All hints are in the comments!

Saturday, January 9, 2021

Jan. 9, 2021

|| || doily, fluid, thorny, dragon, "find-ding" out.
Image 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.

17 comments:

Ol' Man Keith said...

The clue words seem pretty easy today, with a slight hesitation over #4.
The solution pops up pretty quickly.
It takes a bit of tolerance for weird grammar to let it work.
~ OMK

Sandyanon said...

Wow! This was a slog for me. Not the clues;they came easily. But I wrestled with the solution, oh yes.

At first I kept thinking the "Love Taps" sign must have something to do with it. Nope. Then I figured there must be an "-ing" syllable, but where? Won't bore you further, but when I finally figured out the last word, the rest came, not fluidly, because I don't find it smooth at all. Awkward, IMO, like, say, a C-.

What do others think?

Sandyanon said...

Guess I don't get weird grammar. Hence my slog.

Ol' Man Keith said...

I didn't like it either, Sandy. Even after grokking it, I had to try other combinations just to be sure that "weird" solution was the only possibility.
I was afraid I had been Sol-Ving Bad. Yech.
~ OMK

OwenKL said...

Inspired by a meme I saw today.

Dorrie

Dorrie was a dragon, of the cutest kind.
She kept her cave as neat as any you might find!
If she had you over for berry scones and tea,
You'd see a doily 'neath a cozy, just as cute as she!

You'd hear a timer ding, and she'd go to her kitchen,
Pour hot water in her tea-pot, and some tea leaves pitch in.
Bring the pot to let it steep, and discuss politely
Any topic you would want, subjects thorny or more sprightly.

She'd serve the scones, raspberry, on a plate
That matched the dainty teacup at your place.
She'd pour the fluid out, with a claw about the pot,
And puff a tiny flame at it, to be sure it was hot!

Ol' Man Keith said...

In medieval times, one of the most popular amateur entertainments was a playlet performed by festive town folk, known in its English version as Sainte George and ye greate Wurme.
Here is a description of the climactic scene, which provides the first known occasion for that famous question, "Is there a doctor in the house?"

"Act-Ting Out!"
St. George was down, his energy spent, the duel apparently lost.
The crowd sighed, "Alas!" The Dragon took a bow, hooting that he was boss.
Our Hero was crushed, a red fluid staining the doily at his beard.
But wait! One bystander turns and calls, "We need a physic here!"
The mob takes up the cry for help, "Let's have some medicine!"
And Swounds! A jolly, paunchy gent swiftly enters in.
He wears a doctor's cap and cape and holds a flask on high.
"I have the serum here," he says. "Shall we give this a try?"
"Yes, yes," the eager crowd replies. "Yes!" croaks the dying George.
With a swoop the doctor thrusts the bottle straight into George's gorge.
Meanwhile the Dragon chortles at the plight of his beaten foe
while hugging & teasing the lassies he gropes along the foremost row.

Ho ho! The medicine takes effect. George is revitalized!
He opens his eyes. He springs to his feet. The Dragon is surprised!
"'Tain't fair!" he yells. But before the crowd lists to hear him complain,
George is upon him, sword in hand, slashing with might and main.
One two, one two, and through and through, the blade goes snicker-snack.
There's no stopping our Hero now. The Dragon's tail goes slack.
Loud cheers ring out. The day is saved. The beast is thoroughly hassled.
His thorny hide will adorn the wall of the local Squire's castle.
George pays the doctor silver coins, and the old man takes his hand
as they bow to all who watched him make his grand victorious stand!
~ OMK

Ol' Man Keith said...

Owen!
The pic of the dragon is delightful, as is your Dorrie poem.
I would love to be invited to her cave for tea. What a treat!
I presume she would "be Mother"!
~ OMK

Wilbur Charles said...

Well, talk of dragons calls for some Bilbo nostalgia

Bilbo had reached the door to Smaug's* lair
He knew the treasure was at the end of a winding stair
He needed a speedy getaway, a rapid way to go
He rapidly figured the distance and the ratio
Of the radius of cave, to the dragon's bunk
Yes, the worm was sleeping until he heard the clunk
The eye was open, and to make it worse
Smaug began a witty, wordy long discourse

Next, riddles, rings and ruin
********

saute, thick, pillar, hoopla;; their apps.

[Smaug has sniffed out Bilbo, the dwarves and their mounts outside. He's curious about who and what this creature is and what's it's got in its pocket.]

[Smaug speaks](To Bilbo in the cave)

" Tell me rodent what brings you here? Have you come to take or give?
"Don't lie to me,rat, else those ponies munching apples won't have long to live.
"I know little sneak which pillar that you're hiding behind
"Speak quickly, worthless one, or I'll saute your thick behind"

Misty said...

My goodness! My goodness! It's not even 9:30 am yet and we already have three sets of totally complicated, energetic, dramatic, imaginative, delightful poems to enjoy, even incorporating Jumble words here and there! Bravo, Bravo, Owen, Ol' Man Keith and Wilbur, what an incredible Saturday treat--thank you! thank you! thank you!

I have to confess I had no trouble with today's Jumble, whose four words came pretty readily to me as did the solution, after I double-checked to make sure I included all the circle letters. I did find the whole thing a bit tame, but on a Saturday--when the crossword puzzle completely stumps me--I never complain, if I can help it.

Misty said...

"Failed Marriage"

Their relationship had always been fluid
until the day his wife finally blew it.
He served her so kindly and loyally--
then one day spilled ink on her doily.
She became quite angry and stormy
and their union now became thorny.
She railed at him like a dragon,
and so he took off in his wagon.
She quickly began to rue it,
it was all her fault and she knew it.
At least she was finding out
what marriage was all about.

Ol' Man Keith said...


Ah, Wilbur ~ Our resident scholar of Bilbology! A couple of rollicking verses perfectly suited to today's Dragon theme!
I was entranced throughout. I suppose my very favorite bit was Smaug's opening couplet, its superflux of words falling into place on a single breath.
(I forget: does Bilbo mind being called a rat and rodent?)

Misty ~ You're a breath of cool, fresh air, modulating the over-heated imaginations of the male contingent with a touch of domesticity. You do well to remind us that poetry has applications not always so far afield.
Sadly, the failures within marriage often run in both directions.
There's still time--and room--to make it up.
~ OMK

Ol' Man Keith said...


Here's the coda to my entry, above:

This year St. George was played by the Vicar's son, young Delph,
the Doc again by Grady Wade, and the Dragon by Himself.
~ OMK

Wilbur Charles said...

When I get fed "dragon" naturally Bilbo and Smaug come to life. Two types of dragons presented by Keith and Owen today. And if course every wife has a hidden dragon and a soiled doily will surely awaken it.

WC

Sandyanon said...

OMK,

I never thought of the Jabberwock as actually a dragon, but on rereading the poem, I see that it definitely fits. Thanks for the new insight!

Ol' Man Keith said...

Good catch, Sandy!
~ OMK

Wilbur Charles said...

"One two, one two, and through and through, the blade goes snicker-snack"

I should have caught that. Nice eye, Sandy. Or should I say my beamish gal.

WC

Two contrasting styles. I do have to single out Owen for a distinct touch (to borrow from a Carroll contemporary.

WC

Ol' Man Keith said...

It is hard to resist quoting Carroll.

I did a year touring Virginia in my one-man show impersonating the good Rev. C.L. Dodgson.
This was way back in the '70s, but the material doesn't leave you. He has remarkable staying power. Sorry I couldn't include "Vorpal" (the meter, y'know...).
~ OMK