Thursday, September 16, 2010

Sondheim and Silvery Song

Apparently there is no rhyme for silver.  I was unaware.  Yet this is so important that no less than Stephen Sondheim was moved to write a poem in regards.  It goes like this: To find a rhyme for silver
Or any "rhymeless" rhyme
Requires only will, ver-
bosity and time.
See what he did there?  If you add will and ver you get a rhyme for silver.  That would be cheating, except I believe anything goes in the mad, extreme world of poetry. 
Sondheim's ditty appeared in the letters section of Time magazine as reported by Willard Espy in his book "Words at Play". That Sondheim is a funny funny guy.

Source:  Des Moines Register, 5/18/1979 p. 8

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