Silent letters / Vane

Silent Letters in English

A Playful Exploration

Welcome to English, where letters hide,
Silent sentinels that mystify.
Silent 'K': knife, knight, know, knee—
Always hidden, as you’ll see.

Silent 'W': wrist, write, wrong, wreath,
A ghostly sound beneath our speech.
Wrestle and wrangle, but don’t expect
The "w" to show its effect.

Silent 'B': thumb, limb, comb, climb,
In hushed tones, they keep their time.
Lamb and dumb stay ever shy,
Their "b"s unseen, though standing by.

Silent 'H': honest, heir, hour, ghost,
Words where "h" is but a host.
Honor stands without its "h,"
Leaving us with just a trace.

Silent 'C': scissors, muscle, scene, scent,
A letter gone, its sound is spent.
Castle's "t" retreats as well,
A silent "c" has tales to tell.

Silent 'G': gnash, gnarl, gnome, and gnaw,
The "g" lies low, an ancient law.
Design and sign, reign and align,
Silent "g" guards meaning’s line.

Silent 'P': psychic, pneumonia, psalm,
A quiet "p" that keeps its calm.
Receipt and coup, where "p" won’t show,
Yet in its place, the meanings flow.

Silent 'L': calf, half, yolk, and folk,
Where the "l" lies quiet, bespoke.
Walk and talk, with silent poise,
The "l" resists, it won’t make noise.

Silent 'U': guess, guilt, guitar, guide,
A quiet "u" that’s tucked inside.
Guard and tongue, building sound,
A letter mute, yet profound.

Silent 'T': ballet, castle, whistle, often,
A "t" that softens, never forgotten.
Listen and fasten, where "t" won’t show,
A secret sound, quiet to know.

Silent 'GH': thought, though, bough, and cough,
A tangled sound, so often tough.
Plough and rough, through and thorough,
Where "gh" hides, meaning burrows.

English’s maze of silent letters,
Confounds the wisest of its setters.
Yet with patience, you’ll decode,
The silent paths where meanings road.