Elephantus Non Potest Loquere Linguam Latinam

AnElephantCant hold a conversation in Latin
But he knows a few Bona Fide phrases
In itself Per Se
Carpe Diem seize the day
With linguistic skills he often just amazes

It is surprising how expressions still survive
From when J Caesar turned his back on Ancient Rome
A never hopeless Magnum Opus
If you’re dead it’s Rigor Mortis
Summa Cum Laude for the writer of this poem

Latin is used in about a brillion abbreviations
For example for example is e.g.
Etc now means some more
IV indicates the number four
AnElephant proves his point here QED

You can say some things that do sound quite impressive
Compos Mentis there’s a chance that you are clever
Verbatim word for word
Mea Culpa – don’t be absurd!
Ad Infinitum means going on for ever and ever and ever and ever …….

Latin is still used in legal circles
Because they don’t like us to know what they are saying
Sub Iudice means they are thinking
Pro Bono they think is stinking
And some churches find it cool for all their praying

Now the Pope’s communicating via Twitter
His flock he addresses from @pontifex
Not a sportsman or rapper
A hot line to Il Papa
Just go online with a quick genuflex

AnElephantCant say if he Tweets in Latin
A Quid Pro Quo for using new technology
Inter Alia you may agree
He says Veni Vidi Vici
It’s the modern way of teaching you Theology

Glossary of Terms
Bona Fide – Authentic
IV  – A joke, ok? Sometimes AnElephant tries to be funny!
Compos Mentis – Of sound mind
Mea Culpa – My bad
Sub Iudice – Under judgement
Pro Bono – Something to do with Sonny and Cher?
Quid Pro Quo – An exchange or trade-off
Inter Alia – Among other things
Veni Vidi Vici – I came, I saw, I conquered. Big match report from J Caesar (Rome)

Oh, and the Title? AnElephantCant Speak Latin, of course!