A clever man was Edmund Clerihew Bentley; a novelist, comedic gem, And counted thus among the very few Who have a type of poem named for them. It started as a sort of schoolboy lark To help recall a chemist's famous deed, And with that salty rhyme he made his mark, And scribes like Auden … Continue reading January 31: Concerning Clerihews
Month: January 2014
January 30: Concerning Limericks
While sonnets have their devotees, too few Respect the limerick as poetry, While citing violations of taboo, As if perdition came from childish glee. Transgression, true, is in the poem's soul, To laugh at human idiosyncrasies, And mock the powers seeking to control Behavior and enforce morality. And yet, when I take up my pen … Continue reading January 30: Concerning Limericks
January 29: Sightedness
When one's world starts to lose its clarity, Corrective lenses often are assigned So one perceives the world in verity, Each leaf and pixel perfectly defined. Alas, there are no spectacles for minds, Nor any remedy for wayward thoughts Through medication some their focus find, And meditation can be learned and taught. But when one … Continue reading January 29: Sightedness
January 28: To Kazoos
From ritual and dance that strove to hide Identities from watchers' ears and eyes, Descended the kazoo, for years supplied By parents in response to children's cries. But when that cheerful buzzing banishes The woeful din, it substitutes a sound At which all satisfaction vanishes; Faust would admit the quandary profound. But kitschy and obnoxious … Continue reading January 28: To Kazoos
January 27: TAS (The Acronym Sonnet)
There must be something in our DNA Or in our language roots or ABCs, That make us love our shortcuts. MLA Provides just one of many SOPs: You needn't spell out acronyms like RADAR- Like SCUBA, it's in common enough use. Pronounce as words those entities like SPAWAR, To find their meanings, check their FAQs. … Continue reading January 27: TAS (The Acronym Sonnet)
January 26: There’s The Rub
What one can do on any given day Sometimes amazes, when reflected on, But other times it brings profound dismay To think of all the tasks one left undone. Such days can lead to restless, fitful nights In which the mind can't be dissuaded from Revisiting one's slips and oversights; Obsessively accounting what's to come, … Continue reading January 26: There’s The Rub
January 25: On Working Mendelssohn’s “Lobgesang”
When working on a project of some length We are advised to take it bit by bit, To gently test endurance and one's strength, But living with the fear one might omit A necessary passage or to find That when a crucial section is rehearsed, You find yourself in something of a bind And panic, … Continue reading January 25: On Working Mendelssohn’s “Lobgesang”
January 24: A Toast
The rules insist that when you drop your toast, It lands with jelly side against the ground, Unless, the cynic offers as riposte, Through luck, it lands the other way around. Because the inconvenience and the mess, Delay the meal as one cleans off the rug, Those vexing memories the mind impress; Good fortune is … Continue reading January 24: A Toast
January 23: Be Happy
“Be happy!” said the parking lot. I was; My lowered gaze, I thought, was not produced By sadness, yet the painted words gave pause; Had my own happiness become diffuse? My first reaction was to laugh and scoff, Because to optimism I'm inclined, Yet thinking on the day, its crests and troughs, The disappointments lingered … Continue reading January 23: Be Happy
January 22: Beautiful, Beautiful Soup!
A steaming robin's egg with noodles filled, With scallion green and ginger red bedecked, And brown with brine, a treasure chest that spilled, Whose rich surroundings with its gold are flecked. Aside, the humble offering of pork Infuses all the contents of the bowl. One dare not denigrate it with a fork; But gently nibbled, … Continue reading January 22: Beautiful, Beautiful Soup!
