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#122644 02/12/04 02:51 AM
Joined: Jan 2001
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wwh Offline OP
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From an O.Henry story about a rancher and his guest having
conversation while snow-bound:

"It's like you had a wife and left her in the morning with the same old blue cotton wrapper on, and rides in of a night and runs across her all outfitted in a white silk evening frock, waving an ostrich-feather fan, and monkeying with a posy of lily flowers. Wouldn't it make you look for your pocket compass? You'd be liable to kiss her before you collected your presence of mind."


I have always thought of a "posy" as a single flower, given
as a token of admiration to a girl or woman. So I was surprised to find it more commonly means several flowers arranged with an effort at artistic effect.

Source: WordNet (r) 1.7

posy
n : an arrangement of flowers that is usually given as a present
[syn: bouquet, corsage, nosegay]


Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Posy \Po"sy\, n.; pl. Posies. [Contr. fr. poesy.]
1. A brief poetical sentiment; hence, any brief sentiment,
motto, or legend; especially, one inscribed on a ring.
``The posy of a ring.'' --Shak.

2. [Probably so called from the use of flowers as having an
enigmatical significance. Wedgwood.] A flower; a bouquet;
a nosegay. ``Bridegroom's posies.'' --Spenser.

We make a difference between suffering thistles to
grow among us, and wearing them for posies. --Swift.





#122645 02/13/04 10:25 AM
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I never thought to wonder about Lincolnshire Posy, a musical composition, by Percy Grainger I believe. huh.



formerly known as etaoin...
#122646 02/13/04 10:30 AM
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a couple of Lincs about Grainger and the Posy:
http://www.artsworld.com/music-dance/works/j-l/lincolnshire-posy-percy-grainger.html
http://home.hetnet.nl/~percygrainger/page02-07lincolnshire-gb.html
amazing that he composed right to the parts, not to a score...



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