Sound and Sense, 2-49

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. mail (noun and verb): material sent in the postal system; to do so

2. male (noun): a man or boy; a male animal; (adj.): characteristic of boys or men; of or relating to the sex that cannot produce young or lay eggs

All hail! All hail! The U. S. Mail—

But not, of course, the U. S. Male.

The former brings us news and bills;

The latter often cheats and kills.

The one brings hope into the house—

The other often is a louse.

The one requires a postage stamp—

The other often is a scamp.

The one can have a rising price;

The other often isn’t nice.

And so concludes this sorry tale—

The story of the mail … and male.

(Clichés, of course, are awfully stale—

We shouldn’t censure every male!

A lot behave just perfectly—
Including, yes, both you and me.)