Just for fun I am re-posting my prose-poem 'Y is a sly letter' from July 7th, 2011:
The English letter 'Y' is a sly letter.
It leads a double life.
Sometimes 'Y' is a consonant,
boldly taking the lead in words like 'yes'. 'yacht' and 'yard';
and kicks up its heels 'yelling' 'yippee' at the front of words like
'youth', 'young', youngster, 'young thing' and even 'youngish'.
'Y' makes demands when it is the second person pronoun 'you', 'your' and 'yourself'.
It shows direction in an old-fashioned way with 'yonder' and 'yon'.
'Y' measures time in 'yet', 'year', 'yesterday' and yesteryear.
And shows wistfulness in 'yearning'.
'Y' is a 'yapping' puppy that 'yelps' when someone steps on its tail.
But 'Y' is not content to be a consonant.
'Y' wants more. It wants to be a vowel!
It trys to hide meekly in the middle of a word like 'hygiene',
and lags behind at the end of words like 'why', 'lay' and 'may'.
Did you notice that it doesn't really have a vowel-sound all its own?
Yes, 'Y' is a copy-cat, a chameleon-character who likes disguises.
Sometimes 'Y' sounds like a long 'I' in 'rhyme', and 'thyme' or 'try' and 'fry';
sometimes like long 'E' as in 'funny' and 'bunny'.
Other times 'Y' wants to play with other vowels
like 'O' as in 'boy' or 'toy',
or with 'A' in 'day' and 'say'.
Yes, 'Y' pretends to be shy,
but leads a double-life
and is very, very sly!
[Prose-poem text 'Y is a sly letter' Copyright 2011-2013 Anna Christina Wigren Nordeman]
My theme for A to Z is my favourite things that might show up in written stories, poems, paintings or jewellery. This is my list of subjects that I would like to work with.
Best wishes,
Anna
First Commenter:
Alex J. Cavanaugh
