Lyr Add: Proofreader's Nightmare, The

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Proofreader's Nightmare, The
From: Charley Noble
Date: 17 Feb 08 - 05:05 PM

Come to think of it, this poem works best as a visual joke. It may not translate to sound.

However, I'm beginning to hear some old railroad tune.

"All aboard!"

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Proofreader's Nightmare, The
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 17 Feb 08 - 12:47 PM

Brilliant, Charley, brilliant!

Thanks for finding it!

Corrections are either AAs or PEs -- Author's Alterations are paid by the client; Printer's Errors are corrected without charge by the printer.

Linn, RTW (Resident Typographical Wizard)

Subject: Lyr Add: Proofreader's Nightmare, The
From: Charley Noble
Date: 17 Feb 08 - 12:23 PM

Here's an interesting topic that I haven't found in our traditional song archives.

By Frank Granger, © 2001, from Poems for Printers – Original Poems by Frank Granger

The Proofreader's Nightmare

all the sentences started with lower case.
The 3 em indent was way two much space.
The Futuria type was very, very bold,
Also not the face the customer was sold.
Of linespacing theree was plenty.
Who'd ever heard of ten on twenty.
From the word shirt they dropped a letter.
She would tell you, it could be be better.
The ink was green – it should have been red,
"Here's another P.E.." someone said.
There were more typos here than one could guess.
Oh, how did it ever get to press?
A million impressions? Already delivered?
And still more mistakes. She only quivered.
Maybe. It was someone else's goof?
No, her were here initials righ on the proof.
The proofreader awoke, and set up in bed!
Ouch! What a feeling she had in her head!
But what a relief, it was only a dream,
And from now on, no more pickles and ice cream.

"Author's Note: This poem is full of intentional Printer's Errors or "P.E.'s." Chances are the rest of the poems in this collection have as many! Educators might present this to a proofreading class to see if the students can catch all the mistakes."

I wonder what tune would work with it?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble