Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 6 of 72 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 71 72
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,735
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Online Content
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,735
Likes: 2

First the Lost Dutchman's Goldmine attacked us, *
Then excessively watered the cactus. **
...Now I find with dismay
...That an Apple a day
Keeps the Doctor away from his practice ! ***

* One of the early text-only adventure games. Like Zork.
** If you did anything but the right thing all you saw was a saguaro cactus
*** Remember when there were no Macintosh computers, just an Apple II ?


(I won $10 once for submitting that to an early computer magazine, in 1983 or so. That's the same as Second Prize in a Beauty Contest !)

Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
J
veteran
Offline
veteran
J
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
The medieval peoples for Heaven did search
In transept cathedrals the heathens did worsh
Building their churches crossed shaped
As vehicles where souls could translate
Now every airplane flying is a cross shaped church

GNOSIS - GOAT

Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
M
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
M
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
> comic verse consisting of five anapestic lines


Hm, yes, it can be – but the form is not exactly set in concrete.

Personally, the structure I think most satisfying is:
Rhyme scheme: AABBA
Lines 1,2,5: 9 syllables in 3 amphibrachic feet
Lines 3,4: 6 syllables in 2 anapestic feet

The unity of triploid feet helps weld the thing together, but the variation in stress patterns makes for more interest. This gives the characteristic declamatory inversion of normal speech rhythm in the first line ~ “There WAS an/old MAN of/deVIZes….” The alteration to anapaest in the middle couplet has something of the same kind of effect that a couplet does in a 14 line sonnet, but sprung into the humorous conclusion of the final line with both rhythmic stress and final rhyme striking conclusively as a closing bell (apart from variation for more humorous effect!)

ymmv

and now we return you to your regular program...

Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
M
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
M
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
There once was a preacher from Dickey
Whose long-growing gnosis was tricky:
He had discarded god
As a vindictive sod
But a goat’s love soon gained him a quickie!



now an easy lob:

GIRDLE - - - GIRL

Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
There once was a girl name of Myrtle
Who ran track and was facing a hurdle;
She ran and she jumped
but down she did thump,
being stopped at mid-leap by her girdle.


Somebody else please post new words for me--I can't get to my brick-and-mortar dictionary right now. Thanks.

Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
how about these, from W3:

GHOSTLIKE GIBBET

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 963
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 963
With his feet through the floor of the gibbet,
A bit late to be urbane and glib, it
Was then his thirst spike
Caused the thought, so ghostlike:
"I could sure use a shot of Glenlibet."

CONFIDENTIAL – CONGO

Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,255
Likes: 7
A
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
A
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,255
Likes: 7
In a document marked 'Confidential',
The President wrote "It's essential
That the Congo's unrest
Should be quickly suppressed,
Or its spread could become exponential".

ENORMOUS – ENTANGLE

Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
M
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
M
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
Bravo! Some real goodies smile

and isn't it interesting how the very constraints of form (and content) can light a spark of creativity?

Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,933
Likes: 3
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,933
Likes: 3
truly! grin


----please, draw me a sheep----
Page 6 of 72 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 71 72

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,614
Members9,187
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
1 members (wofahulicodoc), 136 guests, and 1 robot.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,735
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,933
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5