Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 No "r" in Colonel

Word "colonel" pronounced "kernal" - why?

There's no "r" in colonel at all.

Used to be "coronel" but, sigh,

Some picky people made the call.

"Colonnello" was the root word,

Italian army officer.

The picky people thought absurd

Not to include first "l" for sure.

But English speakers by this time

Were too used to saying the "r"

And did not find it was a crime

To keep saying it, though bizarre.

Talking and writing in English,

Letter conflicts oft seem foolish.