When Alliteration Goes Bad . . .

I’m not sure what I’ve done, but I seem to have a new page when I start WP, giving me the chance to savour the whole WP experience. I don’t just a blog to write and people to see, I now have a few extra buttons and the sense that something random just happened. Good old WP, always something new and confusing.

We will be starting Numismatic Society meetings at the end of the summer, unless, of course, we have to cancel them again. It has been tricky organising speakers but the Secretary has done a sterling job (he is also the shop owner, so I have to say that) and some of the talks do look quite interesting. It will be nice to get back towards normal. It’s a big room and we don’t usually have more than 12 members attending, so social distancing won’t be a problem. The Banknote Society is also starting meetings but their Secretary has decided that they should limit it to ten members, and they have to apply for a place. I can see that causing some annoyance.

As I have said before – people who like making rules have loved  lockdown.

And that brings me onto the subject of alliteration. Apparently I have to practice it if I want to be a poet (another gem from that book I was telling you about). Unless you want to be a haiku poet, where alliteration and poetic devices are frowned upon. Well, that’s what they tell you. In fact some haiku editors are quite happy with alliteration. I’ve even seen it mentioned favourably when they have been picking their favourites. There is no consistency.

Anyway, as i left Julia at work I spotted two magpies in the road – clearly parent and child. The words “fat, fluffy fledgling” came to my mind, but they don’t work well, they are not alliterative, they are just  tongue-twister about a flat fluffy fledgling or, more confusingly a fat fluffy fedgling. I really don’t know what’s wrong with it, but I can’t make it fit a poem, there’s just something wrong with the words. Strange, isn’t it?

Magpie

 

19 thoughts on “When Alliteration Goes Bad . . .

  1. Laurie Graves

    Such a handsome bird. And I am especially taken with the word “fedgling.” But then, I have such a soft spot for fledglings. Their time with their parents is coming to an end, and out into the world they go.

    Reply
  2. Clare Pooley

    Two for joy… I hope you have had some joy today 😉 Perhaps there are too many F words in your tongue-twister for poetry; it would suit a song, though. My husband agrees with you about lockdown suiting people who like making rules (don’t get him started).

    Reply
  3. tootlepedal

    You are very severe on alliteration. Your fat fluffy fledgling looked alliterative to me. Perhaps if it had been run over by a passing car you would have been happier with a flat fluffy fledgling.

    Reply
      1. quercuscommunity Post author

        🙂 I’m struggling for alliterative accompaniment to the word peloton, as “pointlessly pedalling” doesn’t really seem appropriate.

  4. Lavinia Ross

    All restrictions have been lifted here in my area as of yesterday, and those businesses are free to continue impose more restrictive conditions if they wish.

    Reply

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