A Ram Sang a Ragman's Anagrams

I've always enjoyed messing around with the English language. It began in my toddling days with those colorful fridge magnets, then spread to the Daily Jumble (I blamed July) and games of Scrabble (grab some elf ABCs). Eventually I moved on to things like simile, metaphor, and puns, but anagrams always stuck with me.

A talented anagrammologist can make an anagram actually describe the thing it's an anagram of. Note: I am not a talented anagrammologist. In fact, I made that word up.

Original Phrase	Potential Anagram(s)
Nate Wilson	wanton isle a stolen win 'twas online
Sometimes, the Wheel is on Fire	some element of his wit is here home is where I moisten fleets
April Fool's Day	a play for idols daily roof slap frail lady (oops!)
President Barack Hussein Obama	bare bipeds chosen in Kama Sutra bad-ass Superman broke in the CIA top American business had break
Justin Bieber	inert jubbies

By the way, before I go on I should probably mention that this post is part of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge (OMG a blazing hot frog prince -- all leg!), brought to you by Arlee Bird (die, barrel!) and his charming array of co-hosts: Jeffrey Beesler (refs jeer feebly), Jen Daiker (Jedi, E-Rank), Candace Ganger (GC: Green Canada), Karen Gowen (anger woken), Talli Roland (Iran told all), Stephen Tremp (pens tempt her), and Alex J. Cavanaugh (Jalex C. Avanaugh). Go and check out the other participants!

Anyway, I'll end today's post with an anagrammatic poem (mama ate magic porn). Back in 1936, David Shulman (lush DVD mania!) wrote a rhyming sonnet (tenor hymn sing) in which each of the 14 lines is an anagram of the poem's title (simple tote). Its meter isn't too consistent (cotton is stone), but you have to admit it's pretty impressive (sever empty spirit):

Washington Crossing the Delaware

A hard, howling, tossing water scene.
Strong tide was washing hero clean.
"How cold!" Weather stings as in anger.
O Silent night shows war ace danger!

The cold waters swashing on in rage.
Redcoats warn slow his hint engage.
When star general's action wish'd "Go!"
He saw his ragged continentals row.

Ah, he stands — sailor crew went going.
And so this general watches rowing.
He hastens — winter again grows cold.
A wet crew gain Hessian stronghold.

George can't lose war with's hands in;
He's astern — so go alight, crew, and win!

And thus ends day one of my alphabetic journey (a thrice-jumpy baloney). Just remember that anagrams, unlike footnotes (out, O stolen knife!), should only be used in moderation.<sup>1,2


1</sup> Er... domination!
² I regret that much of the above succumbed to silliness, but thankfully no footnotes were harmed in the making of this post (He fights a monk—Stop it!).