See and hear the author read this poem at:
 
In Search of Aphrodite
(A sideline Sonnet - See author's note below)
 
May I behold a girl this fair:
A girl whose presence makes a light;
Kindles a flame that burns so bright
Eclipses it the moon. With hair

Lost stars that from the heavens fall –
On falling do submit their glow,
Vile stars, on one I cannot know.
Enraptured though, I make the call.

While all my starving total seeks,
In endless hunger, for the dear
Temptation that, though hov'ring near,
Hears not my voice: yet not she speaks.

         May I but see her, then will I
         Entreat her, listen to my cry…
         (make love with me)

 

From: Reflections of Love

Copyright 2002 © James Walter Orr


 
Author's Note:
I have to confess that when I wrote this poem, I had never heard of an acrostic. I don't know if any other acrostics also use the line formed by the first letter of each line as the final line of the poem. When I wrote this poem, I called it a sideline sonnet, as it is written in the sonnet format, I believe Italian, but instead of using iambic pentameter, this poem uses an eight syllable count per line. The rhyming sequence is abba cddc effe gg h, and has the 15th line, which departs from a true sonnet, by reading the left line as a stand alone line, with a four syllable count. This line purposely does not rhyme, but is very melodic when the poem is properly read. The reason for the departure from the standard format, is to accent the melodic content of the 15th line, without interfering with the melody created by the standard couplet found at the end of standard 14 line sonnets, of both the English (Shakespearean) sonnet and the Italian sonnet format.

I cannot claim that this is a unique form of poem, because my ignorance of poetry allows me neither to claim it is, or to acknowledge that it is not. This poem was published in my book, "Reflections Of Love," in October of 2002.

IN SEARCH OF APHRODITE
A Sideline Sonnet
(letters on the left side of the poem make the 15th line, which is also written out in parenthesis at the end of the poem) This poem, instead of being displayed with either 12 lines on the left margin, with the 13th and 14th lines indented in modern format, or with the first 8 lines on the left margin, a line skipped and then the next 4 lines on the left margin with the couplet indented in the style most commonly used in the days of Shakespeare, will be posted in 4 line stanzas to make it easier to read the side line, which will be three 4 letter words, and one 2 letter word.