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| _harsh, piano, fiddle, gallon, go hand (in) hand.Image(s) from the Internet.
The opening poem contains all the words (or variations of them) from today's Jumble.
Comments are welcomed! And couching them in Poetry is definitely NOT required.
Do not explicitly reveal any of the actual answer words until after closing time, but embedding them surreptitiously in comment sentences is encouraged.
You think the rich rail barons
ReplyDeleteHad an easy time of it?
Blazing trail thru the Rockies
For their trains to fit?
Tho they sat back in their cities
And moved stocks as tokens,
Still harsh decisions must be made,
Fortunes built or broken!
The Portland and Ohio is a case in point.
The Oregon Trail was its path.
But laying tracks was so expensive that
Investors took a bath!
Altho he tried fiddling with the route
The would-be baron failed.
The engines of the P&O went to others,
Who the mountain pass assailed!
Fortunes to be made and fortunes to be lost --
Risks that go together, hand in hand.
Today railroad tracks cross the continent,
Trains travel all across the land.
No longer coal and steam drive the iron horse,
Diesels drink oil by the gallon.
The day of rail barons is distant in the past,
When only a few met the challenge!
"(Taking the) Band in Hand"
ReplyDeleteThe fiddler played forte e veloce--all harsh to the ear.
Band leader Mac lowered his five-gallon growler,
"A li'l more piano, Zeke,'ll go far easier ta hear
than when yer go off like 'at on some sorta howler."
As Zeke drew back on his tempo & softened his bow,
(Whew!) the Jug Boys were tickled Ol' Mac had said, "Whoa."
~ OMK
"Happy Outcome"
ReplyDeleteThe weather near the marsh
was always a bit harsh.
But the couple walked hand in hand,
their spirits happy and grand.
They had solved a troublesome riddle
and had time to whittle and fiddle.
Their fridge held a gallon of wine
so their evening would be fine
with much pleasure on the way,
including the piano to play.
Winning their trial was a treasure
and celebrating would be a pleasure
with no more worries to bother,
just love and care for each other.
An interesting theme from our Owen. I couldn't find the Portland & Ohio RR via Google, so imagine it is an imaginary confabulation to introduce the lay reader to an aspect of the old rail barons' world. The risk-taking aspect in particular.
ReplyDeleteIt is a checkered history--unfettered capitalism giving the nation vital rail service while ripping off many investors. (Not to mention many other social infractions--"along the way.")
Misty's couple may have solved their "riddle," but they leave us in the dark as to what their trouble was! We don't need to know exactly, but it would be fun to have more hints, since it seems to be the central challenge of the piece, the obstacle they had to overcome.
But it's nice to know they cold soothe whatever frictions they encountered with the fruit of the vine!
And with a little help from the piano and Duke Orsino's "food of love."
~ OMK
Did you find all four of the clue words in my poem?
ReplyDeleteYes--if you count homophonic word combos.
ReplyDeleteAs in a made-up RR. (Er, minus a "d" sound.)
~ OMK
Hi. Just had cataract surgery om Monday - both eyes. Have to make the print huge even to pick my way thru it. But did solve the jumble, yay!
ReplyDeleteBlurriness should be ok in a couple more days.
Sandy, congrats on cataract surgery. I had to use reading glasses although I do have progressive lenses.
ReplyDeleteWhen I'm not in Sun City I don't have jumble time so I've been away.
WC
Welcome back, Sandy!
ReplyDeleteIt'll take a few days, but you know your eyes will adjust pretty rapidly.
I had laser treatment for Glaucoma a few years back. The doc said it might correct my vision entirely, but that didn't happen.
Still I no longer need glasses for reading or any close-up work. I still use progressive lenses for mid- and far-vision, of course.
Wishing you quick healing!
~ OMK