Our Strange Language
When the English tongue we speak
Why is "break" not rhymed with "freak?"
Will you tell me why it's true
We say "sew" but also "few;"
And the maker of a verse
Cannot rhyme his "horse" with "worse;"
"Beard" sounds not the same as "heard;"
"Cord" is different than "word."
Cow is "cow" but low is "low."
"Shoe" is never rhymed with "foe;"
Think of "hose" and "dose" and "lose;"
And think of "goose" and not of "choose;"
Think of "comb" and "tomb" and "bomb;"
"Doll" and "roll", "home" and "some;"
And since "pay" is rhymed with "say,"
Why not "paid" with "said", I may?
We have "blood" and "food" and "good;"
"Mould" is not pronounced like "could;"
Why is it "done" but "gone" and "lone?"
Is there any reason known?
And, in short, it seems to me (that)
Sounds and letters disagree.
(Unknown Author)