Them Airin's of the Ancient Rhymer

     BurgerBarn Waitstaff All Mic'd Up 

Panama Hattie: "...all-beef patty..." Attila the Hun: "...sesame bun..."

     Brat Farrar: "...fixin's bar..." Damon Runyon: "...slice of onion..."

Peter DeVries: "...feta cheese..." Travis Bickle: "...kosher pickle..." 

     Attic Plato: "...fresh tomato..." Bridget Pettis: "...extra lettuce..."

Jackson's Bustard: "...ketchup, mustard..." Tondelayo: "...hold the mayo..." 

     Yootha Joyce: "...lo-cal choice..." Orville Wright: "...Diet Sprite..."

Chow Yun-fat: "...fries wi' that...?" R. van Rijn: "...next in line...!"

*   *   *   *   *

     Ming the Ministerial; or, Flash 'n' the Pan

The populace on Mongo kneels 

before their great god Tao.*

This Gott, lots more than pongo, feels 

a jotlet less than Deo.

They seethe beneath his icon -- 

as below a golden calf --

on state occasions, like on 

Ming's unbirthdays. (Don't dare laugh!)

     * Cf the video imagery running behind 

the opening credits of the 1936 Flash Gordon 

movie serial "Space Soldiers."  

*   *   *   *   *

     

     Triobio (Me-oh, My-oh!)

Known as Po(e)...? Know-alls know at least three.

There be Uly and Edgar and Li.

Li's a poetry maven.

Ed quoted a raven.

And Uly goes...hold it! That's me! 

*   *   *   *   *

     Limerlike

At 9123 Sudbury Road

dwelt a sister of sinister mode.

She borrow'd a bread pan

for use as a bed pan

whence further anomalies flow'd.

"Now my shins, once as thin as a cable,

mimic legs on my dining room table.

In addition to that,

my left foot's gone flat.

This twin case leaves my stasis unstable."

In that selfsame eccentric abode

(20901 area code),

she's transplanted five trees,

an arboreal tease

her maniacal neighbor to goad.

"Tell me, what's," asks she, "happ'ning to me...?

Sev'ral syptoms...? Three hundred 'n' three!

I've Lou Gehrig's Disease,

mal de mer...even fleas.

I am lacking just one: housemaid's knee."

     *Cf. Jerome K. Jerome's Three Men in a Boat.

After oxygen's clock'd through a hose

on its way to this ladywife's nose,

it assails us with sound

like a whale run aground

on a beach -- or when, breaching, it blows. 

*   *   *   *   *

     Not E (But Nice) 

This too must pass, inev'tably, 

however uneventfully:

one learns to dwell,

so prophets tell,

within half-hell, 

half-heaven,

that mock-apocalyptic blend 

whose bangfree-whimper'd song shall end

not as foreseen -- in E, I mean --

not slyly in

nor shyly in*

but wryly in

B7.

     *Some mss show "not spryly in 

nor dryly in" here, but all are late. 

*   *   *   *   *

     Choc/O Holic 

Mini Mounds 'n' mandarins,

haute chocolate/orange mix.

Mandarins 'n' Mini Mounds:

Alors, who'll score my fix...?

*   *   *   *   *

     B?RD Doggerel 

('Borrow'ed interest...? 'Bardot'd interest...? You decide!)

 

     I 

Once, everybody'd heard -- 

they'd heard about the bird.

     "Bird...bird...bird..." 

Then, bird were but a word.

     But Bil 'n' Cora Baird 

their love of puppets shared.

     "Baird...Baird...Baird..." 

(With Burr Bil's been compared.)

     A line applaudin' Larry...? 

Not one reader need be wary.

     A line extolin' Dan...? 

If one can't, some others can.

     II 

Shakespeare, dubb'd "The Bard," 

no player'd disregard.

     "Bard...bard...bard..." 

What a calculatin' card!

     Her bod Godiva bared; 

except for Tom, none stared.

     "Bared...bared...bared..." 

Deeds daft that lady dared.

     A verse to push a college...? 

Not so -- to my best knowledge.

     A reference to fangs...? 

'Bared' hints of no such thangs.

     III 

Chagall...? Too avant-garde 

so's, thus, by Nazis barr'd.

     "Barr'd...barr'd...barr'd..." 

For Marc, haute art proved hard.

     Rustin, christen'd Bayard, 

in discrimination mired,

refused to date a beard, 

though gays were then thought weird.

     "Bayard...Bayard...Bayard..." 

No off-spring Rustin sired.

     Does 'garde', in French, mean 'guard'...? 

Who'd posit that canard...?

     Be this Tim Burton's hound 

unshackl'd from the pound...?

     IV 

Confed'rate Beauregard 

had left Fort Sumpter charr'd --

each plank (in Dutch, each berd) 

bescorch'd -- if that's the word.

     "Berd...berd...berd..." 

Transparency grew blurr'd

as all, save one, demurr'd, 

"Were bird still but a word...?"

     Though 'berd' may rhyme with 'bird,' 

as such it's rarely heard...

        ...and, even then, a word 

known only to a nerd.  

     V 

"Bird...bird...bird..." 

They'd heard how bird's a word 

determin'd by a board, 

not some benighted horde 

caught crawlin' 'bout a bord 

near coal veins newly bored.

     "Board...bord...bored..." 

This homonymnal chord

leaves verbal senses floor'd 

by sonancies untoward.

     "Bord...bord...bord..."

Some ward where coal dust's stored...?

     "Board...bord...bored..."

Some verbal hat trick scored...?

     VI 

Ettore Boyardee 

was born in Italy.

     "Boy-...ar-...dee..." 

(Sounds Anglicized to me.)

     But Beale's (no lad call'd Brad 

nor citizen of Chad) 

an east Missouri lad -- 

St. Louis, we should add.

     "Brad...Brad...Brad..." 

For nailin'...? Not too bad.

     Boy oh boy! R.D....?

Development and Re-!

     Paisley...Parscale...Pitt...?

Be that the last of it...?

     VII 

In school, each little maid 

the raven hair should braid.

     "Braid...braid...braid..." 

This Savoyard brigade,

inscrutable and staid,

delights in their parade.

     "Beard," somebody said, 

"be boffo bakin' bread...

     ...bread...bread...bread..." 

(Jim shoulda cook'd instead.)

     Bread in wreaths 'n' twists

top beaucoup bakers' lists. 

     Their challah's braided bread

keeps hungry Hebrews fed.

     VIII 

Our southern states' inbred

leave masses MAGA-red.

They stink of thinkin' dead

(its odor's from the head).

     "Bred...bred...bred..."

Yet dare I on 'em tread...?

They are a far-right breed

in thrall to racist creed

who drawl their hate-honed screed

while bawling, "Let's secede!"

     "Breed...breed...breed..."

Who's smokin' locoweed...?

I fear before we're freed,

a lot of us shall bleed.

     'Bred,' of course, ain't 'Bret.'

Of Brets there's plenty yet.

     You know no Michael Breed,

nor should you feel the need.

     IX 

"Bird...bird...bird..."

'Twere but a word...? Absurd!

Though feather'd -- rarely furr'd --

by doubt it's undeterr'd.

     But then, his Bartered Bride

Bedrich the Czech had tried.

[A code for caron'd r

we've research'd wide 'n' far.]

     "Bride...bride...bride..."

She runs but cannot hide.

Though oft a silly broad,

by her, monsieur, we're awed.

     "Broad...broad...broad..."

She's ne'er defamed a fraud,

and, though her frame's unflaw'd,

this beauty's no man's bawd.

     Ms. Bridey, surnamed Murphy,

claim'd pre-existence turfy...

     ...a broad pre-born abroad.
(Her doctors mock'd her: "Odd!")

     X 

Kafka's buddy, Brod,

with Franz's sabots shod,

in Franz's footsteps trod --

for miles 'n' miles, by God!

     "Brod...Brod...Brod..."

Like bruders in one pod,

to Franz he's staff 'n' rod.

Franz owed this bro a wad.

     But birds be prone to brood.

They brood above their brood,

though soon enough conclude, 

"We're just not in the mood."

     "Brood...brood...brood..."

Though 'brood' can rhyme with 'brew'd,'

so many brews prove duds.

They're not for me, those Buds!

      But Brod forebodes not Bader:

famed RBG broke later...

     ...while tough guy Brod'rick Crawford

predicts not Peter Lawford.

     XI 

Famous folk named Burd...?

Men, to a man -- no bird.

     "Burd...Burd...Burd..."

There's Nick, there's George. A third...?

There's Ed. Plus Walt. And James...

...but now I'm out of names.

     Sev'ral Burds were married,

and most, by now, be buried.

     "Buried...buried...buried..."

The meter here's unvaried.

     One Burd I knew were Andy:

a man with banjos handy.

     He's buried now as well,

though where we dare not tell.

     XII 

Adm'ral Richard Byrd,

to districts frigid lured,

chill'd congelations tour'd.

(Of spunk he'd not be cured.)

     "Byrd...Byrd...Byrd..."

It sounds a lot like bird

which is, as now we've heard

fa-a-a-ar more than just a word.

     First shakin,' now we're stirr'd,

towards Wisdom's bower spurr'd...

     ...so like the bowerbird...

...bird...bird...bird...

     Addendum (B?RD Seed) 

Bard  Bardot  Baird  Bayard  

Bared  Berd  Beauregard  Beard  

Bedrich  Bird  Bord  Bored  Board  

Borrow'd  Boy-ar-dee  Boyd  Burd  

Buried  Byrd  Brad  Braid  Bread  

Bred  Breed  Bride  Broad  Brod  

Broil'd  Brood  Bruder  

An Index of Babel Filed on Thirty Six 3" x 5" (7.62 x 12.7 Centimeter) Cards

     AGE

Brassbound barkeeps won't vend to a minor, 

using young 'uns' IDs as their gauge.

Spurn'd, some turn'd-away teens turn moonshiner. 

(Adolescents get filed under 'AGE.')

     ARMS 

Axillae, in females and males, 

confer benefits rather than harms.

Despite legends, myths, fables and tales, 

aren't axillae found filed under 'ARMS'...?

     BELLY 

Dead End, Nightmare Alley, The Killing...

How I love watching Noir on the telly!

Femme fatales, anti-heroes: all thrilling...

and all filed, in the dark, under 'BELLY.'

     BJERG 

Emil* makes prints (linos...not mezzotints)

in a yet undisclosed Denmark burg.

Of the home of this prince I've discover'd no hints,

though the man himself's filed under 'BJERG.'

     * Danish linocut artist Emil Underbjerg

     CLASS  

Baldwin was first count of Flanders. 

Tammy's that lesbian lass.

Alec's the ace of right-handers. 

James...? Filed by whites under 'CLASS.'

     COVER 

Margaretha MacLeod -- Mata Hari -- 

was both Captain Vadim Maslov's lover

and a spy, for which snafu she's sorry. 

Mata Hari gets filed under 'COVER.'

     DOG 

Goliath (of barns a great stormer) 

shared the fates of both Gog and Magog.

You will find him filed under 'PERFORMER.' 

(His foe David is filed under 'DOG.')

     DONE 

Julia Child a French cookbook compiled,

with which fame (though no fortune) she won.

An ex-classmate smiled, calling Child "really wild."

(Note: Child's never been filed under 'DONE.')

 

     ESTIMATE

Woman Power! Such a slipp'ry thing! 

Its Babel Index filing's bifurcate: 

While woman's filed (unfairly) under 'LING,' 

her power's never under 'ESTIMATE.'

     EXPOSED 

Though Anthony Wiener showed dreadful demeanor

in sexting, the cove's case is closed.

Next time, unless Wiener makes use of a screener,

he'll not be filed under 'EXPOSED.'

     FED  

Kim's premature-middle-age spread, 

from which fleet North Koreans have fled,

leaves large swaths of the populace dead. 

Filed are most of that host under 'FED.'

     FIRE  

Vlady's assault on Volody (Vlad's fault) 

plops the pair in predicaments dire.

Since Zelenskyy is not Putin's toady (what rot!), 

poor Ukraine is now filed under 'FIRE.'

 

     GONE 

It passes (the year). But that ass is still here.

Share the blame, Laura, Tucker and Sean!

I'll cry "Bravo!" and cheer once those three disappear,

and once Babel files Drumpf under 'GONE.'

     GROUND 

Abolitionist Harriet Tubman was she, 

many Afro-historians found,

who, as porter/conductor, "train'd" slaves to be free. 

(Tubman's railroad's found filed under 'GROUND.')

     HANDED 

Though taking a bow after shaking with Mao, 

Mr. Nixon "a crook" had been branded.

That paranoid whiner and Malcolm maligner 

Dick Nixon's found filed under 'HANDED.'

 

     INDICTMENT  

Drumpf understood what the Right meant 

by their beefs, "We want chiefs with excitement,"

so join'd hacks in foul acts of incitement. 

Mr. Drumpf's now filed under 'INDICTMENT.'

     JI 

Injured one's symptoms...? Abundant they be: 

there's bleeding 'n' swelling 'n' pain, to name three.

Injured through voodoo...? Far be it from me! 

Injured as anagram...? Filed under 'JI.'

     KILL  

Not near enough tanks to prevail in Ukraine. 

Not near enough troops with not near enough will.

V. O. Zelenskyy is Vladimir's bane, 

while Vlady himself is found filed under 'KILL.'

     

     LING 

A verse discussing a filing under 'LING' 

appears above in a verse discussing a 

filing under 'ESTIMATE.'

     MINED 

Them Proud Boys refuse to be mollified. 

Is the Justice Department so blind...?

Insurrectionists...? Filed under 'QUALIFIED.' 

(Our democracy's filed under 'MINED.')

     NOURISHED 

'Sbeen awhile since the island of Haiti 

was on top and its populace flourish'd.

But then Nature (and Fate) proved too weighty. 

Now most Haitians are filed under 'NOURISHED.'

     OVER 

'Tis consider'd at Babel a blunder 

to file Bill Hollman's strip "Smokey Stover"

based on betting book odds 'over-under.' 

It persists, therefore, filed under 'OVER.'

     PANTS 

The jockey can channel the horse. 

Cavaliers can be jockeys in France.

The Index of Babel, of course, 

reveals jockeys are filed under 'PANTS.'

     PERFORMER

A verse discussing a filing under 'PERFORMER'

appears above in a verse discussing a filing

under 'DOG.'

     QUALIFIED 

A verse discussing a filing under 'QUALIFIED' 

appears above in a verse discussing a filing 

under 'MINED.'

     RATED 

Tesler invented the "cut/copy-paste."

Salieri twin musical maestros created.

Petrov refused to turn tables in haste.*

Surely these three must be filed under 'RATED.'

     * Larry, Antonio and Petrov: Google 'em!

   

     SHAFT 

The dad's bâtesseur de munition; 

manufacturing arms is his craft.

The daughter serves soup at a mission. 

The pair are found filed under 'SHAFT.'

     * Andrew and Barbara Undershaft from 

        Shaw's Major Barbara.

     STOOD

Drumpf is a crimin'lly negligent hood,

a sociopath always up to no good,

and a serious flight risk. (If only Drumpf would!)

The fun facts above...? To be filed under 'STOOD.'

 

     TAKERS 

Morticians find stiffs most enchanting.

Here's a list of embalm'd-body makers: 

Jolie, Lynch, White, DeVito and Banting.*

(All morticians are filed under 'TAKERS.')  

     * https://blog.funeralone.com/grow-your-

business/funeral-marketing/5-famous-people-

who-got-their-start-in-the-funeral-profession...

     UTILIZED 

Earth's supersleuth...? Hercule Poirot,

he whose little grey cells work as advertised.

I'm Ulysses. My surname is Poe

and my grey cells are filed under 'UTILIZED.'

     VAXED

Drumpf's devotees (let's call 'em MAGAts)

badmouth libs and are loath to be tax'd. 

They, as well, despise gays -- dub 'em faggots. 

Unlike Drumpf, they're found filed under 'VAXED.'

     WATER 

U-boats propel through the sea 

with the grace and dispatch of an otter.

A Nautilus image there'll be 

next to U-boat -- both filed under 'WATER.'

     WHIRL'D 

When Muhammad Abdullahi Hassan's dervish skirts unfurl'd,

his dance, enhanced in pantsless trance, unhinged his stitches purl'd.

His ecstasy seem'd plain to see as round and round he twirl'd.

Librarians at Babel chose to file him under WORLD.

 

     X 

One finds Underx Diapers for elders,

whether male or of female sex,

worn by butchers and bakers and welders --

and most fittingly filed under 'X.'

     YOUR SKIN 

Is Cole, then, a first name or last...?

One hardly knows where to begin.

Perhaps with this blast from the past:

Cole Porter's filed under 'YOUR SKIN.'

     ZO 

Oumpah-pah and Astérix

he co-created years ago.

Filed under 'CURRENT'...? Fiddlesticks! 

Al's filed 'neath 'Albert UderZO.'

Personal States Of Being

I'm 

Who Am; 

You're 

Who Are; 

She's, He's, It's 

Who Is;

We're 

Who Were; 

You're 

Not Sure; 

They're 

None Of Our Biz.

Other Suits, Other Songs; or, A Decade in Decks

Royals from the House of Hearts have long been celebrated -- witness 

that Queen and her stolen tarts. Is it not well past time for regal clans 

designated by other suits to receive their metrical deserts...?

The King of Spades donn'd Ray-Ban shades, 

exclaiming, "Young King Cool!"

The Queen of Spades removed those shades, 

explaining, "You're a fool."

The Knave of Spades purloin'd those shades, 

"...to pawn 'em," offer'd he.

The King cried, "Stop!" Then call'd a cop. 

(The Queen sang "Let It Be.")

The Queen of Pips Botox'd her lips 

to stave off middle age.

The Knave of Pips French-kiss'd those lips, 

remiss to disengage.

The King of Pips, now in eclipse, 

acknowledged not that pair.

(These royal Pips should come to grips: 

"à trois"es ought to share.)

The Knave of Clubs fill'd sev'ral tubs, 

intent on brewing Cru.

The King of Clubs cried, "'Tis our pubs' 

prerogative to brew."

The Queen of Clubs, as one who snubs 

plu-motivated knaves,

embraced this Jack. "He's got the knack. 

Fresh roads to wealth he paves."

The Knave of Coins King's pelf purloins 

with which to swell his purse.

The Queen of Coins this Knave enjoins 

in supplications terse:

"Let's split that dough, then westward go." 

But Jack's not read'ly trick'd,

so leaves alone. The King cries, "Crone! 

Both thou and Jack be knick'd."

The King of Swords of Mustang Fords 

says, "Mustangs set the pace."

The Queen of Swords of Escort Fords 

says, "Royals need their space."

The Knave of Swords of Edsel Fords 

says, "Who don't love surprises...?"

Their feelings towards their favor'd Fords 

dissolve as Tesla rises.

The King of Cups, once pawn of Krupp's, 

elects to go to war.

The Queen of Cups withholds her "Yup!"s,

 insisting, "Hold the gore!"

The Knave of Cups thereon erup's: 

"I, too, refuse to fight."

The King of Cups two thumbs he "up"s: 

"Awright, awright...awright!"

The King of Di'monds, scourge of hymens, 

searches for a mate.  

The would-be Queen of Di'monds 

guards her hymen's fragile state. 

The Knave of Di'monds, former pieman's 

aid cum royal pander,

declares with pique, "I shall not seek 

more prey for this philand'rer."

The King of Wands prefers young blondes 

as handmaids to his queen.

The Queen of Wands, though, corresponds 

with men of manly mien.

The Knave of Wands digs demimondes -- 

and beds 'em by the dozen.

The King of Wands (surprise!) absconds 

with Juan, a distant cousin.

The King of Leaves as yet believes 

he could have wedded better.

The Queen of Leaves for lost love grieves; 

she's saved ex-lover's letter.

The Knave of Leaves, a prince of thieves, 

the old Queen shall extort.

The King of Leaves this queen he leaves: 

"New queens I now shall court."

 

The King of Roses blows his nose. His 

hankie's full of snot.

The Queen of Roses, one supposes, 

catches what he's got.

The Knave of Roses claims, "I'm Moses," 

Mesmerized en trance.

(These Royal Roses are, God knows, es-

pecial just by chance.) 

A Trip to the Archives by Guest Host "Che" Bar-Tholomew

 

Colonel Cyclops

The Rubaiyaketyÿak of Rabid Rebel Ribald Robin Rublev-Ryback

     Syllables composed of r+vowel(s)+b kick off all words providing material for 

this new lyric. 'Rubai' is pronounced as three syllables (roo-BAH-ee). 'Poem' is 

correctly pronounced as one or two syllables depending upon the dialect of the

pronouncer. (N.B.: it can be pronounced either way in the first line below.) In 

addition to the one or several vowels positioned between the r and the b of each 

key word, an h can position there as well. In Edward FitzGerald's translation of 

Omar Khayyam's poem, lines one, two and four of each four-line verse rhyme -- 

AABA. In Ribald Robin's parody, the pattern is ABCB. The meters of the two  

poems differ completely, though the number of stanzas in each is the same, i.e., 32.

     I 

Rubai be the Persian poem. 

Ribeye be the steak.

Ruby be the gemstone red --

a bleedin' bitch to break.

     II 

Rabbi be the Hebrew teacher. 

Rabies...? The disease.

Robie House...? The house that Wright built. 

(Wrong: 'tweren't wrought by Mies.)

    III 

Rubles be the Rooskie's boodle. 

Rabble...? Bands o' boobs.

Budapest-born Ernö Rubik 

mucks about with cubes.

     IV 

Rabbit (..., Run, ...Is Rich, ...At Rest): 

be best off Updike's shelf. 

Rabindranath Tagore wrote, too. 

(That dude outdid himself.)

     V 

"Ribbit!" be the froggy's call. 

Robb'ry be the crime.

Robey's calling...? Music Hall...

in Good King Bertie's* time.

          * Great Britain's King Edward VII. N.B.: 'Bertie' is a reverse "r+vowel (s)+b"-initialed word.

     VI 

Ribbons grace Milady's gowns. 

Reuben's in the Bible.

Robots soon shall rule the world -- 

at least, one from their tribe'll.

     VII 

Rubber rooms be spaces safe

which house poor folk with special needs.

Rubble...? All that's left of houses

after Mount St. Helens bleeds.

 

     VIII 

Rabe be much like broccoli. 

Rube's the country boor.

Rub ribbings in, "The joke's on you." 

Rebels lose their war.

     IX 

Ribosomes inhabit cells. 

Rubrics...? Red as shirts.*

("I trust these rhymes don't rub thee wrong," 

wry Ribald Robin blurts.)

     * Ala Italian patriot Garibaldi's iconic scarlet garb.

     X 

Rabelais...? That gate's* so-o-o great 

(though never ate a taco).

Rebecca drowns in Daphne's book. 

Rabat be in Morocco.

     * Jazz slang for a swinger: Satchmo was a gate.

     XI 

Rayburn...? Congress office building. 

Ray-Bans "ban them rays."

Rebuses be puzzles 

whose solutions take three days.

          

     XII 

Ray Brown swings -- a gate as well

the fella married Ella!).

Another term for German measles...? 

Might you mean 'Rubella'...?

     XIII 

Rube, whose surname's 'Goldberg,' 

engineer'd bizarre cartoons.

Reuben be the sandwich 

one must ne'er consume with spoons.

     XIV 

Rhombuses* sport equal sides (four!) -- 

yep, they're quadrilat'ral.

Reborn bros be birth'd...again (!) 

(It all seems most unnat'ral.)

     * The Editor elects to allow 'r(hom)bus' as either occupying one modified subset of "r+vowel(s)+b"-type words or as a sort of clinamen in the sense of a rule-proving exception.

     XV 

Rabwah lies in Asia; 

'tis a Pakistani town.

Reboot...? Just one of stuff what's done 

when one's old Dell goes down.

     XVI 

Rabat remains that seaport* 

on Morocco's northwest coast.

Rarebit's the gourmet you get 

when melted cheese tops toast.

     * Cf verse ten above, which mention here reprises.

     XVII

Rubirosa really loved 

the chicks and cars...and chicks.

Rabin...? But one more victim 

of Israeli politics.

     XVIII 

Ribbentrop...? Foul diplomat. 

Reebok be the shoe.

'Rubensque' be, frankly, fat -- 

though not near vast comme vous.

     XIX

A rebec-playing goatherd croons 

to Sancho and the Don.

(Or were it the antique rebab 

that poet play'd upon.)

     XX

Mnemonic'lly, 'Roy Biv' sans G  

prompts colors of the spectrum.

Rebozo  be Dick Nixon's BFF;

he help'd elect 'im.

     XXI

Rebecca cultivates the farm.*

(Does rhubarb Becca grow there...?)

Puts Robinson to Friday post

encount'rin' him, "Hello, there."

     * Sunnybrook Farm in the children's novel.

     XXII 

In Rey Bridge (The of San Luis) 

T. Wilder tells us all.

Rub-rub-a dub'...? Some oral hooey

like to 'folderol.'

     XXIII

Roebuck be the male of deers

once dominatin' Europe.

Roebuck also pal'd with Sears

to peddle soap 'n' syrup.

     XXIV

Robespierre riled up the rabble:

ev'ryone knows that.

The robe, as made of fabric,

makes it quite unlike the hat.

     XXV

'Rehab' be an "r+v+b" word;

'Arby's' ain't.

Neither be 'Barack' or 'Arbus.'

(One, though, was a saint.) 

     XXVI

Roblox be the online game.

Raab the British pol.

Rabbiteyes be berries blue.

Rabczewska's* quite the doll.

     * Polish singer known as Doda.

     XXVII

Rebar keeps the concrete strong.

Rebhühns...? Birds. (Unless I'm wrong.)

Rebis forms be dual, double.

(Where've you been...? Inside some bubble...?)

     XXVIII

Rubidium's the alkali.

'Rubato' slows the music down.

Who'd cross the Rubicon...? Not I.

Why not...? The Robocop's in town.

     XXIX

Robur be The Conqueror,

according to Jules Verne.

Robie be the jewel thief,

but he's gone straight, we learn.

     XXX

Ireland's Castle Rheban

must on no count be confused

with the Tasman Sea's port Rheban. 

Of such thoughts be disabused!

     XXXI 

Indeed, 're-' buttin' any word 

initial'd with a b

must qualify as fodder 

for my pot of poetry...

     XXXII

     ...while 'Rybakov''s just one 

of "r+v+b"-type names...

(But let's adjourn before my t(o)urn-de-farce 

goes up in flames.)

                                     -- Rab. Reb. Rib. Rob. Rub.-Ryb.