Namely, 77

NAMELY

eponyms (EP-uh-nimz)

words based on or derived from a person's name.

First Known Use: mid-19^th century

“What’s in a Name?”

Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, 2.2­­

77: jovial: happy, amiable, jocular (from Jove, the English for Jovialis, an alternative name for Jupiter, supreme god of Roman mythology, considered to be the source of all happiness; first known use of the word, 1592)

“How dare you be so jovial!”

I heard an odd voice cry.

“Today is sad—at least pretend!

You really have to try!”

“So what’s so sad about today?”

I asked into the void.

I tried some mere psychology—

Somewhat like Sigmund Freud.

“Today,” I heard the voice again,

Is really sad for me:

For school vacation starts today—

And that is misery!”

“You’re mad!” I cried. “Completely mad!

I love vacation days!”

The voice just laughed—then added this:

“You have such stupid ways!

“For classes are the things I love

Above all other things!

And I just dread that moment when

The final school bell rings!”

And so I realized, at last,

This voice that brought such pain:

That voice spoke total nonsense, and

The speaker was insane!

And then I thought of one more thing—

That solved the mystery:

That voice, of course, was not a ghost;

It came from inside me!