What Is So Holy About Mackerel, Smoke Or Cow?

When I exclaim holy mackerel,

Excuse me, I am not picking a quarrel,

Holy mackerel is not a culinary dish,

Mackerel is one of the smellier fish,

A fish that spoils quickly,

And nothing about it is holy.

 

When I shout holy smoke,

I am not talking about the haze that chokes,

Holy smoke may refer to the puffs of smoke,

That the Vatican release upon election of a new pope,

But holy smoke used in this context,

Holiness is not part of its pretext.

 

When I interject holy cow,

I am not referring to India’s scared cows,

It is not about exchanging holy vows,

Nor does it has anything to do with kow tow,

Nothing about it is holy,

If I offend you I say sorry.

 

Holy mackerel, holy smoke and holy cows,

Definitely not holy expressions or vows,

But expressions of surprise and incredulity,

Shrouded in mystery, myth and absurdity,

A type of euphemism known as minced oaths,

An expletive without the expletive used by people in hordes.