There are different ways to write the form known as the ABC poem. The “traditional” way (as far as I could see from what I read up on) is five lines long, with each line beginning with a successive letter of the alphabet. I have written poems of this type where I just kept going until the poem seemed to end (one of those ended at the letter “K”). There is no rhyme or meter required.
(Although “ABC” has been used as kind of a catchall term to describe poetry types as Abecedarian and even Acrostic, “technically” it is what is described above). My example is below.
~*~
Another day has
Begun–and what
Could it bring? Good things, perhaps–or bad things;
Despair, or maybe
Even joy in great abundance. Heavenly
Father, thank You that all of it is meant for our good.
©Stacey Uffelman 9-19-15
~*~
That example above is how they’re “traditionally” supposed to be written, in five lines. However, as I said, I don’t see why the poem couldn’t be taken farther if the poem wants to be a little longer (as I have found they sometimes do).
~*~
Apples, cinnamon, pumpkin pie;
Bring on thoughts that
Could only mean
Delicious memories of
Falls that have
Gone by. I for one
Have an affection for the season–
I was born in it after all; but I don’t like it
Just because it’s my “birth season”–I love the
Kiss of coolness in the air, the smells, the colors of the
Leaves–it’s not too hot, not too cold-and so
Many Falls past have created
O so many lovely memories–
Perhaps Fall 2015 will, too.
© Stacey Uffelman 9-19-15
~*~
So, I went to the letter “P” on that one.
Of course, if the poet were to write lines that began with letter all the way to “Z”, it would then be an Abecedarian poem. As I said above, though, “ABC” has kind of been used as a catch-all phrase…ABC and Abecedarian are cousins, or siblings, I suppose.
In any case, The ABC poem another form to have fun with.