February 28, 2023

FEB 28, urban concerns: elevator reluctance



Authors' Note

groundling: the author's nickname for people who live on the ground floor, such as, up 'til now, his immediate family members

lift: Canadians, like their American neighbours, usually term this device an 'elevator'; to fit the tight space here, we borrowed the British synonym; however, it is noted that we retained our customary spelling of story (rather than the British storey)

helluva: common undefined slang that has been used in 40 verses on OEDILF to date (2023); presumably a distortion of hell of a ...

Another true personal story, apart from taking liberties with the floor numbers. The author currently inhabits a rental unit across the building from the suite being gloriously renovated/demolished by 'Carl the contractor'. This situation accords with advice by a relative to 'try out the lifestyle change' to ease the transition from house to 'bungalow in the sky'.

 

February 27, 2023

FEB 27, classic palindrome: 'T. Eliot's toilet'










You can review more illustrated verses in a wider context by proceeding to 'Reversing Verse: Limericks About Classic Palindromes' on the full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. 

February 26, 2023

FEB 26, handyman's lesson: restoring your old greenhouse, introduction




























You can watch for further lessons in the restoration process on April 20.



A NOTE FOR (potentially) DISAPPOINTED READERS !!!

Athough the Palm Court has been closed for renovations, portions of the Conservatory facility remain open, If you can't manage to come by for a look yourself, you can still take in the joys of a visit by clicking HERE



  

February 25, 2023

FEB 25, reptiles: red-eared sliders




Authors' Note: Most commonly, we think of asymptomatic carriers as humans who can transmit a microbial infection, but have no symptoms themselves; such diseases as typhoid and salmonellosis are well-known to be transmitted by such carriers.

Similarly, pets may harbor organisms that cause human disease, although the animals themselves don't become ill. Salmonella bacteria are commonly found on the skins of certain lizards and most turtles. The red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta), a reptile native to the US, has attained notoriety in this regard; as children's pets they are cute, easy to care for, and inexpensive. Combined with their penchant for taking over ponds from native turtles, these traits underlie their status as an invasive species whose sale is now banned in many countries around the globe.



 You can review photos and illustrated herpetologic verses in a wider context by proceeding to 'Verses about Reptiles (don't worry! no snake-photos)' on the full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense".

February 24, 2023

FEB 24, creative anachronism: the Hippocratic oath




Authors' NoteThe origins of the Hippocratic Oath, as discussed in the above verse, join several others by the authors under the rubric "creative anachronism". Although little is known of classic Greek office routines, there is no confirmation that clerks transcribed dictated medical reports during that epoch. One has to wait to the modern era for the invention of the typo.


Hippocrates of Kos was putatively the author of many texts (the Hippocratic Corpus) deriving from the school of medicine on his native island, one of two that thrived in Greece during its classical period. Among early descriptions of diseases, symptoms and treatments were attributed comments on the humanistic basis of medical practice that were formalized centuries later into the assertion of medical ethics and professionalism that we know today. 
   

Along the same lines, readers are invited to review our small but growing collection of "creative anachronisms" on our blog "Edifying Nonsense" by clicking HERE.

February 23, 2023

FEB 23, insects: fire ants


a) reprise from February, 2020


FEB 23, insects: fire ants


Authors' Note:  Today's opening of the fire ant season is noted by the authors with regret, and tremendous scratching of the ankles.



Even in the winter, they can be activated.
Watch out!


You can review Giorgio's other verses about pesty and occasionally beneficial insects, as  collected in 'Buzzwords: Verses about Insects' on the full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense". Click HERE.

b) Giorgio's Lexicon of Binomials 




February 22, 2023

FEB 22, signs of confusion: second collection

This post is the second in a series of 5. You can attempt to get all of this straight by reviewing the collection in the previous post of November 15, 2022 : 

 signs of confusion #1 




toplessness?






















as a child, I believed that 'Pickering'
was an abbreviation for 'pickled herring'.
I guess I was wrong

 This post is the second in a series of 5. You can push onwards and  review the collections in these subsequent posts ... 


February 21, 2023

FEB 21, curtained verse: ho- (give it a go)

EDITORS' WARNING: You must be at least 12 years of age to read this post!  



 You can review other mildly scurrilous illustrated verses in a wider context by proceeding to 'Curtained verse: Faintly Obscene (Selected) Limericks' on the full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'.

February 20, 2023

FEB 20 (2023), singable satire: The Red Army Chorus sings " DARK SCHEMES" (Russian Hacking)

from EdNons Feb20,'19 

ORIGINAL SONG (music): "Dark Eyes (Ochi Chornye)", poem written in Russian by Ukrainian poet Hrebinka in 1843, set to music in 1884; recorded by Al Jolson, Django Reinhart, Louis Armstrong, Red Army Chorus, Fyodor Chaliapin, Ivan Rebroff etc.
PARODY COMPOSED: Giorgio Coniglio, January 2018, related to the 2016  winter Olympics . See the version designed for ukulele and guitar players on "SILLY SONGS and SATIRE" HERE.

 
DARK SCHEMES (RUSSIAN HACKING)

(to the tune of "Dark Eyes" ("Ochi Chornye")

A huge triumph for our Russian hackers,
With support PUT IN by Kremlin backers.
Secret intrusion -- seek Red collusion,
Get the goods on sad Trump detractors.

Rationale why we try subvert the West?
We need silly poems. You guys got the best.
No laugh Soviets. Putin still says, Nyet!"
So steal comedy, we'll be funniest.

Once was oligarch from Nantucket
Hid all cash in pail. Tax? He'd duck it.
But his daughter Nan found a man with plan -- 
Informed KGB, then stole bucket. 

Lady traveller, named Miss Brightsky,
She exceeded 'c', speed of lightsky.
She set off from Omsk, took train back from Tomsk,
And returned next week, Sunday nightsky.

Trapped in samovar, were a flea and fly
(English word is 'tea'; Russians call it 'chai');
They played sweet guitar, smoked Cuban cigar,
Though when water boiled, they would surely die. 

You should not pay heed, when the joke's on us; 
Shield you from such filth, we should make a fuss.
What could be appeal, what Chris Steele reveal?
Golden shower file we should not discuss.

Though the IOC* dinged us for doping
Russian hacking teams don't sit moping.
Super dupers are scooping covert medals for duping --
It's a banner year, Vladimir's hoping.

*IOC = International Olympic Committee


February 19, 2023

FEB 19, waterfowl: feral ducks










 You can review these illustrated verses in a wider context by proceeding to 'Immersible Verse: Limericks about Waterfowl' on the full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. 


February 18, 2023

FEB 18, Canadiana: Canadian moose




Authors' Note: This verse was inspired by a character in a verse by Chris J. Strolin who railed against the use of the incorrect term 'Canadian goose'.

In fact, when Bruce was insightfully contemplating the introduction of moose into suitable environment in Newfoundland (NEW-found-land), the island was a separate British colony. As railway building had recently opened the island's interior, it was hoped that hunters would be attracted in search of a species in decline in the US and parts of Canada. 

In 1904, four eastern moose from New Brunswick (that subspecies is known as Alces alces americana) had been set loose on the island. Ultimately Newfoundland, including its burgeoning population of moose, joined the Canadian confederation in 1949. 

The rest is history, eh? Newfoundland now (2023) has the densest population of moose in North America, accounting for 150,000 of the continent's million remaining large ungulates.  

You can review poems, pictures and diverse nonsense related to Canada on the post "Canadiana" on our full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense".

 

February 17, 2023

FEB 17, defining opinion: hot





Our blogpost "Defining Opinion" on the topic-based blog "Edifying Nonsense" shows a selection of similar verses submitted to OEDILF (the online Omnificent English Dictionary iLimerick Form). You can see all of these on one visit by clicking HERE.

 

February 16, 2023

FEB 16, mythed opportunities: Leda and the swan




Authors' Note: King T. refers to Sparta's King Tyndareus, husband of Leda. These characters in the story of "Leda and the Swan" were presumably mortal. However, relevant accounts, as depicted in literature and representative art, vary as to the mortal status of the couple's famous offspring (the twins Helen and Clytemnestra, and Castor and Pollux were hatched as human babies from the oversized eggs.)




"Leda and the Swan"
a subtle rendition with the swan at her feet;
unspecified British sculptor,
Allan Gardens Conservatory.




You can take advantage of the whole spectrum of illustrated poems dealing with 'Mythed Opportunities' that we have collected on our full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. Click HERE!



February 15, 2023

FEB 15, wordplay maps: new world palindromes (#7,#8)

 

a) reprise from February, 2020


FEB 15, wordplay maps: new world palindromes (#7,#8)

TO ENLARGE any slide or stand-alone photo on this blog, just click on it. To reverse the process, and return to this standard view, find the little 'x' in the upper right corner of the black field and click there.











You can view the entire collection of these 50 wordplay maps, by accessing the collection 'Tourists Palindromic Guides: The Americas'. Start by clicking HERE!

b) Giorgio's Lexicon of Binomials






February 14, 2023

FEB 14, reprise: Valentine's day

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

 


"The Kiss"
Mus
ée
 Rodin, Paris 








February 13, 2023

Feb 13, homophonous verse: identity rhymes





Authors' NoteThis verse is the lead-in to a collection of limerick-like verses that have an unusual rhyming scheme. Instead of the usual A1,A2,B1,B2,A3 pattern. these verses have lines ending in 'identity rhymes', as in the above verse: A1,A1,B1,B1,A1. Some critics would say that 'identity rhymes', e.g. perVERSEely conVERSEly, are not rhymes at all. But when bunched up they have a definite musicality, and can be entertainingly sung at open-mike at a bar. 

It's an ongoing work-in-progress, but you can review our 5 verses of this type by clicking HERE ! 


You can review verses on this topic in a wider context on our full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense". Check the collection 'Homophonous Verse' by clicking HERE


 

February 12, 2023

FEB 12, poets' corner: subtle bullying, editorial




Authors' Note: Used here in a loose sense, with no implications for ownership, cooperative refers to a group effort by like-minded individuals. Collaborative writing sites, such as the on-line dictionary OEDILF (nursery for many of Giorgio's concoctions), have the potential advantage to contributors of learning from peers, and ultimately higher rates of publication. Contributing editors ('eds'), however, may entertain estimations of their personal relevance and productivity that influence their editorial comments on others' work. Rarely, such notions are translated into malevolent actions by these poet-leaders.
Other problems with cooperative groups are discussed HERE.
You can find lots of other verses on this blog under the listing "Poets' Corner".  Click HERE.



February 11, 2023

FEB 11, garden intruders: common moles


 a) reprise from February, 2020

FEB 11, garden intruders: common (eastern) moles








Readers, you are fortunate to have available all our poetic comments on creatures (animal and vegetable), devoted to subverting your gardening plans. To view this collection on our full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense", click HERE!

b) Giorgio's Lexicon of Binomials