Learning English Pronunciation---Not an Easy Task!

We should all have patience and sympathy for anyone who has the courage and fortitude to embark on the adventure of learning a new language. This is especially true if the language is English! Why is this so? It can be argued that if one wanted to learn Polish, or Russian, or Ukranian, or any of the so called "Slavic languages", the task would be much easier. The student of any one of these languages would be pronouncing words well in a relatively short time. The reason for this is simple: THE SLAVIC LANGUAGES ARE PHONETIC; ENGLISH IS NOT. If you doubt this, read this poem which follows and the next time you hear someone from another culture struggling with English pronunciation, put yourself in that person's culture and imagine what it would be like for YOU! (I hope you enjoy the poem---AND learn from it also...
SOUNDS OF AMERICAN ENGLISH
When its English that we speak
Why is "Break" not rhymed with "weak"?
(Because they rhyme with "steak" and "seek")

Will you tell me why its true
That "sew" does not rhyme with "few"?
(Because they rhyme with "oh" and "you".

We say "cow" and that rhymes with "how"
But "low" doesn't rhyme with "now",
(Because they rhyme with "owe" and "bough")

And since "pay" is rhymed with "may",
Why not "said" with "paid"?
(Because they rhyme with "bed" and "made".)

Now here's another one for you.
"Beard" does not sound the same as "heard".
(Because they rhyme with "weird" and "bird")

We have "blood" that rhymes with "mud",
"Food" that rhymes with "rude".
And "good" that rhymes with "could".

"Shoes" is never rhymed with "toes"
But is with "whose" and "blues";
And I can also think of "zoos" and "chews"

Are you surprised to know
That "toes" rhymes with "hose"
And "beaus" and "foes" and "loaves"?

And what's more,
"Horse" sounds like "course"
And "worse" sounds like "curse"?

I've hardly made a start, gee,
I'm sure you will agree
In the way that sounds and letters disagree.

Now that you have read this poem, is there anyone out there who would like to argue with me when I say, "English is NOT a phonetic language!" ?
P.S. Urdu is the name of the official language of Pakistan. If you know someone who speaks that language, ask him/her to teach you the word for "two". It will take you FOREVER to learn it! Then you will have some sympathy for others who have to learn a new language. I guarantee it!