M is in the middle of the alphabet, along with its partner-in-line N! The one I use for those puzzles and riddles to do with letters and their placement in the alphabet. And it is also the start of many marvelous and memorable words!! I have some of them in the post today, along with, a poem (or maybe more) and mighty marvelous books too.
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Marvellous Mondegreen
Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt is inspired by K. Siva Reddy’s poem, “A Love Song Between Two Generations,” that weaves together repetitions, questions, and unexpected similes with plain language. The overall effect is both intimate and emotional, producing a long-form meditation on what love is, what it means, and how it acts. Our challenge is to write a own poem that muses on love, but isn’t a traditional love poem in the sense of expressing love between romantic partners.
My Mondegreen!
Mondegreen Melodies of Memory
Could I have a love affair with songs?
The ones whose lyrics, even with mondegreen,
Bring back memories –
Memories that murmur in marrow…
Oh yes, that song, Adam’s “Memories” —
I mean, not his, but mine,
Heart-warming, marvelous ones,
Macerating my heart,
Softening it, making it melt,
Till it overflows out in mist,
Mingling with monsoon tears…
Could I have a love affair with songs?
Maybe I already do.
The ones that take me back to places and sounds
I don’t use much anymore —
Like the not-mufti-d soldier from Madikeri, warbling on misty mountains.
These notes migrate in murmurations
From mountains to Maria’s mirth:-)
Maria, who makes me laugh,
Reminding me of my mom I laughed with,
Of my daughter, so like Maria
From ‘The Sound of Music.‘
That takes me to asking questions of the moon
(Maine pucha chand se),
And saying I am not a poet maybe
(Main shayar to nahin),
But maybe I can sing a melody like this
(Main koi aisa geet gaaoon),
One that is knowingly mistranslated,
Like asking if you can dive for pearls—
To mondegreen richness in
Muthu Kodi Kawadi Hada
(from Muthu Kulika Vaarigala),
Nonsense I sing, but the longing rings true—
Pearls I never fished, but feel—
Like my brother mondegreening Spider-Man’s swing malapropitically,
While I puzzled over ‘Malgudi Days” pure “thanana thana thana na”…
Could I have a love affair with songs?
Yes, I do – mine alone.
~ Vidya Tiru @ LadyInReadWrites
Marvelous and Memorable Words
- Malapropism: mixing up similar-sounding words; when “pinnacle” turns into “pineapple”
- Macerate: to soften or break down by soaking; strawberries soaking into sweet deliciousness
- Monkeyshines: playful mischief or silliness; a little chaos, a lot of giggles
- Mondegreen: a misheard word or lyric; our ears remix songs better than DJs 🎶
- Mordant: sharply witty or biting in tone; humor with a delicious sting
- Moiety: one of two equal parts; math meets fairness—split right down the middle
- Mumpsimus: stubbornly holding onto a mistaken belief; old habits (and wrong ideas) refuse to budge
- Mufti: everyday clothes instead of a uniform; from buttoned-up to laid-back in a flash
Mighty Good M Reads
- The Mighty Macy
- The Mighty Pollinators
- The Mistakes That Made Us: Confessions from Twenty Poets
- The Moon Is a Museum: The Curious Objects Left on the Lunar Surface
- Moonwalking
- My Book of Firsts
And Now, the End of This Post
Dear reader, what’s your favorite mondegreen memory? Which M-word surprised you most? Share in comments. I’d love to hear your family’s song stories! Which Mighty M book calls to you? Have you read any?
I am linking up to A-Z, Blogchatter, UBC, NaPoWriMo.
And you can find all my A-Z posts (this year and previous years’ as well) here:
