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Geoffrey Brewer | + Follow Poet |
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The Word

In the beginning was the word
Before that, no noun, no thing
Then no sound was ever heard
And no passing bell would ring

So therefore no adjective was needed to describe it or deplore it
No preposition required to be positioned right before it

No verb to do something to it or say what act it was pursuing
No need for an adverb to describe how well or badly it was doing

Since not even one noun existed, conjunctions would have been redundant
There were no things to act on and to move across the face of the fundament 

So the first word there had to be - was BE, and that was the very first in existence
And from Genesis and Eden to Elsinore, it has had a remarkable degree of persistence

Now, in the Oxford English Dictionary which is venerable institution
There are 171476 full entries of words (2nd edition) all capable of elocution

Of these, about one seventh are verbs, therefore there must be around 24497 give or take, to enumerate all action
And that should be enough for even the most garrulous to get some satisfaction

This is a limited calculation and I wouldn't want to be tied down to it 
We can be more free in our estimates so while we are about it, we might as well do it

It seems that once BE had been exercised, the dam broke and words poured out as from a cornucopia. 
And verbs would soon exist in an abundance enough to carry you from here to Ethiopia

Except in the culture of youth where it appears this multitude has been reduced to the deplorable "was like"
To them I am tempted to say: "Learn some real verbs"; OR I would employ a phrasal such as
 'On-your-bike!'

The possibilities are now endless particularly if you include the phrasal
Giving us enough elan vital to at least maintain a metabolism basal

So to whoever first said BE, whether God or someone with similar propensities 
though another name or description:
I say Well done! I couldn't in my wildest dreams with a wish to create a rich life and culture, 
have produced a better prescription

Copyright © Geoffrey Brewer | Year Posted 2017

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Quoth Theraven Date: 8/12/2023 10:30:00 PM Geoffrey, So may it ever _ _ as in 'The Word'. I and the Oxford English Dictionary folks salute yours. Rest well friend. -Richard Login to Reply

L. J. Carber Date: 12/23/2018 1:36:00 PM I suspect only an English teacher, or at least an English major could have parsed our magnificent language so well. But you also touch on some profound stuff here, for no answer has ever been given as to why ANYTHING has to exist. Kudos, my friend! Login to Reply

James Burns Date: 6/3/2017 9:50:00 AM Geoffrey, my friend, I am a fanatical lover of words and I find that unfortunately I fast more than feast on most fare. Today, I find myself fat and full and filled!!! The fruit of your feathered quill leaves me satiated and still and in that silence a simple ageless, implied decree, To Be or not To Be! And to be sure Shakespeare's smiling though I sense a bit of envy... Well done, Sir... Well done. Login to Reply Geoffrey Brewer Date: 6/7/2017 12:19:00 AM James; thank you very much for your kind comments, the eloquence of which deserves acknowledgement. Your encouragement is much appreciated.