In 1914, Gelett Burgess, of purple cow fame, wrote a book. An unabridged dictionary of “words you have always needed.” One of the words that struck me was “Yowf.” The definition was as a noun, One whose importance exceeds his merit. A rich or influential fool. As an adjective, Stupidness, combined with authority. He also wrote the following verses to describe a Yowf.
The Yowf was traveling on a pass –
And he was grand and fat.
A Fourth Vice Presidential ass
Or something big like that.
I could not bear him; so one noon
I pricked him with a pin.
He shrivelled, a collapsed balloon –
Naught but empty skin!
I will give you one, and only one guess who I think is a Yowf.
