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Karnes County's community newspaper

(published on January 17, 2007)

Words, words, words

Folks someone said to me the other day, Joe you sure remember a lot of songs. That may be true but probably not any more than many of you.

Be that as it may, I got to thinking and wondering why it is that I recall so many songs. I decided it is because of the lyrics. Oh, I remember the tunes but it is the words that stick in my mind and touch my heart.

As far back as I can remember words, all kinds, have fascinated me. So I got to thinking about certain words, sayings, phrases, etc that caught my attention and have stuck in my mind all these years. Following are some of them. These are words and phrases that when you hear them you immediately know the idea and inference they suggest. For example take the saying, drunk as a skunk. You know right off the bat, that someone had a tad too much to drink.

Enjoy these and add those you recall from your past.

Happy as a lark, bright as a new penny, stubborn as a mule, hungry as a bear, strong as a bull, weak as a cat, fat as a pig, clumsy as a hog on ice, warm as toast, thin as a rail, dumb as an ox, sweet as honey, free as the wind, rough as a cob, tight as a wad, hot as you know what, good as gold, slow as molasses in January, quiet as a mouse, straight as an arrow, hard as a rock, solid as a rock, soft as a marshmallow, busy as a bee, busy as a one armed paperhanger, crooked as a corkscrew, tough as leather, pretty as a picture, poor as a church mouse, high as a kite, sick as a dog, dead as a doornail, as thin as tissue paper, soars like an eagle, old as Methuselah, sound as a dollar, sharp as a tack, clear as a bell, dark as a gambler’s heart, smart as a whip, ugly as a mud fence, happy as a lark, flat as a pancake, sly as a fox, light as a feather, cold as ice, that idea went over like a lead balloon, that dog won’t hunt, they think their rear end weighs a ton, they throw their weight around, snug as a bug in a rug, under the weather, fit as a fiddle, crazy as a loon, as low down as a snake’s belly button.

Folks I remember many others but they are not fit to be repeated. So I will end this column by reminding one and all that words are powerful and can be devastating! Let us bridle our tongues when we are angry and let our words flow freely when praising others!

Joe Brubaker Column Archives    Click here to read previously published columns