18 December 2025 – Just a description, mind you, not a complaint. Compared to weather almost everywhere else in the country, including here in BC, Vancouver’s weather is a walk in the park.

But even so, it is still very windy and very wet!

Just look at the air vents blown horizontal in the sodden construction fence fabric, as I splosh my way along West 10th this morning.

By the combined might of word + weather association, I start thinking about anapest metre.

Why? Because wet weather on 8 December caused me to rewrite a limerick to fit, and that in turn caused me to discover the anapest metre and its (quote-unquote) “galloping rhythm.”

So here I am, in yet more wet & windy weather. To distract myself, I compose a limerick. An ode to the anapest metre.

(More throat-clearing)

The anapest metre is now my best friend,

It offers me rhythm without any end,

I gallop and giggle,

I wobble and wiggle.

It distracts me from rain and that’s a great trend!

Once home… and dry… I look up “anapest metre” online. The Poetry Foundation explains it consists of two unaccented syllables followed by one accented syllable, and then helpfully gives two examples of words that — all by themselves! — are anapestic: “underfoot” and “overcome.”

Yah well, here’s the Canadian example: “Newfoundland.”

From now on, let’s all pronounce it correctly.

Finally! A new year’s resolution we can keep.