Saturday, 25 April 2026 07:33 pm
Head over Heels
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deckardcanine“Head over heels” is a silly expression.
It ought to be “heels over head.”
Indeed, it was like that for hundreds of years
Till we got the new version instead.
The 17th century saw the reversal,
For reasons we never will know.
Back then, it referred to a physical tumble;
The silliness plainly would show.
Soon after, it changed to a metaphor, first
To mean “reckless” and later “completely,”
The latter most often preceding “in love”
Or implying as much rather neatly.
Perhaps it makes sense that a phrase about flipping
Performed a ridiculous flip.
I’ll let you decide what it says about romance;
I’m not one to make such a quip.
It ought to be “heels over head.”
Indeed, it was like that for hundreds of years
Till we got the new version instead.
The 17th century saw the reversal,
For reasons we never will know.
Back then, it referred to a physical tumble;
The silliness plainly would show.
Soon after, it changed to a metaphor, first
To mean “reckless” and later “completely,”
The latter most often preceding “in love”
Or implying as much rather neatly.
Perhaps it makes sense that a phrase about flipping
Performed a ridiculous flip.
I’ll let you decide what it says about romance;
I’m not one to make such a quip.