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Post by Neal Allen (snowtracks) on Jul 28, 2012 4:00:40 GMT -6
CHIASMI The chiasmus is a powerful figure of speech for underlining or accenting a particular message. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms defines Chiasmus as follows: chiasmus [ky-AZ-mus] (plural -mi), a figure of speech by which the order of the terms in the first of two parallel clauses is reversed in the second. A couple of examples of well known Chiasmi are: • Mae West's signature line, "It's not the men in my life It's the life in my men" By laying out the two clauses parallel to each other, it's possible to draw two lines connecting the key words i.e. It's not the men in my life X It's the life in my men(I am having formatting problems here. The X should link the words men and life both ways on the two lines) Here’s another: • "Why do we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?" These and many other examples and explanations can be found on this website. www.drmardy.com/chiasmus/definition.shtmlA few years ago, I challenged people at my work to write motivational chiasmi which we could carve into paving stones in a building we were building for our company. Many good ones came up but here are some that I wrote. I’m not saying they are good. They were just what I could come up with: • The company is as good as its people The people are as good as the company • If you honestly want to make money Make your money honestly • Work towards recognition Recognise your workers • If you want light at the end of the tunnel You must tunnel towards the light • What counts is your good people Always count your good people There are other types of Chiasmus. They are all described on the web site I have given you the link to. My challenge to all poets on this site is to write chiasmi that make a statement of some kind. Enjoy Neal |
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Post by Brigid Briton on Jul 28, 2012 6:29:36 GMT -6
Wow, Neal, what a great challenge. I hope this one catches the fancy of our word- and language-loving little community. I had never heard the term "chiasmus" before so this challenge is an especially good one---gently combining a generous dollop* of education with the fun. Speaking of catches, how's this: "To catch a fisherman's fancy you must fancy what he catches" That one just popped into my head. Here's another: "Since our stove is out of order we always order out" One famous chiasmus that comes to mind that I don't believe was mentioned is: "It's not the size of the dog in the fight it's the size of the fight in the dog" This is a fascinating topic and Dr. Mardy's website is also a treasure trove of info for all "wordaholics". (I always hate it when someone tacks "aholic" onto the end of a word to indicate an addiction or serious attraction! However, "my name is Brigid and I AM a wordaholic"). Thank you so much, Neal! I hope our members will jump right into this one but I also invite non-members to participate. (Membership isn't necessary to post in this category!)  Brigid *an example of an oxymoron, another topic covered by Dr. Mardy. |
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Post by Neal Allen (snowtracks) on Jul 28, 2012 6:51:27 GMT -6
Hi Brigid. Your Chisasmi are fantastic. See what a powerful tool this could be? Thanks for joining in. there is not much activity on the site right now and you do try so hard to stimulate it.
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Post by Brigid Briton on Jul 28, 2012 7:01:11 GMT -6
Here's another, combining an old Victorian-era quote with a more modern one by Oscar Wilde:
"If drink is the curse of the working class,
then work is the curse of the drinking class."
This is fun. The gears in my head are starting to turn...
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Post by Neal Allen (snowtracks) on Jul 28, 2012 7:18:58 GMT -6
May I say madam, you have beautiful Chiasmi.
Brigid is really into words. Perhaps we could say:
If you love the word
The word is Love
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Post by Brigid Briton on Jul 28, 2012 7:35:45 GMT -6
Good one, Neal!
"He who tells lies
has his lies tell on him"
written with a certain politician in mind...
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Post by Fire Monkey on Jul 28, 2012 11:50:24 GMT -6
I'll have to think on this - my brain is telling me that I have a lot of these in me but just at the moment I can't seem to find them |
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Post by Neal Allen (snowtracks) on Jul 28, 2012 12:17:08 GMT -6
Go Monkey. I'd love to hear them
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Post by dustandwater on Jul 30, 2012 1:57:37 GMT -6
Hi, Neal.
Great work on posting a challenge – they often do a good job of generating interest and I do like a good chiasmus.
I've tried to play around and tinker with the idea a little, so here goes...
I love nothing more,
than mining into souls,
except when the soul is mine.
Time ticks on by –
if only one could buy time.
As the tattered street-poet dreams on my front steps,
I tread carefully so as not to step on his dreams.
When it suits them, they drink in his laughter
but behind his back, they laugh at his drinking.
-D&W
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Post by Neal Allen (snowtracks) on Jul 30, 2012 2:18:39 GMT -6
Hey D&W. These are really good. One must try to weave them into poems when one wants to underline something and make a point or perhaps draw a clear distinction between conflicting ideas. It can also be a form of punning I suppose. A play on words.
How about:
The high life is my way
My life is a highway
If you park on the walk
we can't walk in the park
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Post by Brigid Briton on Jul 30, 2012 6:10:40 GMT -6
Hi d&w, It's so good to see you back here! Neal, Your "park on the walk" chiasmus made me smile because it's an example of "great minds thinking alike". Here's the one that popped into my head yesterday: We park for our amusement at the old amusement park...  |
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Post by Neal Allen (snowtracks) on Jul 30, 2012 8:02:55 GMT -6
Yes cool. What I realize is that we must find nouns that double as verbs. That way you just swap them out. Yours is not like that though but it still works. How about those words I just used.
I've always made whiskey
I work still
Where the still works
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Post by dustandwater on Jul 30, 2012 8:40:59 GMT -6
Neal,
of course I realize that you are working with the challenge here, but out of context, that last one would be nice in a poem without the inversion as:
I still work where the still works.
A delightful play on words.
-D&W
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Post by Neal Allen (snowtracks) on Jul 30, 2012 8:53:52 GMT -6
Ha Ha. Yes. And I never shirks, cause I want the perks.
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Post by Brigid Briton on Aug 1, 2012 4:42:03 GMT -6
Neal, Your last comment is something exactly like what our dear Fire Monkey might say! Either great minds think alike or he's already been somewhat of an influence on you! |
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Post by diannet on Aug 2, 2012 1:55:29 GMT -6
Okay I have one I think, from one of my favourite movies... The Big Lebowski Somtimes you eat the bar, sometimes the bar eats you. I think it went something like that! One I thought of, don't know if this qualifies but it often happens Submerged in painting a vision Emerged a vision in paint |
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Post by Reilley on Aug 3, 2012 9:56:01 GMT -6
I love these word twists - never knew they had an official name before.
I've got lots of them sprinkled throughout my poems.
My favorite is:
Women trade sex for love,
And men trade love for sex.
Peace.
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Post by Neal Allen (snowtracks) on Aug 3, 2012 14:45:58 GMT -6
Oh Great. Thank you Diannet & Reilley. These are really good. Here's another from me in similar vein.
Women who love to marry
Don't always marry for love
I'll be out of circulation for a week or so but please keep 'em coming
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Post by hazelmsmith on Oct 18, 2012 13:52:25 GMT -6
This sounds like fun: Thankyou.
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Post by Neal Allen (snowtracks) on Oct 29, 2012 7:55:24 GMT -6
Hello Hazel. Welcome on the site. Please contribute lots of stuff. Sometimes people hold back because they are apprehensive about publishing their work or what people may say about it. I quote the words of the immortal Bob Dylan "It's not to stand naked under unknowing eyes, it's for myself and my friends my stories are sung" We are all friends of poetry here. Have fun.
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