My Poetry Forms

Most of these form are mine, but I have added some poetry forms developed by others to show the differences in forms.

Acrostic Forms:

The Golden Shovel is not my form, but I bring it up because it is the opposite of my Golden Pick.
Golden Shovel is a form of acrostic poetry invented by Terrance Hays. Take a favorite line from a poem you admire and use those words as the end words in each line. Best viewed as right-justified. I have chosen “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways,” the first line of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s 43rd sonnet. If you haven’t read this endearing sonnet, I encourage you to do so.

How Do I Love Thee?

I long to tell you how
I care but don’t know what to do.
For you already know how I
feel. But, my love,
how is it for thee?
I should, but just cannot let
this go. I wish you would tell me.
As the days go by, my blessings I count.
They are all of you. You are the
blessings—my blessings, in so many ways.

Comment or continue to the next Poetry Form. 🙂

The Golden Pick
What if you use a line from another poet at the beginning of each line? I have looked up all kinds of acrostics and can’t find a name for this. So, I called this form of acrostic the Golden Pick. Here is my example from the lyrics to the spiritual, “Give Me Jesus.”

Give Me Jesus

In everything that I do,
The Lord be with me,
Morning, noon, evening, all night.
When I’m happy or afraid,
I know I need to trust Him.
Rise and lift my face, and
Give Him my day.
Me, and all my longings, I give to You,
Jesus.

You, who don’t yet know Christ,
Can know Him today;
Have a hope for the future,
All forgiven and washed clean.
This may seem strange as the
World is enticing and alluring, but
Give Jesus all you are. Let
Me introduce you to my dearest friend,
Jesus.

            This is one of my favorite spirituals. I have sung it so many times. My dad asked me to sing it at his funeral, which I did. This song brings me joy which is why I chose to use it. Find that which brings you joy and share it with the world.

Golden Trowel
Like the Golden Pick, this is my variation of the acrostic form. The Golden Trowel is a combination of the Golden Shovel and the Golden Pick. Take a phrase from a poet (give credit where credit is due) and use this quote as the beginning and ending words of each line. If the phrase has an odd number of words, the last words of the poem will be the title of the poem.

“The course of true love never did run smooth.” ~ William Shakespeare

Hard Work

The meaning of love, yes, the course
Of foibles we must but bear. True
Love must bear, if ‘tis true. Never
Did it only favor find—run
Smooth—but amuck, cold, hot, hard work.

Write Left Acrostic
I could not find a name for this type of acrostic, so I dubbed it Write Left Acrostic to give it a name other than the genetic acrostic. It is different from the “Golden” forms, because it is not a quote from another poet. The message runs down the left as the first words of each line.

Wisdom

Wisdom, not knowledge,
watches your steps—
over choices you make.
You need to listen.
Heed her instructions,
her sage teachings,
advice, and guidance.

Write Left and Right Acrostic
The Write Left and Right Acrostic, another of my variations of the acrostic. This message runs down the right and then the left of the poem.

Evil Must Flee

Evil encompasses, striving to invade. We
must fight with all our might. We can
flee from its clutches, shun it, conquer
it, and master it. The very host of evil
has no sway over us. Although, through
no power of our own, but through Jesus’
power in us, and through His shed blood.

Thrice Nice Acrostic
How about three messages for an acrostic variation? Read the message down the left, down the middle, and down the right. The key is to try to write it so that the middle words line up. I called this variation Thrice Nice Acrostic.

Home

Home: a place to have a loving family—
Is also a place of courage; a home God makes,
Where all are loved, and by having this
love, we will always be free. For in this house
lives faith, the God-kind, that builds a home.

Thrice Nice Across-tic
Okay, I took this variation a step further as the message reads from left to right. Again, line up the middle words as best as you can to accomplish this one. I used two words between the middle and end words to make them easier to find. As I read these lines, I noticed another message using the words just left of the middle message. “Better becomes glimmers. Incredible!” – speaking of how much sparkle Kevin brings into my life. I am blessed.

Husband

My life is so much better, husband, because of you.
Light my world, down becomes up, nights transform days.
And when a million glimmers fill the starry nights
With wonder, your incredible love makes me complete.

Diamond Abecedarian
When writing an abecedarian, an acrostic which uses the alphabet as the beginning letters of each line, I thought about a possible variation of a diamond-shaped form: starting with a single syllable “A” word, and continuing each successive line with the letters of the alphabet, increasing syllables in each line until thirteen syllables (the letter m), repeat thirteen syllables for the letter n. Then decrease syllables back to a one-syllable z word. Kudos if you can make it a perfect diamond shape. Mine was—not so much. I didn’t rhyme mine, but extra kudos to someone who does! I used an ex word for my x word. Triple kudos if you use a true x word.

Forgiveness

A
Brief chat
Caused me to
Doubt my wayward
Emotions. What I
Found, encouraged me to
Grow, to find that although I
Harbored resentment. This hurt me.
I needed to forgive. Show God’s love.
Jesus will bring judgment. It’s not my job.
Kindness. Fruit of the Spirit, produce in me.
Lord, forgive my unforgiveness. Help me show grace.
Mark this day as a change of heart, a day of freedom.
Nevermore to be held captive by worry or strife,
Or fearful scenario building, or foolish
Pride. It is undeniable. I must have
Quiet moments, peaceful meditation,
Remembering Your love, faithfulness,
Salvation, and Your mercies, new.
Thankfulness overflowing,
Unabashed worshiping,
Valuing You, Lord.
Waiting in such
eXcitement.
You’re, my
Zeal.

Concrete Vase and Reverse Poem
I took the concept of a concrete poem and a reverse poem (a poem that can be read from bottom to the top) and created the Concrete Vase and Reverse Poem. Structure: This vase-shaped poem begins with what will be the lip of the vase. Short words, then longer ones, and phrases help the shape. The object is not only the shape, but the poem may also be read from the bottom to top, changing the meaning. Reading it forward is like asking to be filled with these attributes. In the reverse reading, we find that if we cherish these, we will live them and pour them out on others whom we meet. It really seems more fitting to call it a perfume bottle reverse poem. What do you think?

pour out
joy
hope
peace
goodness
patience, love
kindness, compassion
gentleness, humility
self-control, faith
cherish these

The Kace of the Vase
This concrete poem The Kace of the Vase has this syllabic pattern: 3.3.6.5.6.10. 9.8.6.5.4.4.3.2.6.6. If you find that changing the syllable structure helps it turn out better, do so!

Pottery.
It can be
A fun activity
A wheel and some clay
And you have paved the way
To a vase, or a cup, or candy tray
A water bowl for your little dog
A nut tray for your Uncle Bob
A vase for some flowers
You pick from the yard
For your kitchen
Or living room,
Dining room,
Or hall
Pottery imperfect
But useful, all in all

Poetic Notes: Though it is not necessary, I rhymed mine: aaabbbxxxxxccdxd.

Kace of Blank Verse Pararhymes
Using Blank Verse (a non-rhyming poem effectively used by Wm. Shakespeare employing iambic pentameter), and pararhyme – words that begin and end with the same sound but have different vowel sounds. E.g. Find/found, staff/stiff, etc. I’ve added ornamentation to Blank Verse, giving it new color.

The Search in the Cemetery

Detective Dean scanned the burial scene;
Surveying the site, he searched for a sign.
He’d checked the casket before the crowd came.
Recording the search with his body-cam.
He’d lifted the lining, then locked the seal.
He’d watched all the digging and checked the soil.
The tractor rumbled, its gears seemed to grind.
A fresh pile of earth covered the ground.

The crowd dispersed, ‘til Lil, the wife, was left;
The limo waited to give her a lift.
Then Lil signaled the cemetery staff,
Who guided her away from John, the stiff.
Her fragrance lingered—lavender and spice—
Beneath the canopy; an enclosed space.
Detective Dean pulled out a crumpled list.
He mentally checked off each name at last.

The men watched Lil leave. Their clear comments, crass.
Dean shook his head, his eyes spying a cross.
Behind it, the angelic warriors wield
Those flaming swords depicting duels wild.
The wall of the chapel, the plot of land,
The strangest spot to bury Lance Lund.
Dean read the tombstones—a riddle, a rhyme—
Then walked in the chapel, wandered the room.

Dean’s sniffer sniffed the foul man in the dark.
Then Dean saw the glint—the glint of a dirk.
A figure charged him; a man in a hood.
Dean reached for his piece and aimed at his head.
The hood kept coming, so Dean aimed low. Splat!
He thought he would puke and wanted to split.
The men came running and saw the body.
So Dean told them, “Get rid of this baddy!”

An officer said that he knew the dude.
The Ringmaster’s cuffed. Yep. The dude’s not dead.
They marked the mastermind, that foolish fiend.
I tell you, it’s true! Believe me, old friend.
Back to the story, Dean laid down the law.
“Turn up the lights, men!” For they were down low.
And Dean told the men, “The gold we must find!”
But I tell you, friend, the treasure’s been found.

Kaci Rigney Copyright 2026

Chiasm (KYE-az-um): the inversion of a phrase. Example from John F. Kennedy “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”  Or a Biblical reference, “The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.” A chiasm may also be used as a structure (A B C – main idea – C1 B1 A1), so mirrored like J. F. K’s quote or repeated lines.

Chiasm Kace
I created this poetry form on June 6, 2026. Structure: Minimum of eight lines. Lines are mirrored in pairs by chiasm, so if there are eight lines, pair the first and last lines, then in lines two and six, and three and five. The middle lines rhyme in pairs and are the main point of the poem. You may have more than two middle lines, many more, but the outside pattern of three chiasms is a must. There may be more chiasms, if you wish. Mine has five. The syllable count may vary slightly in the chiasms, but keep the lines approximately the same length. The middle lines mark the main point of the poem, have eight syllables, and rhyme. In the example below, the two outer verses on either end have seven syllables. All other lines have eight.

1  I always want you with me,
2  For you haunt my nightly dreams.
3  I wonder, do you think of me?
4  Don’t ask me if my love is true,
5  Or ask what I can do for you.
A  I look for ways to show I care;
A  Your name, I say, daily in prayer.
B  I think of you most tenderly;
B  And pray you do the same for me.
5  You ask what you can do for me.
4  Ask yourself if your love is true.
3  I think of you and I wonder,
2  Do I haunt your nightly dreams?
1  And do you want me with you?

Kaci Rigney Poem copyright 2026

As I look at my poem, I realize that many of my lines end in identical rhyme. I could label the rhyme scheme: abaccddaaacxbc, if I would like. But again, only the middle main theme lines need to rhyme.

The Kace of Fours and Eights
Structure: octave, may be stanzaic. Syllable count: 8.4.8.4.8.8.4.4. Rhyme scheme: ababccdd. Written with an iambic foot and a liberal use of alliteration.

Peal with Poet’s Pen

A fun, yet not so fast, hand here;
But, shout, it should.
And far from me to fight or fear,
But if I could,
I still would not, nor crash your scene.
I peal with poet’s pen, be seen!
Be heard! Pens, shout!
Wield words about!

Kaci Rigney Copyright 2026

A Shadow Kace of Fours and Eights
Structure: Syllable counts: 8.4.8.4.8.8.4.4.4.4.8.8.4.8.4.8 Rhyming Scheme: ababccddddccbaba

Dressed Pristine

Unkempt, unclean, slovenly dressed,
She scans the scene,
Contempt unseen. Afraid and stressed,
But sharp and keen.
Will they notice when trouble comes?
Will they know when adding the sums?
Then in wonder,
Will I blunder?
Will their plunder,
Torn asunder,
Carry chaos, hands holding crumbs?
Hiding, she hears the engine hums
And slips the scene.
Now, changed and at her chief’s behest,
Returns pristine;
Badge on, gun drawn. “…under arrest!”

Kaci Rigney Copyright 2026

Kace of the Sonnetta Hexameter
A shortened sonnet-like poem of 10 lines, rather than 14, written as two quatrains and a couplet in iambic or trochaic hexameter (12 syllables per line) except the last line—the punchline—which is written with 10 syllables. The couplet contains the volta (or turn) in the poem.

Galaxy Away Or…

Our love was rich like brownies and creamy coffee;
Like a bank account full of money for vacay;
Like that moment ’neath the waterfall in summer;
Like picking wildflowers together in springtime.

Suddenly, you were gone, leaving me all alone.
Did you wander to the nearest star, or the moon,
Or to some unknown galaxy, far, far away?
Have you left for a while, or have you left for good?

Will you come back to me and love me as you should?
Or, tell me, are you just next door with her?

Kace of the Quadrille Nonet
The Quadrille is a poem of exactly 44 words, and the Nonet is a poem of nine lines. The first line is nine syllables, decreasing one syllable each line thereafter until there is only one syllable. Can a quadrille be classified as a form, since it does not possess structure? Or does it fall under a mode of poetry, as a pastoral or elegy falls under a genre of poetry? Mode seems to win this debate as the subjects of a quadrille vary. Both of these creations are widely used. I merged the mode and the form by writing a Nonet with exactly 44 words. This variation I called the Kace of the Quadrille Nonet.
Note: I count the title in the 44 word count.

The Horn of my Salvation

Let praise ring from the songs of the saints:
The LORD is my strength and my shield,
The horn of my salvation!
Sound it on the shofar,
Upon the ram’s horn;
Heard near & far,
Echoing
Loud &
Long.

The Kace of What is It?”
Structure: Quintets in iambic pentameter. Rhyme Scheme: aBabC, dBDbC1, eBebC2, etc., but at least three. The rhyme scheme looks formidable, so an explanation is needed. The first line of each stanza begins with the words “What is it.” The second line repeats throughout the poem. Therefore, the same rhyme B is employed for lines two and four. The poet may use the same ending words as I did or just rhyme line four. Lines one and three rhyme. Line five begins differently but ends the same, from the middle of the line. “What is it?” is presented in the first two lines and is answered in the last three lines of the stanza. Choose a word and theme. Mine was music, a lifelong love-pursuit, and how music helps me experience God. Each stanza builds on the theme.

This poem is inspired by a quote from Mary Oliver’s poem Drifting: “…what is it that music is trying to say…” ~ American Poet, Mary Oliver (9/10/1935-1/17/2019)

His Love & Care

What is it that the music of the rain
Is trying to say to me? I wonder.
A stroll, a delicious dance, I would fain
As I lift my hands in praise and ponder
His love for me—unending, strong, and true.

What is it that the music of the wind
Is trying to say to me? I wonder.
Each breeze whispers of my Comforter, friend.
His breath in me, my spirit will ponder
His care for me—unending, strong, and true.

What is it that the music of sunlight
Is trying to say to me? I wonder.
The power of its fire burning bright,
Like burning coals purging sin. I ponder
His cleansing fire—unending, strong, and true.

Kaci Rigney Copyright 2026

Kace of Nothing Twice
Structure: Four tercets. Syllable counts: 4.4.2. Each word is used only once, except the word nothing, which, of course, is used twice. Make up a silly word or two and keep it fun! Alliteration required.
Tag me if you try it! I would love to read yours!

Nothing Twice

Write a poem.
Say nothing twice.
Nothing.

Pen it punny;
Quilly-nilly
Have fun!

Keep on typing
Or handwriting.
Doodle.

Confuzzled by
This conundrum?
Conquer!

Kaci Rigney Copyright 2026