The old English proverb revisited…


Early to bed and early to rise 
Makes one healthy, wealthy, and wise.
Better be said, “To bed on time,”
Rating “late” as careless crime.

One man's early is another man's late;
Writ in stone, circadian fate.
Plants no less with clocks are blessed,
“Touch-me-not” example best.*

“Sensitive plant” this truth receives,
Greeting night with folded leaves.
Humans, too, could wisdom show,
By their clocks internal flow.

Promptly to bed and promptly to rise;
That’s the way to harmonize.
Trust the clock that guides your eyes,
Inner process ever wise.


*Mimosa pudica



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Just a longer version of what came before… And the best part is being able to get right to it without an introduction! (For anyone feeling shortchanged, the previous preamble should serve.)


Alive and blessed with math-like skills,
“As well as” to “in addition” adds “to.”
In cases such, a comma it takes
If starting sentence or lesser unto.

Example quick to make this clear:
“As well as eating lemon pie,
He drank six beers while sitting there,
And all did laugh, as well as sigh.”

This second case of “in addition to,”
Its import slight, a mere aside,
Requires a comma since lesser unto,
A status the writer would thus confide.

Comparing directly, simply, in prose,
“As well as” a comma doth never require.
But extras offered, unneeded they be,
Must dress in commas as central attire…

Since parenthetical, clearly apart,
And nonessential to meaning like this:
“All gentlemen here, as well as there,
Should look to God for lasting bliss.”

“As well as,” thus, may sum like “and”
But unlike “and” can't rightly star
A compound subject, nouns combined:
Put “this as well as that” with “are.”

Instead a singular verb is vet--
One caution more to add to store.
For welcome summary one would wish,
Forget the clues and rules obscure:

As well as weighing sameness state,
“As well as” joins up parts in pairs.
A crown of commas shall it rate
In nonessential-clause affairs.

​

​“As well as” is used either to compare or to express “in addition to.” Simple, direct comparisons using “as well as” do not require commas, but commas are needed when “as well as” introduces a nonessential component while meaning “in addition to”; one comma only when at the beginning or end of a sentence. 

As an aside, there's an interesting wrinkle that may be noted about “as well as.” Although frequently substituted for “and,” its ability to add is not as complete. With “and,” it would be correct to say, “John and Paul live in the house,” but since “as well as” cannot treat a compound subject as plural, one is only able to say, “John as well as Paul lives in the house.” This limitation will be highlighted in a more extended version of the following that is yet to come:


Alive and blessed with math-like skills,
“As well as” to “in addition” adds “to.”
In cases such, a comma it takes
If starting sentence or lesser unto.

Comparing directly, simply, in prose,
“As well as” a comma doth never require.
But extras offered, unneeded they be,
Must dress in commas as central attire…

Since parenthetical, clearly apart,
And nonessential to meaning like this:
“All gentlemen here, as well as there,
Should look to God for lasting bliss.”

As well as weighing sameness state,
“As well as” joins up parts in pairs.
A crown of commas shall it rate
In nonessential-clause affairs.

​“A man of wisdom delights in water,”
“The first and foremost medicine,”
Attending the words of famous Confucius;
Bestowing a proverb for reason.

But even a dullard will cheer this liquid,
Lighthearted with sauce so simple.
No body is free of the magic and mystery
Of water that renders it nimble.

For water is coolant, cleanser, nutrient,
And true component and medium.
Hydration in humans is not indulgence--
Just think of your local geranium.

Take pleasure in drinking pure water when able,
And relish the brilliance of nature,
Which offers this vision of life ever-flowing
In substance with physical feature.

To feed a cold and starve a fever
Was once a healing hack;
The fact that some would oft recover
Obscured the faulty tack.

Per ancient logic so mistaken,
Ills came from hot or cold.
So highs of “temp” disease awakened,
And lows led life to fold.

With fever's source an inner furnace,
Required was cooling aid.
All colds arose from chilly illness
And food for heat entailed.

But now we know the role of calories
Is not for warmth alone;
Intrepid defenders, cell repairers
Take energy while we groan.

Though appetite with ill may vary,
One's nutrient needs remain;
For flu and colds, an equal worry
Is fluid to regain.

​