JUL 18, political palindromes, L

From this point, you can proceed either forwards or backwards.

For FORWARD, proceed to the next set of 'POLITICAL PALINDROMES' on July 20.
For BACKWARD, return to the previous set on July 14.

OR, return to the ORIGINAL POST on this topic on May 17.

JUL 17, a brief poetic saga: broken arrows (nuclear weapons mishaps)

Authors' Note: The poem relates a story from the Cold War, as highlighted on its 60th anniversary by the Charleston S.C. press. A Broken Arrow is defined as an accidental event which does not create the risk of nuclear war, but involves nuclear weapons, warheads or components.

An atomic bomb weighing 7600 pounds was inadvertently dropped on a South Carolina farm in 1958 by a B-47 bomber on a training mission, with destruction of the farmhouse, and creation of a crater 30 feet (9m.) deep, but only minor injuries to the family. Apparently, a total of 32 such episodes have been acknowledged by the U.S. Department of Defense; many of these resulted in no victims or even civilian involvement. By 1960, the practice of warheads being carried on bomber training flights was presumably discontinued.

EDITORIAL UPDATE: You can now find a parody-song about this same episode by clicking HERE.

For the purpose of this blog, a 'brief saga' is defined as a poem, usually narrative, but occasionally expository, that tell its story in at least 15 lines. Most commonly, the format involves three stanzas in limerick form. Your blogging team has been presenting these concoctions at the rate of one per month, mixed in with the shorter poems, wordplay and other  stuffthat we offer.

    

To access the next 'brief saga' on this blog (August 2020), proceed to 'the Aegean cat'.

To access the most recent previous 'brief saga' (June 2020), back up to 'life as a loon'.  

 

JUL 16, bottom line of medical humor: anal fissure

Authors' Note: 'Aneous', a puerile neologism, has been used here to close the verse, as the proper medical term 'anus' may not function appropriately in this instance.     

You can view these informative verses in a wider context by proceeding to the collection 'The BOTTOM LINE of MEDICAL HUMOR' on our full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense". Click HERE!

 

JUL 15, wordplay maps: sister-cities anagrams (28-30)

Keep more to yourself for a while, wash your hands frequently, remember to laugh on occasion, and stay well!

JUL 14, savoir-faire: la Francophonie

Authors' Note:

d'accord (da-KOHR): French for "certainly" or  "of course"

pays (peh-EE): French for "country" (singular or plural)

Belgique (behl-ZHEEK): French for Belgium

Canada (ka-na-DUH): French pronunciation

Haïti (ah-ee-TEE or ah-ee-SEE): Haiti, a difficult name for anglophones

     to pronounce 

You can review these illustrated verses in a wider context by proceeding to "Vers Français: Limericks about Savoir-Faire" on the full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'.

JUL 13, political palindromes, K

From this point, you can proceed either forwards or backwards.

For FORWARD, proceed to the next set of 'POLITICAL PALINDROMES' on July 18.
For BACKWARD, return to the previous set on July 12.

OR, return to the ORIGINAL POST on this topic. 

JUL 12, political palindromes, J

From this point, you can proceed, ditheringly, either forwards or backwards.

For FORWARD, proceed to the next set of 'POLITICAL PALINDROMES' on July 13.
For BACKWARD, return to the previous set on July 10.

OR, return to the ORIGINAL POST on this topic on May 17.

JUL 11, wordplay maps: new world palindromes(#29,#30)

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

JUL 10, political palindomes, I

From this point, you can proceed either forwards or backwards.

For FORWARD, proceed to the next set of 'POLITICAL PALINDROMES' on July 12.
For BACKWARD, return to the previous set on July 7.

OR, return to the ORIGINAL POST on this topic.

JUL 9, sleek Greek prefixes: AN-

Clicking HERE will introduce you to our entire collection of verses about the Greek prefixes!

 

JUL 8, bi-lyrical limerick: dual-rhyme schemes

Authors' Note: 

  Despite the message of the verse, the author has taken pains to construct a slate of dual rhyme scheme, or bi-lyrical limericks, including the above instance; the rhyme scheme can be characterized as: 

line 1:  C...A

line 2:  C...A

line 3:  D...B

line 4:  D...B

line 5:  C...A.  

 I'm addicted to crafting verse terse,

 Though constricted by constructs perverse.

 To use dual-scheme rhymes

 Can confuse me at times;

 But, inflicted on readers? That's worse!

In the above verse, the additional C- and D-pattern rhymes are distinguished using green font. The scansion (pattern of beats), usually involves stressing the third syllable in each line (as indicated by underlining). In this instance, this pattern is broken in the third line of the verse.

Be sure to check out the whole collection of 'bi-lyrical limericks' by proceeding to "Edifying Nonsense." CLICK HERE ! (Or, if you prefer, you could look over this stuff on Giorgio's Facebook photo-albums.) 

JUL 7, political palindromes, H

From this point, you can proceed either forwards or backwards.

For FORWARD, proceed to the next set of 'POLITICAL PALINDROMES' on July 10.
For BACKWARD, return to the previous set on July 4.

OR, return to the ORIGINAL POST on this topic on May 17.

JUL 6, wordplay maps: new world palindromes(#27,#28)

Keep more to yourself for a while, wash your hands frequently, remember to laugh on occasion, and stay well!

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

JUL 5, wordplay maps: sister-cities anagrams (25-27)

 

JUL 4, political palindromes, G

From this point, you can proceed either forwards or backwards.

For FORWARD, proceed to the next set of 'POLITICAL PALINDROMES' on July 7.
For BACKWARD, return to the previous set on July 2.

OR, return to the ORIGINAL POST on this topic.

JUL 3, wordplay maps: sister-cities anagrams (22-24)

 

JUL 2, political palindromes, F

From this point, you can proceed either forwards or backwards.

For FORWARD, proceed to the next set of 'POLITICAL PALINDROMES' on July 4.
For BACKWARD, return to the previous set on June 30.

OR, return to the ORIGINAL POST on this topic on May 17.

JUL 1, Canadiana: 'CANADIAN' defined

In honour of Canada Day, July 1, 2020...

You can review these illustrated verses in a wider context by proceeding to 'Reverse Strokes: Limericks About Canoeing' on the full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. 

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

JUN 30, political palindromes, E

What you had all been waiting for: the king of palindromes.

From this point, you can proceed either forwards or backwards.

For FORWARD, proceed to the next set of 'POLITICAL PALINDROMES' on July 2.
For BACKWARD, return to the previous set on June 28.

OR, return to the ORIGINAL POST on this topic on May 17.

JUN 29, mammalian wildlife: raccoons in the city

Authors' Note: In the last century, raccoons have readapted themselves as urban denizens, often relatively unnoticed, but sometimes disturbing their neighbours. And be sure to review our subsequent illustrated poem with respect to their role as nest robbers. 

 

You can review the whole collection of illustrated verses about mammals (both domestic and exotic) by checking out the more extensive post on our full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense". Click HERE !

JUN 28, political palindromes, D

Any collection of palindromes, such as the above assemblage, is likely to present a mix of the various structural formats discussed so far. 

From this point, you can proceed either forwards or backwards.

For FORWARD, proceed to the next set of 'POLITICAL PALINDROMES' on June 30.
For BACKWARD, return to the previous set on June 21.

OR, return to the ORIGINAL POST on this topic on May 17.

JUN 27, bi-lyrical limerick: 'E.M.S.'

The original classic limerick:

Be sure to check out the whole collection of 'bi-lyrical limericks' by proceeding to "Edifying Nonsense." CLICK HERE ! (Or, if you prefer, you could look over this stuff on Giorgio's Facebook photo-albums.) 

JUN 26, anagram swarm: A-VERY-STABLE-GENIUS, #8

Bonus wordplay concoction:

You can review an amazing number of anagrams based on this book title on our full-service blog 'Edifying Nonsense'. There are two posts to view:  ’A Very Stable Genius': Theme and Variations (97 anagrams), and 

'A Very Stable Genius': additional funky anagrams

JUN 25, poets' corner: satirical doggerel

 

You can find lots of other verses on this blog under the listing "Poets' Corner".  Click HERE.

JUN 24, classic palindrome: flee to me, remote elf

Keep more to yourself for a while, wash your hands frequently, wear a mask in public, remember to laugh on occasion, and stay well!

Authors' Note: 

pelf: wealth, especially if dishonestly acquired

The verse honours, in neologistic fashion, two palindromes from the classic repertoire...

Flee to me, remote elf;

Ma is as selfless as I am;

and one which the author appears to have concocted...

Tip-top pot pit.

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

JUN 23, wordplay maps: new world palindromes(#25,#26)

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

JUN 22, Toronto ravines: great blue heron

  

;

Both of the above views were obtained by Giorgio Coniglio in Toronto's Don Valley ravine using his i-phone 7 cell-phone.

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


If you are interested in winding your way through an encyclopedic collection of four blogposts stuffed with photo-collages on Toronto ravines, click HERE.

JUN 21, political palindromes, C

In a third format for palindromic phrases, the dividing point between the two symmetric wings is a space between repeated letters in the middle of a word. This format is shown above with a vertical line for obses|ses and op|position; as with the hingepoint single letter in the middle of a word (like the 'v' in uneven), there is considerable puzzlement in understanding how these phrases can be constructed. Remember, that in any case, you will do best to ignore any punctuation.


From this point, you can proceed either forwards or backwards.

For FORWARD, proceed to the next set of 'POLITICAL PALINDROMES' on June 28.
For BACKWARD, return to the previous set on June 14.

OR, return to the ORIGINAL POST on this topic on May 17.

JUN 20, singable satire: the Beegees sing "PAIRS"

 PARODY SONG-LYRICS

ORIGINAL SONG: "Words", Bee Gees, 1968.

PARODY COMPOSED: Dr. G.H. and Giorgio Coniglio, 2015, updated 2018 and 2020. This song is the first in a series of nine parodies dealing with Word-Pairs. The links at the bottom of this post will take you to the lyrics for the other songs in this series.

FURTHER EXPLANATION: For an illustrated slide-presentation on binomials (irreversible word pairs), and a compendium of alliterative pairs go to this post. For a more didactic take on this topic, check out the Wikipedia article here.

UKULELE and GUITAR-FRIENDLY LINK: Our whole series of songs can be found in a friendly format for ukulele (and guitar)-players on our sister blog  "SILLY SONGS and SATIRE". Click HERE to proceed to this site. 

 

PAIRS

(to the tune of "Words") 

Pairs -  binomial phrases. There's  (bi-NOAM-yuhl)

(Compared to single entities)

Flair, as seen in "wear and tear",

Where pairs submerge identities. 

Two nouns joined with conjunction --

AND serves that "form and function", sometimes OR.

Verb-pairs and adjectives unite;

And "fish" and "fowl" with NEITHER/NOR. 

"Shouts and murmurs": such a phrase

Explains the "ins and outs" to me.

With "back to front" I'm in a daze,

Enhancing "fears and doubts" to me. 

I cringe at "one and only" words,

No single words I voice ...
So "near and dear",

Word-pairs are what can make all "guys and dolls" rejoice. 

JUN 19, geysers: British geysers

Authors' Note: In 1894, the wealthy British distiller, James Craig of Ulster, later Lord Craigavon, purchased from a local Icelandic farmer the land around the iconic geyser, Geysir (or the great Geysir). Fences were erected, and admission charged for a brief period. Several changes in ownership were in fact required, but eventually the site was donated in perpetuity to the Government of Iceland. Lord Craigavon, subsequent to his Icelandic adventures, became the first prime minister of Northern Ireland.

 The geyser spout itself, apart from a single event in the 1930s, has remained dormant since 1916, although adjacent spouts have taken over the fanfare.

   

You can review these illustrated verses in a wider context by proceeding to 'Poetry that Spurts: Verses about Geysers' on the full-service blog "Edifying Nonsense".

 

JUN 18, poetic non-sequitur: having the audacity

 

Our collection of 'Non-Sequiturs' on our parent blog "Edifying Nonsense", contains an admittedly bizarre assortment of nonsensical odds-and-ends, that don't quite fit into other topic-based offerings. But should you want to review the entire collection, click HERE.