Sunday, October 10, 2010

Essential?



SUNDAY SCRIBBLINGS

('Essential')

ESSENTIAL?

Essential means 'of the essence', the indispensible part,
The necessary ingredient, right at the very heart.
This means that, without the essence, the concept could not exist.
So it is very much more, you see, than an item on a list.
Now the lady whom you see above has got the right idea!
Her husband is not essential and neither is his beer!
She can do without either one of them and not collapse in a heap!
Clearly, the attachment is neither strong nor deep!

But here we have an example of a mis-use of the word!
The premise behind the title is patently absurd!
Is it true that, without this book, you couldn't raise a child?
That, without this book, your offspring would go positively wild?



And are these songs 'essential'? Surely it is wrong
To suggest that without these ditties life would be devoid of song!
The title seems to say that vocal cords would waste away
Without the contents of this book coming into play!


And here's another 'essential' that I'm sure we do not need!
If everybody needed it, the writer would be rich indeed!
I've been blogging for ages without this 'essential' aid!
Yet see with what a flourish the lettering is displayed!


And, finally, there's the Toolkit without which one cannot cook!
However did I manage without this little book?
No wonder I've been starving, along with my family,
Since this helpful little manual was never shown to me!
*
Yes, I'll allow 'Essential Oils'; they're the essence of the oil.
But all these other 'essentials' simply make my old blood boil!
*
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AIRHEAD
(An Acrostic)

A man whose brain is full of air
Is not, it seems to me, 'all there'.
Research into his mental state
Has us believe it's not too great.
Even so, a feeble mind
As we have found, can be quite kind.
Devilish deeds are done, it's true,
By people with a high I.Q.!
*

7 comments:

Jae Rose said...

Nice tour of the word 'essential' -nothing external is completely essential and we all get by somehow! Jae

Kat said...

The non essentials are indeed these days packaged to make believe that they are essentials. The poem well exposes them!

And average mind is any day better than the top geared evil ones!

Elizabeth said...

Ahh yes, what some people consider essential, as if attaching the word makes it so. I am so in agreement with all of your choices and really wonder at those who buy that word simply to own it. Good stuff as usual,

Elizabeth

JP/deb said...

good job taking to task the misuse of essential!

George S Batty said...

Great essay on the mis-use of essential but then our world is beset by the mis-use of words. The Ad people love to use words in any way they choose. Very few people would see the mis-use of essential.
Awesome writing and thanks for pointing out that the world of high IQ's is not always right or moral.

Doe said...

misleading adds, books ,etc everywhere. They make us think we're not going to make it without the essentials..! I lived on the basics- the very basics for an entire month and my world didn't collapse. I did use incense and essential oils though, so I'm glad you allowed
them ;)

Old Egg said...

Two stunning posts again. Dare I say it - essential reading? If not that then at least a gentle reminder to question every assertion especially when parting with your money!