Grammar Series - The Preposition

poem by: Geoffrey Brewer
Written on Mar 17, 2017

THE STRANGE CASE OF THE PREPOSITION 

The preposition is a peculiar case
No use on its own by itself with no function
It needs an attachment to have any place
Alone it would decease, be due extreme unction

Now some words may act without others at hand
Such as Nouns as a labels and verbs as imperatives
E.g. LADIES or GENTLEMEN and Sit! or Stand!
Independent with neither associates nor relatives

But the preposition needs some things to relate
To connect the verb with a noun, phrase or clause
To bring them together unite and collate
In that it has a noble cause

In days of old when they spoke in tongues classical
The use of the preposition they would scorn
They had case endings for same purpose grammatical
So you could even say it need never have been born

But while you don't need 'to', 'of' or 'by' or 'with 
When you've dative, genitive and ablative
Old prep does the job, should have respect accorded
And it brings words together so for that should be lauded



 

Tags: happy, humor, rhyme,

Add Comment


Maria Williams commented:
Thanks for that Geoffrey - strange how we just use prepositions all the time but take them for granted

 

More by Geoffrey Brewer

...
Present Perfect

poem by Geoffrey Brewer

PRESENT PERFECT - poem for a summer school teaching English CONJUGATION I have returned Thou hast come He has set off She has kissed and waved We have greeted You have gathered They have assembled The young ones the old... Read more

...
Old Town Elegy

poem by Geoffrey Brewer

OLD TOWN ELEGY The bridge still arches the road but with what design? The railway that once crossed Ridgeway and vale to the sea Is erased and gone, with now scarcely residual sign And barely more trace than near roads of Ro... Read more