Sound and Sense, 2-35

Time for more instances of the homophone: a word pronounced the same as another but differing in meaning, whether spelled the same way or not, as heir and air.

1. lessen (verb): to become less or to cause something to become less

2. lesson (noun): an activity that you do in order to learn something; a single class or part of a course of instruction

He looked for ways to lessen work—

For work, you see, made him berserk.

His shrink advised: “Go back to school—

The lessons there I know that you’ll

Apply at work.” So he went back.

But nearly had a heart attack

When he discovered all that he

Was asked to do in chemistry.

And so he quit. “I’ll read no page,

No book again!” And so his wage

Slipped down into the netherworld

Where all his former hopes unfurled.

And then he rubbed his stubbled chin:

“I think I’ll go to school again!”

He’d learned his lesson—learned it well—

Discovered that he could excel.

Became a chemist—just enough

To manufacture meth and stuff.