Operators, or verbal false limbs. These save the trouble of picking out appropriate verbs and nouns, and at the same time pad each sentence with extra syllables which give it an appearance of symmetry.
George Orwell, “Politics and the English Language,” Horizon, April 1946
Strive to be patient with other humans
Especially when you have fallen ill
Their mechanical bromides and odd grins
Are evidence of their awkward good will
They will tell you about their own burdens
To reassure you that your pain is shared;
Perhaps if foul things grow in all gardens
Then yours is no worse, with others compared
Tales of miraculous recovery
They will wind about you like bandages
As if someone else’s sunny story
Will multiply your own advantages
You will be told to stay optimistic
While fear and disgust drip from friendly eyes
The web site of some guru or mystic
Will be served to you with your fish and fries
Stock phrases and gazes will abound
Of bold, new words be glad, when they are found
About the Creator
D. J. Reddall
I write because my time is limited and my imagination is not.
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Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Heartfelt and relatable
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Comments (5)
"Tales of miraculous recovery They will wind about you like bandages As if someone else’s sunny story Will multiply your own advantages" Omgggg, that is like soooo true!! I don't know why people do this, lol
Thank you for the interesting and delicious content. Follow my stories now.
Orwell as inspiration? Nice!
Shrewdly done! Crisp use of form with perceptive phrases!
You have such a magical way of transforming modern gripes of society into art. You raise some great points in this and tell it so splendidly.