Sound and Sense, 62

We’re moving next to the homophone: a word pronounced the same as another but differing in meaning, whether spelled the same way or not, as heir and air. So … contronyms are words that have contradictory meanings (sanctiion = approve and disapprove; homophones sound alike but to not mean the same—and often are not spelled the same, either.

1. epic (noun): a long story that tells about a hero’s adventures (adj.): telling a story about a hero or about exciting events or adventures; very great or large and usually difficult or impressive

2. epoch (noun): a period of time that is very important in history

He thought he was a hero, Bud,

Though others thought he was a dud.

But he began his epic tale—

And never thought that he would fail.

He chose an epoch for the time

That seemed to him just so sublime

That he would soon be very rich

By selling copies—here’s the glitch:

There was no way he could convince

His readers he had been a prince

In Arthur’s court (with table round),

And so his dream-bird hit the ground.

He really had no epic life—

He had no job, no house, no wife.

But on he wrote—oh, he would write,

And so he did, both day and night.

One day he felt a shoulder tap—

And learned ’twas time: The Final Nap.

But he’d enjoyed his writing days—

So give old Bud your endless praise!

He never ceased to write, to try—

And so became ... an Epic Guy!