The Guidon Cliche'?

[Tricia]

All--

Have any of you ever contemplated how authors tend to describe guidons in a narrative ... and how these references all seem to flow suchly:

"The guidons snapped in the stiff breeze ..."

"The guidons fluttered in a lazy wind ..."

Has this reached cliche' status or is it just my overwrought vision?

Regards,
Leyton McLean

[fred]

Leyton--

How about, "the guidons fluttered or hung limp, depending on the breezes."

Best wishes,
Fred.

[Tricia]

Fred--

Now, if we wanted to get really creative, we could sponsor a "The Worst Possible Description of a Flapping, Fluctuating, Snapping, and/or Pulsing Company/Regimental Guidon (or Standard), Using Similie or Metaphor ..."

Regards,
Leyton McLean

[fred]

No fair, Leyton. With my miserable grasp of the English language I'd probably win.

[crzhrs]

The guidons were plasted with grease and they could do nothing but stand erect regardless of the wind . . .

[Tricia]

The silks of the Seventh's regimental standard would have cut horizontally against the scirocco of that blistering June day, but it couldn't cause it was all like, rolled up and like, kept with the pack train. Sort of like Custer, but he was dead.

The end.
Leyton McLean

[Jas. Watson]

Within the air surge an animated planer distortion was noted that significantly decreased upon aqueous application (it was raining and the flag got wet).

Hey, at least it's different.

Jas~

[harpskiddie]

It was a dark and stormy night. Outside the sopping, nearly collapsing canvas structure that passed for a tent, the company guidon struggled to remain attached to its tilting, almost falling, but valiantly staying implanted staff. The small Stars and Stripes pennant, for such it was, had given up some of its well-worn body to the wind, the rain and the hail; but it wrapped itself tightly around the staff, trying to hold on to the only purchase it could find.

The golden lis atop the staff, whispered, but still heard above the shrieking blasts of the roaring gale: "Well done, little flag. Hold fast. We will be needed soon at the Little Horn."

Quotation is from Chapter Ninety-Two of The One And Only True And Authentic History Of The Battle Of The Greasy Grass, Otherwise Known Variously As The Battle Of Littlebighorn, The Battle Of The Little Big Horn, Custer's Last Stand, Custer's Last Fight, The Last Stand Of The Indian Nation and etc ad inf. ad naus, As Told By Actual Participants Who Unfortunately Did Not Survive But Who Would Have Said What I Say They Said Because That's The Only Way I Can Make Things Fit Unless I Invent Another Location For Some Things So That I Can Have A New Interpretation And Sell THis Book Which Has Taken Me 50 Years To Finish.

The Appendices include color-coded maps of every possible area pertinent to the battle, with detailed descriptions of troop movements, bowel movements, illegal immigrants on both sides, the nuimber of horses and troops remaining in a serviceable condition [some may have needed an oil change], on a minute-by-minute time line, including the amount of ammuniton fired by each soldier, when it was fired, and whether he hit anything. A detailed map of the author's den is also appended, together with a photograph of the contents of his medicine cabinet.

Serious students of the battle may use extracts without written or any other kind of permission from the author, provided only that he is held harmless from any legal actions arising from such use, and that absolutely no credit is given to the source.

[elisabeth]

A masterpiece. Glorious, Gordie.

[crzhrs]

Even the guidons were scared stiff!

[fred]

Elisabeth... break out the smelling salts...

"Guard! Oh, guard!"