pictured words

Let’s take a trip down language lane.
Prepare yourself to tax your brain.

So: bike, and fyke, and seiche, and psych
aren’t spelled the same, but sound alike.

We’ve feign and vein and Maine, main, mane,
champagne, campaign … it’s all insane.

There’s there and they’re, and also their
and stare and stair, and ne’re, and prayer.

Too, to, and two, and you and ewe
and through and threw, and loo and lieu.

Let’s see … there’s sea, grand prix, esprit,
and Leigh, and Bea and bee and be.

And though there’s Leigh, there’s also weigh
(which sounds like way, whey, pray, and prey).

Clime, climb, time, thyme and Anaheim
I’m here to say all rhyme with rhyme.

Cent sounds like scent, assent, ascent,
descent, dissent, rent, rente, and meant.

Now cell and sell and bell and belle
all rhyme as well, as you can tell,

Like here and hear and deer and dear
and peer and pier and tier and tear,

Except when tear sounds just like pear
and wear like ware and ware like where.

We have these rules we break (not brake).
Like why rhyme stake, steak, and opaque??

It makes my head and stomach ache.

And I’d accept all this, except
it makes me feel vocab inept.

© Marie Elena Good 2024