Today's Beautiful Gem: "Echo" by an anonymous author.
As children, how many times we
would have climbed hills and from atop
shouted at the top of our voice to hear the last words thrown back to us
by other hills! Before the tape recorders came into vogue, that was perhaps
one way to listen to our own voice. Don't forget that the first time we
hear our own voice, we may mistake it for a stranger's! The concept of echo
has been used in poetry too. The last word or phrase of a line is echoed,
often giving a new meaning and more importantly, a new twist to the meaning!
Here is a verse from about 1760.
| "If I address the Echo yonder, What will its answer be, I wonder? |
Echo: I wonder. |
| O wondrous Echo, tell me blesse, Am I for marriage or celibacy? |
Echo: Silly Bessy. |
| If then to win the maid I try, Shall I find her a property? |
Echo: Proper tie. |
| If neither being grave nor funny Will win the maid to matrimony? |
Echo: Try money. |
| If I should try to gain her heart, Shall I go plain, or rather smart? |
Echo: Smart. |
| She mayn't love dress, and I, again then May come too plain, and she'll complain then? |
Echo: Come plain, then. |
| To please her most, perhaps 'tis best To come as I'm in common dressed? |
Echo: Come undressed. |
| Then if to marry me I tease her, What will she say if that should please her? |
Echo: Please, sir. |
| When cross nor good words can appease her-- What if such naughty whims should seize her? |
Echo: You'd see, sir. |
| When wed she'll change, for Love's no stickler, And love her husband less than liquor? |
Echo: Then, lick her. |
| To leave me then I can't compel her, Though every woman else excel her. |
Echo: Sell her. |
| The doubting youth to Echo turned again, sir, To ask advice, but found it did not answer. |
Echo: ........." |
I hope the readers will write many more
echo verses and send them to
the digest. Enjoy!
Om shaantih: Peace! - J. K. Mohana Rao
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