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Uplifting Proverb

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I'm reading The Unfolding of Language by Guy Deutscher and he quotes this German proverb

"Keeping order is a crutch for those who are too lazy to search for things …" ("Wer Ordnung hält ist nur zu faul zu suchen").

I couldn't help feeling a lot better about my desktop when I read this (similar to the feeling I get when I see a photograph of Francis Bacon's studio).




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You Had A White Dress On

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You had a white dress on

When we met for a second,

Forty years ago.

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One Liner

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Relationship guidance. Stick to Sudoku. That way you'll have fewer cross words.

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Out-Pizzazzing Pizzazz

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If you had asked me just a couple of days back what word in English has the most zs in it, then  I would have instantly replied 'pizzazz'. It's the obvious answer (and has a lot of pizzazz).

But I have learned better. The correct answer is 'zenzizenzizenzic', referring to numbers which are "squares of squares squared".

So (if I have it right) 3 squared is 3 x 3 = 9; square that is 81; square 81 and we get 6561. There you go. 6561 is a zenzizenzizenzic number.

The word erupted briefly in the 16c, like a sort of linguistic supernova, but sadly soon faded in favor of 8, more compact but less zedful.

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A Proverb for Savaged Birders

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Edited by Richard Walker, Sunday, 21 Feb 2016, 02:20

Swans bittern twite shrike

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Homage to Ogden Nash

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Edited by Richard Walker, Sunday, 21 Feb 2016, 01:53

One thing in Spring I wisheses,

Can someone tell me why,

There's some folks sez Narcissuses,

But others, Narcissi?


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Nursery Rhyme

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Doctor Blunder went down under
On a tourist plane;
He died in combat,
With a hairy-nosed wombat,
And never returned home again.

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No Joke

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This is not a Monday grin.

Permalink 3 comments (latest comment by Cathy Lewis, Friday, 19 Feb 2016, 07:47)
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Non-blank Verse

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Edited by Richard Walker, Thursday, 18 Feb 2016, 01:10
Blank verse is simply verse that doesn't rhyme.
I've never understood why, but some people seem to consider it a species of crime.
In his plays William Shakespeare positively throve upon it.
Although I admit things were different when he came to write a sonnet.
Permalink 2 comments (latest comment by Richard Walker, Thursday, 18 Feb 2016, 14:50)
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Mondegreen

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Edited by Richard Walker, Wednesday, 17 Feb 2016, 19:47

Here's another mondegreen, one I'd forgotten about. It's absolutely genuine, not made up, and was told me by a friend.

Spoken: "A Graham Greene novel".

Heard: "A gray and green nozzle."


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The Author of 'Zorba'

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Edited by Richard Walker, Tuesday, 16 Feb 2016, 22:40

Nikos Katzantzakis was a controversial Cretan writer, most famous for the book and film "Zorba the Greek'. His epitaph is famous.


It's often translated in a literal way, but how the capture the spirit? Here's my attempt.

No desires or fears.
Free now.

Photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kazantzakis_Grab.jpg


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Clerihew

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Graham Greene was a great novelist in many people's eyes.
Although he didn't win the Nobel Prize.
He never had writer's block.
Enabling him to write twenty-five novels, including Brighton Rock.
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The Price of Freedom...

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I've heard eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. Thanks, but I can do without electronic seabirds watching me.

Permalink 1 comment (latest comment by Sharon Hartles, Thursday, 18 Feb 2016, 22:39)
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Epitaph for a Marketer

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Edited by Richard Walker, Monday, 15 Feb 2016, 00:48

Buy buy!

Permalink 1 comment (latest comment by Maria Grazia Inserillo, Monday, 15 Feb 2016, 16:18)
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Epitaph for a Philosopher

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Edited by Richard Walker, Monday, 15 Feb 2016, 00:46

Why?
Bye!

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"In the Valley of the Living"

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In the valley of the living
Each bears a sorrow
Impossible to relinquish.
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The Hick's Basin

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Edited by Richard Walker, Saturday, 13 Feb 2016, 19:14

The Hicks Basin exists and we don't need a Large Hadron Collider to see it!

http://www.hicksandhicks.com/antiques/antique-basins/


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Kōan Einstein!

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"How will I know when the celestial wind blows?"

"You will see the guava tree wave."


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Oon Liner

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Sire Lancelot was late atte the lists. Butte Sire Gawain was joust in time.

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One Liner

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Everyone takes Paras A, B and C seriously. I just don't know why they laugh at Para D.

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One Liner — Wall Wounds

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Edited by Richard Walker, Thursday, 11 Feb 2016, 21:52

Me and some of the other Picts tried to invade. Problem was, we ran right up against the Large Hadrian Collider.

Permalink 3 comments (latest comment by Cathy Lewis, Friday, 12 Feb 2016, 19:36)
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Interesting metre

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Roses are red, Violets are blue.

Phew.

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Joke Factory classic

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Edited by Richard Walker, Thursday, 11 Feb 2016, 00:19

Q. What do you call a man with an axe on his head?

A. Hugh

Our factory can supply similar jokes on demand. Please write for our catalogue.

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Fruity Daffynitions

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Edited by Richard Walker, Tuesday, 9 Feb 2016, 20:34

Black grape — sign of mourning

Jujube — video sharing site

Lemon — arctic rodent

Medlar — interfering busybody

Pear — French dad

Quince — shrink with pain

Strawberry — two kinds of hat


Permalink 4 comments (latest comment by Cathy Lewis, Wednesday, 10 Feb 2016, 20:25)
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The Cheesemonger's Wooing

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Edited by Richard Walker, Tuesday, 9 Feb 2016, 13:25

"I'm fondue", I said.

But she's just gone "Bleu!"

Seems I wasn't goud enough.

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