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A Tantalizing Tautonym Poem

Tautonyms are  words containing two identical or similar parts that share a rhyme (a segment, syllable, or morpheme).

 Tautonyms are also referred to as 'rhyming reduplicatives.'  These wonderful word pairs provide a poet with opportunities to indulge in a little word play. They are everyday utterances that deliver delight. So, without hesitation, I dived straight in for some tautonym tomfoolery.

May I be so bold as to advise you to read the poem aloud? It adds to the experience of these tautonyms tripping off the tongue.

Focus On The Hocus-Pocus

Don’t shilly-shally

Not even for an itty bitty.

In the hurly burly,

Just remember to razzle dazzle.

Holy moly,

It’s easy-peasy.

Jeepers creepers,

Use your peepers

Don’t boogie woogie

Or be arty-farty

And all higgledy-piggledy.

Forget the mumbo-jumbo

Avoid double-trouble

Don’t be wishy-washy

And everything will be super-duper.

Just make sure silly-billy

Doesn’t get the heebie-jeebies

When it comes to the nitty-gritty.

Okey-dokey?

Alan j Wright


It's Poetry Friday! Carol Labuzzeta hosts this week’s Poetry Friday roundup at The Apples In My Orchard


 

Comments

  1. Alan, Thanks for sharing this fun to read (and probably, write) poem. It reminds me of my mom who loved word play and is also something I would have used while substitute teaching to make the children laugh and converse.

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    1. Pleased you enjoyed this little piece of wordplay, Carol. It was certainly fun in the making.

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  2. Alan, as usual you provide a new poetic idea in the form of a truly fun poem. You are right. Reading the poem put loud was a pleasure.

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    1. Glad you invested in a read aloud, Carol. Double the fun. Thank for your positive remarks.

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  3. Thanks for this fun poem, Alan! Delightful!

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  4. Wowie zowie, Alan! :) Fun stuff!

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    1. So glad you had a little fun with this, Karen. That was certainly my aim in sharing it.

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  5. So fun! I love that these have a name!

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    1. There's something quite re-assuring that language features we readily identify have an actual name attached to them, Marcie.

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  6. I love learning about language -- another -nym! Who knew? And SUCH a fun poem!

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    1. Another nym indeed, Mary Lee. Glad you enjoyed the poem.

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  7. But I love to shilly-shally! :)

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    1. Feel free to indulge your need to shilly-shally, Patricia.

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  8. Okey-dokey those are funzy-onesie, thanks for all the smiles Alan! 😊

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    1. You're on a roll. Michelle. Glad they made you smile.

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