“The Diff’rent Name Game”

by David Russell - © & ®

He was 5 and lived in L.A., his cousin was 3 and lived in Scotland. When they talked on the phone they each used words that were different so they were always asking each other, "What does that mean?". Then they would giggle. It got to be a game between them. To Grandpa hearing the conversation from one end and then the other, it became grist for his mill and out came...

The Diff'rent Name Game

I have a cousin who lives far, far away.

Who has diff’rent words for the things that we say.

Though they are diff’rent, both mean the very same

So we always play this diff’rent name fun game.

He rides on his bike, while I ride on my trike

What he calls a walk, I would call it a hike.

He calls a carriage, what we here call a pram.

Jelly’s what he likes, while I like eating jam.

His elevator, is what I call a lift

What’s a blouse to him, is what we call a shift.

When he says, “Hello!”, I answer, “There you are.”.

He says a “Goodbye”. While I close with “Ta-Ta.”.

His spends a dollar. What I spend is a pound.

He rides a subway, my ride is underground.

When he says, “Oh Darn!”. His darn becomes my “Bosh!”.

And his old raincoat, to me’s a Macintosh.

He likes reading poems, I embrace a sonnet.

While he wears a hat, I put on a bonnet.

But something we’d both would absolutely like,

He riding his bike, while I ride on my trike

The day he comes here, from his home, far away.

we’ll play together, on that wonderful day.