Play the bells (Journey of a word) by Jeanette Swan

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It’s a tick-tock clocka,

or that’s the word it used to be:

Let’s play the bells on the glockenspiel.

The bells would clang

for the missionary  monks,

and the word travelled ’round

with its clocka sounds.

clock is a clanger

that hangs in the steeple.

Later, cloak comes from clock,

like a bell-coat for people.

So, the word for  bells pealing,

cloaks secrets, concealing

that clock is a contranym

– its very own antonym.

Image from Pixabay

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