PrintJanuary 6, 2009
Find the exit, '24/7' (a poem)
Every few years we slip and fall
For new phrases. Our language, after all,
Loves idiom and slides with ease
Into what's new and catchy, "but, please!".
Must we start every sentence with "I mean"?
It's time for "24/7" to leave the scene.
Remember saying "how nice a day"
Without the needless "of a" getting in the way?
"Yeah, right?" exists in modern repartee.
What it means is some kind of mystery.
"A thrill down my leg" can't be thought of as wit.
"At the end of the day" will hang around for a bit.
I suppose "like" and "ex-cetera" are here to stay,
And "ya know" for stumblers won't go away.
The most amazing people are caught in their sway,
(Even news anchors have been known to stray).
Listing this year's preferences can be fun.
"With all due respect", "betcha" you've got more than one!
Mimi Evans Winship
