then, than, apples and oranges

No, it would still be a comparison, and the rule would apply.

if it were Carmel and grapes, TK U MLJ LV NV

A poem makes the reader feel a certain way, a poem sounds beautiful as the words glide off the tongue, AND a poem is used to aid in memorization and oral transmission...

Not sure why some would even question the boundaries of what is or is not poetry.

Look at Jabberwocky written by Lewis Carroll. What I like about theognis is that he uses ambiguity, and symbolism in

his poems. I examine the words and search for different meanings...and...never mind, if you don't get it then you don't get it.

We will have to disagree, it appears. I view this as clearly a poem:

"I before E except after C or when sounded like A as in neighbor and weigh."

I think the man who wrote that would agree with me.

but surely these are only simple mnemonic devices using a rhyme, or near rhyme in your case... i would be stretching too far to call either of them a poem. theo, we're going to have to disagree on this one, i'm afraid.

what you just quoted is a poem.

so how is this a poem? it's just a sentence about grammar much the same as if I said 'I before E except after C'

It's simply about when to use the word than, and when to use the word then. Many, many people use them incorrectly, and this poem shows a simple way to remember when to use which. 'Than' is used for comparisons only, such as "Dan is taller than Ben." An apples and oranges situation, in other words. 'Then' is for every other usage situation, such as "Then we went home."

is it about regional dialect? colloquial rather than 'proper' english?

:)