Sorry, I didn’t realise you have to be one of the elite to be allowed to voice an opinion as to whether something is poetry or merely words arranged in a certain way.
And yes, Eric, they are Old English words going back at least to the sixteenth century in their present form. As you will know, fuck was considered taboo from then until the twentieth, when Ulysses, and particularly the Lady Chatterley’s Lover court case opened the floodgates for explicit sex and obscene language in published writing. The word was even excluded from all English language dictionaries until Penguin included it in 1965.
I agree that the words have now become mere expletives, and remember with fondness a posh lady, who wouldn’t dream of using such a word to describe a bodily function, exclaim: “Oh shit. I’ve trodden in some doggie poo.”
And Mark, I’m not holy, let alone holier than anyone else. Nor do I think I know best. I’m just an ordinary bloke who happened express an opinion. In future I’ll keep well away from the poetry corner if you are going to be so touchy about comments that don’t fit in with your views.
Hugh
