The+Tallman's+Tale

Dennis Brookner “The Tallman’s Tale” The tale which now I share with you my friends, I hope reveals that often means and ends Do not match up as one might think they do And great events can happen even through A long and even unrelated task With benefits impossible to mask The lad I will describe is now long gone, His name to us has failed to linger on, His age would now be thousands, yes I think He lived before the world saw Arthur blink <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">But age is but a number for this lad <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Whose gift gave what we never knew we had <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">And what he left will never be forgot, <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">For even when we try, we lose him not.<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Andalus,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">This boy was from his birth a special one, <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Who ne’er had days to frolic in the sun,<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Andalus,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Decide he did that he would riddle-learn, <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">And other forms of youth received his spurn <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">‘What good is there’ he said ‘in toy and game’ <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">‘When two worlds over soon will know my fame’ <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">The realms<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Andalus,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> in which he dreamed could know no end <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">In science, for example, he could spend <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">A day, a month to tackle some new feat <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">To him each piece of knowledge was a treat <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Philosophy as well filled him with awe <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">For people’s thoughts—the part one never saw <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Were one of that day’s biggest puzzles. Yes, <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">His love of thinking oft he did confess <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">But still his list of loves is not complete <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">In fact, to fill that list is such a feat <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">That to attempt it I would sure be mad <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Such were the studies of this charming lad. <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">In numbers he was gifted to extremes <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">That numbers were like words to him, it seems <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">And problems thought impossible to solve <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Were toppled by our hero's steel resolve <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">The grampas not one smart like him at all <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">In all their longest lives could they recall <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">In talks of gossip he was often star <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Without his mention one could not go far <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Into the goings-on from day to day <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Such was the fame of lads who swear off play<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Andalus,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">The summers of his youth were oh so fine <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">When nature's song and love could intertwine, <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">And many things took place outside the wall <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">But inside was to our lad place for all. <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">The contrast was like no one even knew <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">(As none who "saw" the study spoke it true) <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Between the beauty found in the outdoors <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">The nature, rich with fauna and with fleurs, <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">And inside, cramped at every spot in sight <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">At times impossible to see the light. <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">For as the saying goes, "to each his own" <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">The world would benefit, as it was shown. <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">The townsfolk all around came to look in <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Expecting some new worldly truth within <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">For how could this lad study for so long? <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">And not emerge with information strong <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">The likes of which the world had never seen <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">And yes, this high had expectations been. <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">(It happens that our lad won't disappoint) <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">One yeoman raised a quite important point <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">That our lad kept it quiet, never shared <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">His secrecy will never be compared <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">So no one knew exactly what went on <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Inside the walls in which he tried to spawn <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">The greatest knowledge ever known to man <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">The townsfolk knew not any of his plan. <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">And thus it was decided, then and there <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">That every lad must find a time to share <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">And even though our hero was no norm <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">The people said to this he must conform. <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">A friend of his, his closest confidante <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Gave everything our lad could ever want <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">And in return was just a simple peek<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Andalus,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">At days and months and years of knowledge-seek <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">And at a length, the fateful day did come <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">As soon as our lad's friend departed from <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">His house he know the day would be of fate <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Remembered even when he was of late. <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Atop the stairs, in creaked the heavy door<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Andalus,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">And friendly stares began in scanning for <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">The meaning of our life! and yes indeed, <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Inside his friendly head were planted seeds. <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Excitement showed itself through friendly eyes, <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">And with this notice, then our hero sighs, <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">'You too, friend? You can see that all is true?' <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">'Well, no,' the friend responds, 'I have no clue' <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">'But tell me, please, my friend, before I've gone <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">What are these flat white sheets you've written on? <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">The likes of it the world has never seen <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">We've only stone and clay, no in between!' <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Our hero looked around himself in awe, <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">For he, as well, had never truly saw <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">The greatness in what he had thought mundane, <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">The lovely paper made from reeds and cane. <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Do you recall the mention made before?<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Andalus,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">That greatness you may find you have in store <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Is not what you expected at the start. <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">Or even in the midst--at every part <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">You had some perfect vision in your mind <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">When really all you had to do was find <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">The piece that's hiding right before your eyes. <span style="font-family: Andalus,serif;">The puzzle is complete--you've found the prize.

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Didactic language <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Example case <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Hyperbole <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Synecdoche <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Syntactical inversion <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Euphony <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Connotation of word choice <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Sweeping generalization <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Understatement <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Imagery <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Apostrophe