[Duncan Gillies MacLaurin]

Here's an interesting overview of euphemisms in various cultures. I suggest we compile a list of euphemisms that are used in the poetry world.

Duncan

[Ann Drysdale]

As one who is irredeemably of the British Bog-slasher school of self-expression, I applaud the suggestion. However, once we move into the poetry world, the dread question of Archaism is going to colour the issue, rough-hew it how we may.

[John Whitworth]

I came across a nice one this week. 'He was of the pillow-biting persuasion' but, as far as I know, it hasn't been used in a poem - yet.

[Philip Morre]

e.g.
Free verse: prose
Experimental verse: typographically-challenged prose
Performance poet: performer
Eratosphere: Murphysphere

[Ann Drysdale]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaGVQqVCJr4

[Duncan Gillies MacLaurin]

Nice one, Ann!

Always loved the two Ronnies. Morecambe and Wise were another good team. Smith and Jones. Laurel and Hardy, of course. Carnivalistic mismatches.

Duncan

[basil ransome-davies]

Originally Posted by John Whitworth

I came across a nice one this week. 'He was of the pillow-biting persuasion' but, as far as I know, it hasn't been used in a poem - yet.

Another one in need of KY it seems, though I'm not sure how euphemistic that is, given its suggestiveness, and while linguistic cruelty or insensitivity should be avoided I'm resistant to coy, muffled expressions such as 'differently abled'. My lip-reading tutor used always to say 'hearing impaired' & I itched to tell her I was just fucking deaf, though of course I didn't.

[Brian Allgar]

Yes, it's a bit like a doctor telling some poor sod that his wife is 'breathing-challenged' when in fact she's dead.

[John Whitworth]

I suppose 'hearing-impaired' ought to mean 'a bit deaf'. There were those nineteenth century (was it?) gradations of blindness; sand-blind, gravel-blind and stone blind.

I have noticed that the word 'fat' is now banned from The Spectator Coffee House. When I say Ed Balls is fat they wait for me to tone it down to stout, which is allowed. Though it seems to be OK to call Baroness Ashton ugly (not that I do) which is curious and perhaps sexist.

I am of moderate stoutness and the tiniest bit thinking-impaired if that means forgetting things which I perfectly well know, or did know five minutes ago.

[Duncan Gillies MacLaurin]

This seems relevant.

Duncan