Snollygoster – a poem

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Honourable Politicians

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Would you be a snollygoster?

Every action aimed to foster

trust… and votes… a campaign win…

then lining pockets from within.

The rhetoric. The talk. The lies.

Confounding people to disguise

a calculating, shrewd imposter;

politician… snollygoster.

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© Kathryn Apel 2012

 

My son and I have been enjoying ‘Weird and Wonderful Words’ (Erin McKean, Oxford University Press 2003) which defines a snollygoster (pg 87) as; a dishonest politician, especially a shrewd or calculating one.

For many politicians this doesn’t apply, but never-the-less I am just a little surprised that snollygoster isn’t a word more widely used today. It has such a ring to it – don’t you think?

(Oh. Look at that. Click on the book to go to Oxford’s page and what’s the very first question they ask?)