h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Gilbert and Sullivan - A25637394
Author: sinnerman - U9260985

We had management consultants in a while back......

(Optionally sung to the tune of "The Song of the Major general" from Pirates of Penzance

This is very clever - a witty comment on management speak .

It doesn't quite scan in places, though it does rhyme. Some of Gilbert's rhymes were (deliberately) awful.

Phrases that used to annoy me in my workplace were 'breaking out of silos' and 'blue skies thinking.' When they started telling us that we needed to work 'smarter', I knew that it was a euphemism for more work between fewer people and took early retirement!

I love the idea.

I love some of the rhymes.

The rhythm needs fixing, though, big-time. Because anybody reading it is going to stumble over the metre.

My sympathies to you on knowing *quite* so much about corporate-speak.

*goes of wondering about 'mamelon' and 'ravelin', for about the 13th time...*

mamelon, ravelin are, allegedly, features of fort design system.

As for me, I as so impressed with your knowledge of G&S. Do you sing

I believe Major Sharpe got stuck in one, once.

And , or everybody will want one.

Hello, how are you ?

I reckon your true feelings got the better of the poetry in the last verse. These are fun and it seems picky to complain about the bits that aren't spot on, but to really work, I think they have to be spot on and you've evidently got the talent to make them so. So I'll join in with the pickiness and agree with comments above.

The length needs careful judgement too unless there's a story or some progression to take over from the initial impact of the mimicry.

They are fun though, and clever. Do you polish and edit them at all? Or is it an initial rush and then you're done with them?

PS the 'you' in the above post 7 is Sinnerman. Just to be clear .

And I want one. Whatever one is. The one Major Sharp got stuck in. If everyone else is having one, then me too!

Talk to dmt. He can fix it for a price

Maj Sharpe got stuck in a ravelin. In some siege or other. In Spain during the Peninsular Wars. See the excellent guide entries.

Ok, how much?

I've researched and I want one. It'll just fit in the angle of the front wall and the drive and give command over the route from the pub and Pete-over-the-road's veggie patch. I covet his veg patch.

Does it come with ballistic type accessories?

Definitely. By the rocket's red glare, you can see your neighbour's azaleas going poof!

You might simply try sowing a ha-ha with caltrops.

Yeah, but I can't eat veggies that have gone poof, dmitri! I need a land grab followed by defence.I can charge a toll for pub access to pay the mortgage for the ravelin. £3 per head, £2 for bicycles, £1 for a dog. That'll be at least £11 takings per day just from Bill and the paper boy.

Do they need foundations? Planning permission's needed for things with foundations.

Nah, just digging.

And for the business plan, ask sinnerman. His poem's about...er, business?

You're right, he's the very model of a modern business visionary.

Evening LLwaz

Thanks for yout comments.

No, I don't edit them. What I post here tend to be almost first drafts, give or take a few doodles in the margins.

To be honest, I don't much enjoy revisiting old work or checking exact meters. I can do it, but I find it boring. Getting them from inside my head onto paper and then typing them up is enough of a chore! I'm usually already thinking of the next one long before I've finished the one I'm writing. (If I ever run out of ideas, maybe I'll go back and take a second look at them all)

Seem like a friendly but small group down here in the AWW. Think I'm going to like it.

S.P.

By the Alternative Writing Workshop a little Bluebottle
Sang 'Entry, back to entry, back to entry'
And I said to him, 'BB, why do you say such a lottle
Back to Entry, Back to Entry, Back to Entry?'
'Is it weakness of intellect, BB' I cried.
'Or a rather tough worm in your little inside?'
With a shake of his poor little head he replied
'Back to Entry, Back to Entry, Back to Entry'

<BB<

I concur.