BRAVEST OF WRITERS DRINK PROSE

The poem "BRAVEST OF WRITERS DRINK PROSE" is a playful and whimsical exploration of English pronunciation. It showcases the complexities and inconsistencies of the language through a series of rhymes

Oh, dearest seeker of linguistic lore,

With ardor I embark on this poetic chore.

In a symphony of syllables, I shall impart

The marvels of English pronunciation, an intricate art.

Listen closely, Reader, as I guide your way,

Through a labyrinth of sounds that often sway.

I'll weave a tapestry of words, both bleak and bright,

And together we shall venture into this poetic night.

Corps and corpse, horse and worse,

A quartet of phonetic universe.

Your mind, Reader, shall dance in dizzying delight,

As I unravel the mysteries, unveiling them to light.

A tear may fall from your sparkling eye,

And a delicate dress may rend with a sigh.

But fear not, for my devotion is true,

I shall suffer alongside you, as this journey ensues.

Now, let us compare heart, beard, and heard,

A triad of words that seem absurd.

Dies and diet, lord and word,

Sword and sward, with caution they must be heard.

Britain, retain, oh mind the way they're written,

Let not their spelling leave you smitten.

And worry not, I shall not pester you so,

With words like plaque and ague, which bring much woe.

But heed my counsel, speak with utmost care,

For break and steak differ from bleak and streak.

Cloven, oven, how and low,

Script, receipt, show, poem, and toe.

Devoid of trickery, I enunciate,

Daughter, laughter, and Terpsichore, oh so great.

Typhoid, measles, topsails, aisles,

Exiles, similes, and reviles.

Scholar, vicar, and the lingering cigar,

Solar, mica, war, and journeys afar.

Anemone, Balmoral, a touch of grace,

Kitchen, lichen, laundry, laurel, embrace.

Gertrude, German, wind, and thoughts so kind,

Scene, Melpomene, the tapestry of mankind.

Billet does not rhyme with the ballet's sway,

Nor bouquet, wallet, mallet, chalet's display.

Blood and flood, they do not align with food,

Mould does not echo should and would.

Viscous, viscount, load, and broad,

Toward, forward, reward, let their harmony applaud.

And when your pronunciation rings clear,

Croquet, a game of leisure, let it appear.

Rounded, wounded, grieve, and sieve,

Friend and fiend, alive and live.

Ivy, privy, famous, clamor's song,

Enamor rhymes with hammer, strong.

River, rival, tomb, bomb, and comb,

Doll and roll, some and home, find their home.

Stranger, anger, a subtle difference found,

Devour, clangor, their rhymes astound.

Souls and foul, haunt and aunt,

Font, front, wont, want, grand, and grant.

Shoes, goes, does, let them gracefully flow,

Finger, singer, ginger, linger, in succession they show.

Real, zeal, mauve, gauze, gouge, and gauge,

Marriage, foliage, mirage, and age.

Query, very, they don't mirror each other,

Fury and bury, neither do they smother.

Dost, lost, post, doth, cloth, and loth,

Job, nob, bosom, transom, oath.

Seemingly small, these differences stand,

Actual and victual, hand in hand.

Refer and deafer, they part ways,

Feoffer, zephyr, a gentle breeze conveys.

Mint, pint...

:: 06.01.2023 ::

Author's Note

The poem captures the complexities and idiosyncrasies of English pronunciation, highlighting the intricate relationship between spelling and sound.

Reviews

[Lorry]

And that's before you even get into UK and American English differences, like aluminum or aluminium, and once you get your head wrapped around that lot, school will certainly melt your head with classic literature and ye olde worlde script (here's a hint, it's pronounced the old world script and even people hear don't realise the Y in ye isn't a y, it's called a thorn and was a separate key to make the th sound and e's at the end were written, not spoken.
By now, you might pick up a book by that Shakespeare fella and wonder why a guy who wrote plays, introduced so many words into the language. If it were true, his audiences must have been wondering what the hell was going on, but in reality, he took commonly used words and introduced them to the language. He didn't just make up words! That would be so confusifying to his audience. 😊
Language is weird, it never stays still and each generation removes words from common usage or replaces them. For instance, did you know the word of the year during lockdoon, as voted by those Oxford English boffins was "Snaccident?" a word used to describe when you only wanted one biscuit but ended up eating the entire pack!
And here was me thinking I had nothing in common with those young millennial, and they go and give us one of my favouritest words everer! 😊

[E.P. Robles]

I adore writing in the Bard's voice.

[E.P. Robles]

Let me translate. (truth is, I already did before I wrote it in 21st century language):

read moreLet me translate. (truth is, I already did before I wrote it in 21st century language):

Oh, seeker dear, of linguistic lore so vast,
With fervor I embark on this rhyme-laden task.

Inconsistencies of language, I shall reveal,
Through rhythmic verses, their nature unseal.

Reader, lend your ear, as I guide your way,
Through labyrinthine sounds that often stray.
A tapestry of words, both somber and bright,
Together we shall delve into this poetic night.

Corps and corpse, horse and worse,
A quartet of linguistic universe.
Your mind, dear Reader, shall twirl in delight,
As mysteries unravel, and knowledge takes flight.

A tear may grace your sparkling eye,
A fragile dress may rend with a sigh.
Yet fear not, for my devotion holds true,
I shall endure alongside you, till the journey is through.

Now, let us ponder heart, beard, and heard,
A trio of words, where meaning is blurred.
Dies and diet, lord and word,
Sword and sward, their sounds must be heard.

Britain, take heed, mind their written form,
Let not their spelling lead you astray, norm.
And fret not, for I shall not annoy,
With words like plaque and ague, that bring much ploy.

But heed my counsel, speak with utmost care,
For break and steak differ from bleak and streak.
Cloven, oven, how and low,
Script, receipt, show, poem, and toe.

Without trickery, I shall articulate,
Daughter, laughter, and Terpsichore, so great.
Typhoid, measles, topsails, aisles,
Exiles, similes, and reviles.

Scholar, vicar, and the lingering cigar,
Solar, mica, war, and journeys afar.
Anemone, Balmoral, a touch of grace,
Kitchen, lichen, laundry, laurel's embrace.

Gertrude, German, wind, and thoughts so kind,
Scene, Melpomene, tapestry of humankind.
Billet does not rhyme with ballet's sway,
Nor bouquet, wallet, mallet, chalet's display.

Blood and flood, they do not meet food,
Mould does not echo should and would.
Viscous, viscount, load, and broad,
Toward, forward, reward, let their harmony applaud.

And when your pronunciation rings clear,
Croquet, a leisurely game, let it appear.
Rounded, wounded, grieve, and sieve,
Friend and fiend, alive and live.

Ivy, privy, famous, clamor's song,
Enamor rhymes with hammer, strong.
River, rival, tomb, bomb, and comb,
Doll and roll, some and home, find their home.

Stranger, anger, a subtle distinction made,
Devour, clangor, their rhymes cascade.
Souls and foul, haunt and aunt,
Font, front, wont, want, grand, and grant.

Shoes, goes, does, let their flow be serene,
Finger, singer, ginger, linger, in rhythmic scene.
Real, zeal, mauve, gauze, gouge, and gauge,
Marriage, foliage, mirage, and age.

Query, very, their paths don't align,
Fury and bury, their rhymes don't entwine.
Dost, lost, post, doth, cloth, and loth,
Job, nob, bosom, transom, oath.

Seemingly small, these differences they stand,
Actual and victual, united hand in hand.
Refer and deafer, their paths diverge,
Feoffer, zephyr, a gentle breeze they urge.

[E.P. Robles]

Oh, seeker dear, of linguistic lore so vast,
With fervor I embark on this rhyme-laden task.read moreOh, seeker dear, of linguistic lore so vast,
With fervor I embark on this rhyme-laden task.

Inconsistencies of language, I shall reveal,
Through rhythmic verses, their nature unseal.

Reader, lend your ear, as I guide your way,
Through labyrinthine sounds that often stray.
A tapestry of words, both somber and bright,
Together we shall delve into this poetic night.

Corps and corpse, horse and worse,
A quartet of linguistic universe.
Your mind, dear Reader, shall twirl in delight,
As mysteries unravel, and knowledge takes flight.

A tear may grace your sparkling eye,
A fragile dress may rend with a sigh.
Yet fear not, for my devotion holds true,
I shall endure alongside you, till the journey is through.

Now, let us ponder heart, beard, and heard,
A trio of words, where meaning is blurred.
Dies and diet, lord and word,
Sword and sward, their sounds must be heard.

Britain, take heed, mind their written form,
Let not their spelling lead you astray, norm.
And fret not, for I shall not annoy,
With words like plaque and ague, that bring much ploy.

But heed my counsel, speak with utmost care,
For break and steak differ from bleak and streak.
Cloven, oven, how and low,
Script, receipt, show, poem, and toe.

Without trickery, I shall articulate,
Daughter, laughter, and Terpsichore, so great.
Typhoid, measles, topsails, aisles,
Exiles, similes, and reviles.

Scholar, vicar, and the lingering cigar,
Solar, mica, war, and journeys afar.
Anemone, Balmoral, a touch of grace,
Kitchen, lichen, laundry, laurel's embrace.

Gertrude, German, wind, and thoughts so kind,
Scene, Melpomene, tapestry of humankind.
Billet does not rhyme with ballet's sway,
Nor bouquet, wallet, mallet, chalet's display.

Blood and flood, they do not meet food,
Mould does not echo should and would.
Viscous, viscount, load, and broad,
Toward, forward, reward, let their harmony applaud.

And when your pronunciation rings clear,
Croquet, a leisurely game, let it appear.
Rounded, wounded, grieve, and sieve,
Friend and fiend, alive and live.

Ivy, privy, famous, clamor's song,
Enamor rhymes with hammer, strong.
River, rival, tomb, bomb, and comb,
Doll and roll, some and home, find their home.

Stranger, anger, a subtle distinction made,
Devour, clangor, their rhymes cascade.
Souls and foul, haunt and aunt,
Font, front, wont, want, grand, and grant.

Shoes, goes, does, let their flow be serene,
Finger, singer, ginger, linger, in rhythmic scene.
Real, zeal, mauve, gauze, gouge, and gauge,
Marriage, foliage, mirage, and age.

Query, very, their paths don't align,
Fury and bury, their rhymes don't entwine.
Dost, lost, post, doth, cloth, and loth,
Job, nob, bosom, transom, oath.

Seemingly small, these differences they stand,
Actual and victual, united hand in hand.
Refer and deafer, their paths diverge,
Feoffer, zephyr, a gentle breeze they urge.