Arse.
For too long, “ass” has been king
Or perversely, queen:
Asshole, piece of ass, embarass —
More than toilet paper dragging from the royal shoe,
You have to admit, embarass does analogize
Perfectly the chagrin of being humiliated;
(Is “anal” the star of analogize, analize?)
What diminishes hubris more poignantly
Than being suddenly, publicly bare-assed?
— to continue: ass (itself), my ass, asswipe —
All these expressions (and more) capture our disdain
By equating someone or some condition to the
“Unclean” and unmentionable hole in one’s anatomy.
No more.
Like “ass”, arse is earthy, derogatory, and descriptive;
Unlike “ass”, its gutteral strength enriches its aural impact,
And “arse” is refreshing in religious and royal circles,
Having been a secret icon of the sub-vulgate.
So surprise your friend:
Apostrophize him or her:
You arse, you horse’s arse, you arsehole —
She will, he will love you for taking such pains to be
Freshly, imaginatively vulgar.
Up your arse!
More blogs about Philology.
