PALINDROME

Dating back to at least 79 A.D., a Palindrome is a word, phrase, verse, or sentence that reads the same backward or forward, as the word, madam, the phrase, “Madam, I’m Adam”, or the sentence, "A man, a plan, a canal: Panama." The word is of Greek origin coming from "palin dromo" which translates approximately to "to read back again." They have also been called Sotadics after their reputed inventor Sotades, a Greek poet who lived around 300BC.



Some examples include Napoleon's famous reputed quotation: "Able was I ere I saw Elba."

RADAR
NUN
RACECAR

Dogma: I am God
Never odd or even
Dennis sinned
TEN ANIMALS I SLAM IN A NET

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Palindrome Poetry also known as Mirrored Poetry stems from the Greek word palindromos: palin, meaning again, and
dromos, meaning a running. Combining the two together, the Greek meaning gives us, running back again...

Shown below are examples of the word-unit palindrome.

The carefully placed words form the same sentence, whether it is read forward or backward.
For example, 'Mirrored images reflect images mirrored' which includes a word in the center as a reversal point for the sentence or even the poem.


Example

Reflections by Lynee Fadden

Life-
imitates nature,
always moving, traveling continuously.
Falling leaves placed delicately;
foliage touching the echoing waters,
clarity removed -
Reflections distorted through waves rippling;
gracefully dancing
mirrored images
- reflect -
images mirrored.
Dancing gracefully,
rippling waves through distorted reflections -
removed clarity.
Waters echoing the touching foliage;
delicately placed leaves falling -
continuously traveling, moving always,
nature imitates
life

Great, Lori! I haven't tried these in some time. Maybe while I'm on the beach this week. Right now I'm in the Ocean City library transcribing a couple pieces.

As to palindromes in general, probably the most fascinating one, at least to me is one written about Teddie Roosevelt:

Here's an old 'palindromic' double tetractys I just stumbled upon, Lori:

Well done Daniel.

I must try these sometime!

~Cleo