John said:
Quote:
I've never been either to Corfu or the East Coast of America, though I do know they exist. However, I have been to Mousehole, Bogshole and Corstorphine and I bet few of you can say that, or even pronounce them.
And that would make an excellent note. I shall just have to write the poem that goes with it.
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I know how to pronounce those places, but our friends abroad probably wouldn't know that 'Mousehole' rhymes with 'tousle'. Near here are two villages called Bozeat and Cogenhoe, pronounced locally as 'Boze-yut' and 'Cook-ner'.
Sorry for going off-piste slightly, Maryann, but these place names demonstrate that some help is often needed, and should be offered. As Mark says, it's fairly easy to look up
certain things; I never mind checking something in the dictionary but I don't want to have to do
major research to find out what a phrase in a poem means!
"
If in doubt, help the reader out." How about that for a rule of thumb?