might win,
Gunfire echoed in the empty din.
Entering the heart of a hungry one
Running in full length motion.

He died there in the cold alley-
understanding far from his reality
nothing could warm his heart of stone
grossly inadequate in love and alone
escaped this hell with his death
resting, he let go his last breath.

Hunter became the hunted in a twist
under the cold November moon as the mist-
nestled into every heart and home
giving all a cold chilly moan
easily death took her prey
reaping what she had today

Heal him? No one knew how.
uncertain if they should till now.
nocturnal, he turned in desperation
giving his life to find restoration
enduring the pain of hunger-no longer awake
reaching his destination; his goal intake.

Hunger, the many colors it finds
united only in the body & mind
not caring how it destroys life
going on its way to create strife
energy it drains from the soul
rivers of pain behind it roll

Hunger; only present as is allowed
unattended by those who can cloud
notes of sound by those with no food
greedy power their goal; living rude
envision their complete control
ripping apart our very soul

Hunger
u
n
g
e
r

There you have it and so it goes...

© DragonBlue
Phoenix, Az 85283
May 26, 2006

Author's Note:  Though this subject matter is as serious as daylight, the acrostic is clearly the form in all six stanzas.  The Acrostic is the only confines of form poetry that I enjoy writing within.  Otherwise- I write free form rhyming verse in epic story format.