Language is music. Have you ever noticed that? Whether it’s Shakespearean, Victorian, or American English, French, German, Italian or any of the multitude of tongues spoken all around the world, each has its own particular cadence, its on melody. Furthermore, when you learn another language, you're not learning just the words. You're learning the culture and a different way of seeing the world. And then when you get good enough in a language to make jokes with it, understand metaphors and so on, well, that's icing on the cake.
Madison and I love to play with words, but you knew that already. Wordplay is part of what I still love about songs by The Beatles, and naturally it’s part of what I love about Lewis Carroll. (John Lennon and Paul McCartney were huge fans of LC, by the way.) Most recently, the songs from the 2023 film Wonka caught my ear, with their witty play with words and music.
Our sonnet is from October 2011.
Play kindly with your words, or they will play with you.
Since, if they feel slighted, who knows just what they’ll do?
Words do have a funny way of having the last laugh,
of cutting one down to size, or at least in half.
Words can run circles round you or trip up your tongue.
They can leave you feeling as if you’ve come undone.
But if you are kind to them, then they will serve you
in ways that surprise, charm and even unnerve you.
Loyal friends they will be to you, and what is more
they will bring you opportunities galore
for merriment in company or on your own--
words treated well can make anywhere a home.
So take care of your words--in one language or two,
or three or four or more--and they’ll take care of you.
Listen and Tea-light here: https://aprillynnjames.com/track/4770875/play-kindly-with-your-words-4-2026