Monday, 27 July 2015

Thoughts on sod's law

Written after a very wet christening, and dedicated to the memory of my late father, who always referred to this as "the law of undesirable coincidences"

 The law of Murphy, or of Sod* -
Some call it fate, some call it God.
You put two socks in the machine,
Just one comes out. See what I mean?
You leave  your brolly in the hall -
The drought will end, the rain will fall.
But should you try to pray for rain,
Behold! The sun comes out again!

The lesson I have learnt from this?
Accept things just the way they iss.
Accept the sock, the sun, the rain.
You'll never feel let down again.

*The disheartening laws of Murphy and Sod. When things go wrong, anywhere in the English-speaking world, we are likely to invoke one of them. Some people think the two are the same.
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17 comments:

  1. ADRIAN27 July 2015 at 19:39

    Love the illustration and the poetry is a worthy accompaniment.

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  2. Tim27 July 2015 at 22:18

    Sod's Law: "The jam butty always lands jam side down on the carpet, except when required to do so for the purpose of proving Sod's Law."

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  3. Librarian28 July 2015 at 06:33

    When I read this last night, I thought of commenting in a rhyme, but my brain seems to be unable to make up something clever and witty right now.
    So far, I've not been hit too much by Sod's Law; no missing socks, for instance. Maybe Meike's Law is a bit different :-)

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    Replies
    1. Graham Edwards28 July 2015 at 08:43

      I suspect Meike that you are too logical to believe in such a law and thus you are protected.

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    2. Frances Garrood28 July 2015 at 09:58

      Meike, I would have expected no less from you. Sod's law and I are well-acquainted, but you haven't missed much.

      Delete
  4. Maggie May28 July 2015 at 06:58

    I bet you had a great time at the christening anyway. Love the poem.

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  5. Graham Edwards28 July 2015 at 08:41

    Having been born in Liverpool it would have been unwise to have used the term 'Murphy'. In the Good Old Days one may well just have been thumped by a passing Irishman. Doubtless now one would be taken before some tribunal or other (or had a campaign against one raised in the social media) accused of Murphyism.

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    Replies
    1. Frances Garrood28 July 2015 at 10:00

      Graham, I like my father's rendering best, but it takes too long to say.

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    2. Graham Edwards28 July 2015 at 17:50

      If I'd used that as a kid in Liverpool no-one would have understood anyway (even me probably).

      Delete
  6. Joanna28 July 2015 at 14:09

    I love both poem and picture and have great sympathy as this law constantly applies in my life. xxx

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  7. Patsy29 July 2015 at 16:40

    Stuff happens - and it's not always the stuff we hoped would happen.

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    Replies
    1. Frances Garrood30 July 2015 at 11:22

      Stuff happens is neat. And polite. I would expect no less of you, Patsy.

      Delete
  8. Rosemary Gemmell30 July 2015 at 13:19

    Love it - especially the bit about accepting it!

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