Friday, November 13, 2009

Cackle

CACKLE, v.i. To celebrate the birth of an egg.
They say that hens do cackle loudest when
. There's nothing vital in the egg they've laid;
. And there are hens professing to have made
A study of mankind, who say that men
Whose business is to drive the tongue or pen
. Make the clamourous fanfaronade
. O'er their most worthless work; and I'm afraid
In this respect they're really like the hen.
Lo! The drum-major in his coat of gold,
. His blazing breeches and high-towering cap,
Imperiously pompous, "bloody, bold
. And resolute"-an awe-inspiring chap!
Who'd think this hero's only warlike virtue
Is that in battle he will never hurt you?
2009 Update: To argue as the fowl argues or laugh as the witch laughs, or to contemplate as Lou Dobbs contemplated.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good Morning World

JAH

Ariel the Thief said...

Cackle, to celebrate the birth of a new life OR a happy morning!

binears - bears in my ears

Jim said...

..
Cackle - Snap, Pop, and C(r)ackle.
That's what Kellogs Cackles 'bout.
golden egg that hatched
..

Nessa said...

Doesn't contemplating require thought?

Flash 55 - Blue Gill

Jim said...

Happy (late) birthday, Doug!
Happy (late) birthday, Doug!
Happy (late) birthday, Doug!
Happy (late) birthday, Doug!
Happy (late) birthday, Doug!
Happy (late) birthday, Doug!
Happy (late) birthday, Doug!
Happy (late) birthday, Doug!
Happy (late) birthday, Doug!
Happy (late) birthday, Doug!
Happy (late) To You! [:-) - [:-)

Since the Methodists asked me to leave their choir this is about all the better that I sing anymore.
I was singing with them and formerly sang in a men's chorus at another church.
The new church had tryouts after a few weeks for new people. They said I had a bad ear and that they would just as soon have me not in their choir.
..

TLP said...

When a hen produces an egg, she has done something important. So why is her cackle considered unpleasant?

When the rooster crows, he's just bragging.

pioust: not me

pia said...

Cackle cackle and Happy Friday the 13th, a good luck day and Happy Belated but much meant Birthday

the amoeba said...

CACKLE, n. A minor addition to night soil.

('Cackle' was lost to me as a vocabulary word ever since I read a review of something that Lynn Margulis had written. Which the reviewer labeled "cack-handed pornography".)

I had avoided having anything to do with Lou Dobbs until his latest announcement. Then I read up. Scary. So now he and Rush L. are going to be wrangling for a chance to compete for the title of First Fool?

Karen said...

You cack-le me up, Doug!

Minka said...

“The codfish lays ten thousand eggs,
The homely hen lays one;
The codfish never cackles,
To tell you when she's done;
And so we scorn the codfish,
While the humble hen we prize; Which only goes to show you,
That it pays to advertise”

true, huh?!
I would like to advertise that my shoelaces are undone!

k. riggs gardner said...

Did anyone catch the season finale of AMC's Mad Men this past Sunday? It's a great show - 1960s retro. Madison Avenue ad agency execs really were called Mad Men. A lot of people don't know that.

word verification: warofcods

TLP said...

OMG Karen, I love that show! Of course I saw the season finale. I own the first two seasons, and will buy the third as soon as it's available. It does pay to advertise. Cackling works.

Tom & Icy said...

The audio version of Sarah Palin's book. Oh, so you made it around the sun again Doug?

Doug The Una said...

Morning Bear!

Ariel, that's right where you want them.

The hen that laid the golden rice puff, Jim?

Nope, Nessa, just a tv show or a user ID.

Thanks, Jim. That was plenty good enough.

TLP, for what it's worth, I always admire who makes my breakfast.

Thank you, Pia.

Amoeba, in my opinion Lou Dobbs wins that prize, although I admit I haven't watched him in years. But even Limbaugh, so far as I know, didn't reach all the way back to leprosy to gin up hysteria.

I do my best, Karen, thanks. Caw!

Minka, that's great. Well, not the part about the shoelaces. Do I need to remind you you're accident prone? (Though not to the extent of ping pong costing you a leg.)

I haven't seen that but I hear it's a good show. One of these days via Netflix, maybe.

TLP, that's some endorsement.

Actonbell, if language is a man's domain, we're due a lot of back rent. And I'm squeezing as fast as I can!

Yup, Icy. Time waited for me all it could.

Anonymous said...

Snap Cackle Pop...I love that cereal :)

Nicole said...

Reminds me of some Politicians.

Happy belated birthday (?!)

Doug The Una said...

I'm a Sugar Corn Pops man, myself, Thom.

Thanks, Nicole.

k. riggs gardner said...

How encouraging. Skal!

weirsdo said...

There's something gloating, as well as empty, about a cackle: viz. Sarah Palin.

Good poem.