When the English tongue we speak,
Why is 'break' not rhymed with 'freak'?
Will you tell me why it's true
We say 'sew,' but likewise 'few';
And the maker of a verse
Cannot cap his 'horse' with 'worse'?
'Beard' sounds not the same as 'heard';
'Cord' is different from 'word'
'Cow' is 'cow,' but 'low' is 'low';
'Shoe' is never rhymed with 'foe.'
Think of ' hose' and 'dose' and 'lose';
And of 'goose' and think of 'choose.
Think of 'comb' and 'tomb' and 'bomb'
'Doll' and 'roll' and ' home' and 'some.'
And since 'pay' is rhymed with 'say.'
Why not 'paid' with 'said,' I pray?
We have 'blood' and 'food' and 'good';
'Mould' is not pronounced as 'could.'
Wherefore 'done,' but 'gone' and 'lone'?
Is there any reason known?
And, in short, it seems to me
Sound and letters disagree.