Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Okay, it took a couple of days

But I think I "get it" now. The Beehive posted a challenge, they listed some neologans (neologs?), which are made-up words. Shakespeare made up his own words , so it's nothing new. And they challenged their "Beehive Faithful" to write a poem using all the words. This is Tim's poem. Today it hit me that, in this poem, the Neologist makes up words, and Strunkenwhite is the proper language itself. And now I get it, and it's really funny! You'll have to click on the Beehive link to see their original post and a list of the words that had to be included in the poem.

Long ago (three days, you know)
there was a dreadful fight
between a Sir Neologist
and one Sir Strunkenwhite.

First "Snoitatulas, sirrah!"
said Sir Neologist.
Sir Strunkenwhite spoke not a word,
but only clenched his fist.

Then fully clad in armored plates
(spendiferously bought)
those two aku-akued across
the field, and staunchly fought.

Up and down the field they fought
and took dismayful wounds,
smiting not with swords alone
but eke with piercing words.

"Do improbe your strokes, Sir Strunk,
or else you've lost the fight:
loserish attacks ne'er yet
availed a losing knight."

"Nevermind, Neologist,
just keep your own defense:
neologistic tendencies
don't prove linguistic sense."

But in the end Neologist
defeated Strunkenwhite
and laid him out upon the ground
with sound like dynamite.

"Aha, sirrah! Gahbooleah!
you're at my mercy now."
And, speaking thus, Neologist
let fall the fateful blow.

"Gahbooleah! Gahbooleah!
O frabjous day!" cried he--
and quickly turned hysterious
in his excessive glee.

Alas for Sir Neologist!
He overdid his mirth,
and soon he lay by Strunkenwhite,
quite dead upon the earth.

Therefore friend beware, lest you
should suffer Neo's lot;
play with language if you will,
but see you kill it not.