Status Updates From The Collected Poems of J.R....

❇️Entry for plough: My dictionary (NOAD) says that a colter/coulter is a part of a plough distinct from a ploughshare.

❇️L. 2 from bottom: Note that "vorpal" has come to mean "(of a sword or other weapon) likely to decapitate," based on its usage in "Jabberwocky."

https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items...
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/vorpal

❇️ I don't suppose anyone—perhaps Mr. Smith?—could record a reading of Bealuwérig and post it online somewhere? It would be a treasure.

❇️ I realize it would require significant space, but definitions for all these terms would be really appreciated. Maybe a web-only feature?

❇️ Any clue as to why the first three lists are in Old English? Whimsy? Embarrassment?

"Pereant qui ante nos nostra dixerunt" makes me realize, once again, that we are, culturally, still Romans. And no, I don't mean "humans"; try to understand Babylonians.

Oh, wow. "Abusus non tollit usum" seems incredibly useful.

My next cat will be named "Grimalkin."

Read “Poetic Diction”

I am not surprised to discover that Tolkien did not compose limerick B. It is far better, both as poetry and humor, than any humorous verse he ever wrote.

❇️L. 1: Could you explain the accent in "naméd" here? Pronouncing the "e" separately doesn't seem to help the rhyme. Or is it just a lark from an erudite 12-year-old? Though frankly I often have such questions about Tolkien's accents & diareses.

❇️ l. 8 I'm not sure all readers will identify "orang-outang" with "orangutan(g)," especially as my dictionary indicates the usual hyphenated form as "orang-utan."

❇️Line 4 from bottom of page: Is there a missing end parenthesis in this line? Or did Christopher leave a stray end parenthesis in the typescript with no beginning?

L. 15 What’s a gnome????

For the review: I wondered, when I first(?) read the Lament for Boromir, whether anyone could really compose poetry on the spot like that or not; given the several drafts here, the answer is:Apparently not. Seeing the drafts does have that utility: You realize how fallible even greats are.

❇️l. 7 from bottom. A pet peeve of mine: to “beg the question” is to make a circular argument, which assumes its own conclusion. Use “invites” instead.