POEM: Tuff Tymes

(Read this silly poem out loud to most fully enjoy it!)

Mary McDermott McMaxwell McDuff
Was asked by her teacher to spell the word tough.
Because of her name, she replied “Tee-you-eff-eff,”
which earned her Z-minus below treble clef.

So here are some hints to help you if someone may
ask for help in spelling these troublesome words one fine day.

Though the words tough and rough rhyme with fluff, huff, and duff,
these are the oh-you-gee-aitchers,
because, you see, that is their natures.

There’s oh-you-gee-aitchers inside though and dough,
these words all rhyme with “I know my toe,”
“Oh, here comes Joe,” and “I glow when I mow.”

Don’t forget about thought, ought, and bought,
which rhyme with naught, caught and (in some places) draught.
Here’s a great way to explain all that. And hough!
Bow means bend in the middle so folks will clap hands.
Bough’s where Rock-a-bye-Baby’s sweet cradle still stands.

And a word that will send extra points on your way,
It’s one that I’ve found almost no one can say.
The word is slough and it rhymes with your shoe.
And both are spelled differently than blue and achoo.
Make note that blue is not spelled like blew,
This I’m sure will confuse such as yough!

And what’s more, the word slough sometimes rhymes with stuff.
That’s a tough one if you’re not a great spelling buff.
While slough’s said like shoe, it’s a marsh filled with bugs,
Like dragonflies, tsetses, mosquitoughs, and slugs.
When you say slough like stuff, it means to slough off,
and rhymes with an oh-you-gee-aitcher spelled cough.
And cough’s spelled like trough where pigs go to dine.
Oops! I see today’s poem is all out of thyme.

Just remember there’s oh-you-gee-aitch inside tough,
And yore speling you’ll fynde wil come out gud enuf.

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