By G. E. Shuman
I think a lot of sounds of words;
Of why I like some I have heard.
And wonder from where those sounds came,
When calling something by a name.
William Shakespeare, Bard of old
Is often quoted, it is told,
That a red rose would smell the same
If called by any other name.
But I do doubt it, as I write
That dawn would sparkle, if called night.
That big blue oceans would be fond
Of someone calling them just ponds.
And what of names of babies, new?
While parents, pondering what to do,
Pronounce their new sweet daughter, ‘Myrtle’…
A name best suited for a turtle.
Words frame feelings, I have found,
As through our brains they swirl around.
Nice names sound sweeter when we say them
And bring us joy when we display them.
Some just fit well; and show some wit.
While others make us cringe a bit
When tied to something that we ponder
As a rash choice, or thoughtless blunder.
‘Petunia,’ a pretty sound, somehow…
To call a flower, or even a sow.
It may be the name of your pet razor-back,
But then try it on a huge quarter-back.
And there are even names for food;
Business ones that set a mood
“Joe’s Spaghetti” may be pedantic,
But “Olive Garden” is more romantic.
Yes, old Shakespeare would shake his head
At my dispute of what he said.
That the red rose would smell the same
If called by any other name.
Still, I contend, our thoughts are rounded
And finished when a word is sounded.
If rose was known as squash or beet
Somehow, it wouldn’t seem so sweet.
“George’s World,” a new 740 page collection of George’s columns from The World, is available at xlibris.com, amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com and your favorite bookstore. “The Smoke And Mirrors Effect,” George’s first novel, can be seen at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. Happy Reading!