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Monday, April 3, 2023

Regarding the Attraction of Opposites, It's Touch 'n' Go: a Ritmus in Rime

With Eb 'n' Flo, to is fro, 
stop is go 'n' yes is no. 
Sis is bro, feu est l’eau, 
vrai est faux 'n' joy is woe.

With Eb 'n' Flo, pimp is ‘ho,’
suck is blow 'n' high is low.
Wane is grow, fox is crow,
rich is po' 'n' fade is glow.

With Eb 'n' Flo, am is pro, 
Jenny's Joe 'n' quid's pro quo.
Shemp is Moe, paid is owe,
sigma's rho 'n' catch is throw.
With Eb 'n' Flo, fast is slow,
shove is tow 'n' trot is "whoa."
Gross is beau, err is know,
win is show...and, yes: ebb's flow...

...plus (as is shown here)
less is mo.'



Enid 'n' Edna: a Meterhyme

Enid is blue on green; Edna’s deep red. 
Enid’s an ABC; Edna’s a zed. 
Enid’s respectable; Edna’s ill-bred. 
Enid’s believable; Edna’s lost cred. 
Enid’s progressive; to Drumpf Edna’s wed. 
Enid is spirited; Edna’s quite dead. 
Enid we celebrate; Edna we dread. 
Each is our sib. (Best the rest's left unsaid.)  

Soup 'Herb': a Jump-Rope Counting Meterhyme

Herbert
Hoover, Herbert Marshall, Herbert
Asquith, Herbert Lom. Victor
Herbert, Justin Herbert, Mrs.
Walter Herbert ("Mom"). Edna
Ferber(t) would her blurb blurt. Baby
Gerber(t), please stay calm! (Dropp’d her
sherbert on the curb, hurt sev'ral
digits and her palm.)

Friday, March 31, 2023

When "Gimme a Visky!" Were Thought a Bit Risky: a Meterhyme

Before they’d heard how Garbo talks, 
they’d wonder’d, “Maybe Garbo balks 
at having to record 'that voice.' 
Perhaps great Greta Garbo squawks.” 
 
Before they’d heard how Garbo speaks, 
they'd ponder’d, “Maybe Garbo squeaks -- 
a pitch o’er which she bears no choice." 
(They each could teach her voice techniques.) 
 
Before they ’d heard how Garbo laughs 
at Melvin's* Paris bistro gaffes, 
they'd maunder’d, “Might Mel make her smile...?” 
"I'll say,” thought they. “Mel Garbo chaffes.” 
 
In 1990, Garbo dies. 
Begin they then to analyze 
the art at heart of Garbo style: 
"It weren’t 'that voice.' 'Twere them there eyes."

* Garbo's Ninotchka co-star Melvyn Douglas.

Thursday, March 30, 2023

More Bulletins from the "Anagrams Never Lie" Dept.

Shangri-La: Hansa Girl

     (Lo-Tsen's from medieval Germany...? 
I'd heard she was Manchu.)


Indicted: Did in (etc.) 

     (No one is above the law.)

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

I've Got a Right to Sing in Blues

Now I wend
towards the end
of my rope. 
I have run
short of fun,
faith 'n' hope. 
Life is over.
Life's done.
Life’s
(tho’
once sorta fun) 
full of woe:
I can no
longer cope. 

Now I'm play'd out.
I’m wash'd up.
I’m spent. 
Now's the winter,
and I'm
discontent. 
I’m all in.
It’s a wrap. 
Time to take
The Big Nap. 
(Leaves one wond’rin'
where all of it
went.)

Now this case,
like this casement,
is closed,
as the body
erodes --
decomposed.
That last scene
was a flop.
Cut! Don't print it --
full stop.
I've been --
hook, line 'n' sinker --
well hosed.

Now I'm finish’d.
I’m used up.
I’m drain’d.
Sky's gone grey;
name one day
it's not rain'd!
Oi! I'm runnin'
on empty.
I'm krenky,
verklempty.
My options...?
All stopp'd...
or constrain'd.

Now the sands
through my hands
are run out,
I can see
that The Reaper's
en route.
As the curtain's
descending,
"So this
is the ending...?"
I brood --
then conclude,
"Without doubt."

Now the foundry
has ground
to a halt.
Nor no longer's
my song
worth its salt.
Need I now
to name names
as to who
bears the blames...?
Hold the phone:
'tis my own
bloody fault.


Litany Chanted Over Schrödinger's Box

Is he dead yet...? 'Yes' or 'No'...?  All'd 'God Bless!' if 'Yes,' you know.  Is he dead yet...? Don...