New Old Proverb

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… “Skinfolk,” as the old proverb goes, aren’t always “kinfolk.”

(Jamelle Bouie, “Kamala Harris Doesn’t Have to Believe in Joe Biden’s Innocence,” NYTimes, 7-1-19)

This old proverb is new to me. It has the virtues of a good proverb: pith, spunk, rhyme, and fertile ambiguity resolvable by context. It also illustrates the vital role of skillfully used quotation marks.

(c) 2019 JMN

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About JMN

I live in Texas and devote much of my time to easel painting on an amateur basis. I stream a lot of music, mostly jazz, throughout the day. I like to read and memorize poetry.
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