Where gnus and elands graze the grass
The gerund's in a different class
I spot one now so let's disturb
The slumber of this 'sort of verb'.
It turns at once, begins to frown,
"I was a verb; now I'm a noun.
The verbal part you get for free
I've dual personality:
"He's smoking" - there he's in the act
But "smoking kills" is now a fact."
And with this noun we have to give
The right - possessive - adjective.
"Can't stand him smoking" - that's not right
Because the real offending sight
Is not the man, your friend, at all
It's just his cigarettes that gall.
"Can't stand his smoking" puts the stress
Right on the cause of your distress.
The gerund lives! It's doing fine
On every town's "No parking"sign.
Breathing, talking, listening too -
More gerunds than you thought you knew
Have found their way into your speech
Go find some others - lots in reach!
