A Fun English Poem

09/08/2017

This is just a fun little poem that illustrates the confusing aspects of English spelling.

Our Strange Lingo

When the English tongue we speak.
Why is break not rhymed with freak? Will you tell me why it's true
We say sew but likewise few?

And the maker of the verse,
Cannot rhyme his horse with worse? Beard is not the same as heard
Cord is different from word.
Cow is cow but low is low
Shoe is never rhymed with foe.
Think of hose, dose, and lose

And think of goose and yet with choose
Think of comb, tomb and bomb,
Doll and roll or home and some.
Since pay is rhymed with say
Why not paid with said I pray?
Think of blood, food and good.
Mould is not pronounced like could.
Wherefore done, but gone and lone
-Is there any reason known?

To sum up all, it seems to me sound and letters don't agree.

This full version, in SSS Pyoneer September 1917 was taken from 'Ashore and Afloat'. A short version in the 1930 SSS pamphlet essay, "English as a World Language by Harold Cox, Former Editor Edinburgh Review, repeated in Bulletin Winter 1966, says this poem was written by Lord Cromer and published in the Spectator of August 9th, 1902.

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