Ogden Nash

The Sniffle

The Sniffle - meaning Summary

Playful Charm Despite Illness

Ogden Nash’s short comic poem affectionately portrays Isabel, who remains charming and polite despite common cold symptoms. Nash contrasts expected soggy, irritable behavior with Isabel’s composed, endearing response, using light humor and playful wordplay to make her sniffle seem quaint rather than pitiable. The tone is whimsical and admiring, turning minor discomfort into a character detail that highlights civility and personal charm.

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In spite of her sniffle Isabel's chiffle. Some girls with a sniffle Would be weepy and tiffle; They would look awful, Like a rained-on waffle, But Isabel's chiffle In spite of her sniffle. Her nose is more red With a cold in her head, But then, to be sure, Her eyes are bluer. Some girls with a snuffle, Their tempers are uffle. But when Isabel's snivelly She's snivelly civilly, And when she's snuffly She's perfectly luffly.

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