"Shaven"

[Baker, John]

No, no, it was the priest all shaven and shorn, who married the man all tattered and torn, who kissed the maiden all forlorn.

As a child, not knowing about priestly celibacy, I took this poem as evidence that it was possible for a man to marry another man.  Although I did think it was sort of questionable for the man all tattered and torn to get married to the priest all shaven and shorn, after he had kissed the maiden all forlorn.


John Baker



-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of W Brewer
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2012 8:36 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: "Shaven"

 shaven : shaved. Every once in a while I?ll get all shaven & shorn for
something important, like the preacher who married the maiden all forlorn,
who milked the cow with the crumpled horn, that kicked the dog, that chased
the cat, that killed the rat, that ate the malt, that lay in the house of
pancakes.

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org