Yarborough

Today's word is "Yarborough" ... A hand (in Bridge) in which no card is higher than a nine.

Really 
Sometimes things seem askew,
A magic trick fails,
A Yarborough appears in hand,
You lose the lottery ... again,
A hoped for miracle goes wrong,
All seems lost ...
But then, when you least
expect it, a page turns,
and grace abounds.
Around each corner,
with the next breath,
life will surprise ....
Fortunately, faith will
always win the day.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Oeillade

Today's word is "oeillade" ... An amorous glance; ogle.

Sight
Opening to the sun,
colors flagrant,
begging for an oeillade,
forested flowers
begin their morning.

Oh, to have the
humble confidence,
that as you stretch toward day,
God breathlessly waits
for you to open up
your eyes.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Hibernaculum

Today's word is "hibernaculum" ... Winter quarters, as of a hibernating animal.

Curl
In the shadows of a darkened world,
pockets of light shine softly.
If you walk carefully, step by step,
you may notice their glow.
Over rocks and snowfall,
tiptoeing through fog and smoke,
you might hear a sound, a voice say,
"Come and see. "

If you are brave enough to find your way,
you will find the warmth, like fire.
But it will not burn, only calm.
In this hibernaculum, you will
find safety. Something like a home
that you've always longed for,
but were not sure existed.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Quadrille

Today's word is "quadrille" ... A square dance for four couples.

Called
Long ago and far away,
From where I sit anyway,
It's said a baby came,
Around this time, to
Live and bring a
Message to the world.
He did this of his own
Volition, with purpose.
He did this and then,
He died. And rose.
And it continually amazes
And confuses me that this
Is real. That he came
To invite us to a dance,
Not a quadrille that ends
In a moment, but a
Dance into forever and a day.
A dance with God, guided
By the rythm of his love,
The timing of his truth,
And the movements of his grace.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Schmaltz

Today's word is "smaltz" ... Exaggerated sentamentalism, as in music or soap operas.

Cold
Snowflake fall. From a frozen sky
most formidable. Each disquised to look
the same. And at first glance, it could
be true. White, flying crystals. Only
existing for a moment or a day. Made
of water molded mysteriously, their
tempered travels through clouds
resulting in six-sided miracles.
Much has been made of their
uniqueness. We can create
schmaltzy paper replicas for tree
hanging, but they can't compete
with this complexity. And we,
like them, walk about in very
much the same skin, but are
faceted by love. We too
sparkle in the light, for
a moment or a day, and
then dissolve, and
fall, softly to
the earth.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Advent

Today's word is "advent" ... Coming into a new place, view or being; arrival. A perfect word for Christmas Day.

Xmas
Prayerfully grateful.
Our savior is born today;
His advent, our hope.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Jigger

Today's word is "jigger" ... Multiple meanings, here's the one I chose: a person or thing that jigs. (Wiggles up and down).

Flight
I never wondered what angels thought,
'Til I became one in a play,
Of how their lives with awe are frought,
When on errands they fly away.

Have they all been hanging 'round,
Since time began its course?
Where they ever on the ground,
Or do they only fly in force?

What of those during Herod's reign,
That sang the shepherds songs,
Over little Bethlehem plain,
Urging them to see, and come along.

How many eons did they wait
Patiently with wings tucked in,
'Til God his amazing plans made straight,
To turn back the course of sin,

In those finite, fragile hours,
Before the Christ was born,
Did they tremble in their power,
Before the curtained sky was torn?

Had they been singing "glory"
For centuries before,
So that the telling of the story,
Would lack for nothing more?

Did they then jig their awesome wings,
Having stunned the hills with praise,
And smile and a last carol sing,
As they left with Godward blaze?

Did they know the end from the beginning,
As they gloried through the skies,
That they'd announced the cure for sinning,
Because this babe would die and then arise?

I like to think they always knew,
That their Lord would win the day,
And that the holy and the few,
Would seek and find the way.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Parageusia

Today's word is "parageusia" ... An abnormal or hallucinatory sense of taste making it difficult to tell  sweet from bitter or salty from sour.

Hungry
Candy canes and bon bons,
Chocolate by the pound,
Turkey, mashed potatoes,
And pumpkin pie abound.

Dishes full of peanuts,
Cookies, sugared plums,
Ham and jello pudding,
I think I've come undone.

All the foods of Christmas,
Gathered at one table,
Even with parageusia,
We'd eat 'till we're unable.

January first is when
The diet will begin,
And perhaps the pounds will fall away ...
'Til Christmas comes again.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Fiddlesticks

Today's word is "fiddlesticks" ... Used to express impatience, dismissal.

Trouble
It's time for Christmas present,
That exciting time of year,
When children are all sparkly eyed,
And yards are full of reindeer.

Why is it then, just as you need,
Money for gifts and treasures,
The car breaks into pieces,
And takes away your pleasure.

The well pump just stops working,
And you're melting snow to drink,
While the bell ringer at the grocery store
Is guilting you off the brink.

You slip and fall in your own drive,
And break your ankle too,
If anything else happens
You won't know what to do.

It's the season to be merry
Not broken, poor or sick,
It makes a person want to scream,
Drat! Or fiddlesticks!

But there's that baby in the hay
Who grew to be a man,
And promised to be with us,
As part of his grand plan.

So even in the midst of things
That aren't going our own way,
We will have his company,
To give us strength each day.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013 

Solstice

Today's word is "solstice" ... Either of the two times a year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator.

Black
In this long, dark night, this
seeming solstice, it seems the
pain, the loneliness, will never
end. Candles bright or the
warmth of friends is felt
not at all. Watching the gaiety
of others only makes their
laughter seem more muffled and
far away. No one can understand
the depth of longing for the bliss
of ordinary pleasure. Grief pretends
there is no end to sorrow. But,
deep midnight always gives way
to the light of day, and the deepest cold
surrenders finally to the warmth
of spring.

Anne Selleck 
Copyright 2013

Poultice

Today's word is "poultice" ... A soft moist mass of cloth, herbs, etc. applied hot like a medicaments to the body.

Under
The lake is frozen ...
little mounds of snow scatter
recklessly across its surface and
wild wind crys it's outrage as it
looks for open doors to infiltrate.
Icicles drip into predetermined
shape. The earth creaks underfoot.
Fingers and cheeks turn red,
and beg for a poultice's warmth.
Birds hop on top a fragile crust
barely able to support their weight.
But this forlorn lanscape hides a secret.
Beneath the snow, life is waiting
for the signal that will release
it into spring. But not yet.
Not yet.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Ambulate

Today's word is "ambulate" ... To walk about; to move from place to place.

Lessons
Superstition requires faith ...
To believe that salt over the shoulder,
Or a black cat crossing before you,
Or ambulating under a ladder,
Will affect fate and the way
It deals with you.

To believe that there is a true story
Of the world requires faith as well ...
That there is purpose and reason
And love in this place that refuses
To give itself wholly to us. That we
Are part of something good that
Reaches back to the beginning
And forward to the end of all
Things as we know them.

The difference is the hope
That rises unmistakably
From the lips of sinners become
Saints. Which happens, not of
Their own accord, but by love's
Story soaking into them, like
A soft spring rain resurrects
Bright flowered colors from
Buried bulbs unseen.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Transpontine

Today's word is "transpontine" ... Across or lying on the other side of a bridge.

Unknown
Here by someone else's whim,
we come. But stay by way of our fascination
and curiosity, and are fixed by ties with others
who care for us sometimes to their own
detriment. What can explain that?
And at a point in time unknown to us,
we will travel to a transpontine land.
And what will be there is another
mystery. We only know that we have
been cared for so far, and are promised
a place especially prepared and to
our liking. That is more than enough
for those with faith, to see.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Cathexis

Today's word is "cathexis" ... The investment of emotional significance in an activity, object or idea.

Steady
It's odd to think that God
in his great and mighty goodness,
would choose a people who
wandered away every chance they got.
He had to have known their character.
That time after time he would be
ignored and abandoned and then
slighted for not being who they
they thought he should be.
But his cathexis was, is, those people,
these people, all of us. And every
time we wander away, out of
anger, ignorance or apathy,
he waits. For us to turn. Hoping
that maybe we'll give him
another chance to prove his love.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Klaxon

Today's word is "klaxon" ... A loud electric horn formerly used on cars and trucks; now often used as a warning signal.

Fire
What if there was only winter's cold,
and snow and early darkness. What if
there were no preparations made.
No family journeys over rivers ... or through woods.
No popcorn strung and hung on pine.
No magi visitations. No angelic heralds
weilding trumpets as arresting as a klaxon's sound.
No baby small for marveling shepherds gaze.
No boy to grow into a man and claim us.
And save us. And give us hope.
No reason to repeat the sounding joy.

But, the world does turn upon one
mangered moment long ago. Candles
glow, and trees are tucked inside with
stars and lights and ornamented limbs.
The table's set, and families gather,
bringing gifts and prayers of thanks
for a holy baby born and resurrection.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Misoniesm

Today's word is "misoniesm" ... Hatred or dislike of what is new or represents change.

New
The day dawns. It looks like any other.
Except the sun is overcome
by blowing clouds of snow and
your own cold breath in front of you.

A cardinal you've never seen before
lands on your feeder and stares at
you as if he knows your name and
would keep you company if allowed.

This morning brings an surprize call
from an old friend, or an e-mail from a stranger
begging for money, or a song on the radio
that sounds like nothing you've ever heard.

If you admit to your misoniesm,
you may feel abandoned by the
ground you thought you felt beneath
your feet. Then again, the next moment
may hold a goodness unexpected.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Whitherward

Today's word "whitherward" ... Toward what place; in what direction.

See
They came from sheep-filled fields, quiet, cold,
on the advice of an angeled multitude
that spoke with authority not to be denied,
as the sky opened to a new reality.

The others wandered whitherward
from desert dunes and dusty instruments.
They studied stellar mysteries and
chased a stationary star to its conclusion.

We come to that place as well,
hushed by a history that reveals
a visit we never expected by someone
we never thought we'd see, much less
imagined. It's our chance to anticipate
our redemption and the kingdom come.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Umbriferous

Today's word is "umbriferous" ... Casting or making shade.

Weathered
When little rainstorms come, you run,
seeking shelter where you can. Even though
in all your life, water on your skin did nothing
but wash you clean.

In the summer sun, you hide, looking for
a tree umbriferous, or wait for a cloud
to come between you and that light
so bright it makes you squint.

It seems that a little bit too much
of this or that throws us off ...
causes us to reach for balance,
a handhold, something, someone
we can count on.

This is our dilemma, to
hold our arms out in hopes we
won't fall from the edge, or
step out in confidence, knowing
there is a hand that holds us ...
even when we see nothing
but the sky.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Lipogram

Today's word is "lipogram" ... A written work composed to avoid the use of one or more specific alphabetic characters.

Form
Real or Memorex? Who's on First?
Sometimes life is confusing ... depending
on who you listen to. But you can ignore
the wrong voices if you listen to
the right ones. Voices that come
from the ancient scrolls, from memories
handed down one to the other ... century
after century. From the people who left out
certain letters of the name of God like
a holy lipogram. Because their mouths could
not shape themselves around his name
without turning their lips to flame.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Cusp

Today's word is "cusp" ... A point that marks the beginning of a change.

Pointed
We can't seem to change, not by ourselves.
We try of course, to do a little better ...
every day, in every way ... but our history
disproves our efforts. Just look around.

Sometimes we try not to do something
we know is not in anyone's best interest.
Sometimes we try to prove our
compassion or generosity and then find
it only lasts a moment ... especially
if no one's watching. It seems we're
always teetering on the cusp of new life.
Once in a while though, we come through.
And in our surprise, we can see who we
are becoming, despite ourselves.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Ochlophobia

Today's word is "ochlophobia" ... An abnormal fear of crowds or mobs.

Hide
I've been looking for a spot,
Where I can outside confusions blot,
Where I can sit, be calm and pray,
At any moment of the day.

But it seems that noises win,
And then ochlophobia sets in,
Crowded by my thoughts and dreams,
Even God's not what he seems.

How to achieve a peaceful state,
When worries press against my gate,
And thoughts of the future frighten me,
Is still a curiosity.

But I'll keep looking for the place,
That becomes a holy space,
Where quiet gracefully surrounds,
All who are gently, finally found.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Calorifacient

Today's word is "calorifacient" ... of foods producing heat.

Observed
What power is this that produces stories,
that for all intents and purposes sound,
well, to put it kindly, fanciful?

A talking snake ...
An ark paired full of animals ...
A non-calorifacient bush, burning ...
A man swallowed up into a giant fish ...
A wall that falls by trumpets blown ...
A virgin with her baby ...
A blind man who sees ...
A lame man who walks ...
A dead man who rises ...
A kingdom come, and coming ...

We might just call these fairy tales,
or legends, if they didn't leave us
feeling as if heaven was close by,
breathing in our ears.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Hardihood

Today's word is "hardihood" ... Boldness or daring; courage.


Why
How did he decide,
If he could survive,
The journey into starkness,
The world of all our darkness?

What compassion wild,
Makes one become a child,
To witness mankind's mess ...
Such a tragic wilderness.

Did he ever think,
That the mean cup he'd drink,
And go through tortures slow,
To save us from our woe?

Was heaven on his mind,
When he taught that God is kind,
And that each of us is graced,
As God holds us each in place?

In his amazing hardihood,
It seems he understood,
The task was worth the pain,
For God our love to gain.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Jocose

Today's word is "jocose" ... Given to or characterized by joking.

Strange
Does this world seem incongruous,
As you spy a hippopotamus?
Or the gangly girraffe's long reach,
Or a platapus upon a beach?

Is it odd that birds talk and squeal,
That peacocks parade their tails unreal,
That kittens whirl and pounce in play,
And elephants each other spray?

With all this jocose creativity,
God's humor's displayed for all to see,
His happy, holy, humble mind,
Has done no less with all mankind.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Abiogenesis

Today's word is "abiogenisis" ... Biology: the now discredited theory that living organisims can arise spontaneously from inanimate matter. Spontaneous generation.

How
We're back to the beginning again,
where the first days have just begun,
either by the hand of God,
or by some accidental process of
nature. Abiogenisis seems
the more improbable ... that
from a random stock of chemicals
stirred by a nameless force,
fed into time, an intelligence
would appear to rule the earth.
If the mindless created mind,
it would be a rare accident indeed,
the odds ratcheting into infinity.
On the other hand ...

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Slumgullion

Today's word is "slumgullion" ... A stew of meat, vegetables, meat. A beverage made weak or thin.

Assured
There is an invisible kingdom,
Here where we wake every day,
Where we can take part in things done,
That mark us as part of the way.

This world that we breathe in so near,
Cries out for help and for hope,
For the peace of life without fear,
And secrets used by believers to cope.

It's hard to choose from the slumgullion,
Of thoughts that wash us around,
To believe that one is the whole truth,
And proclaim that's indeed what you've found.

But the peace that you seek lies in part,
When you give up finally with sighs,
Admitting your sorrow of heart,
And releasing the confusion of whys.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Largesse

Today's word is "largesse" ... Generous bestowal of gifts.

Wishes
What do you want for Christmas?
A trick question from the Sunday school teacher.
You're supposed to say the only real present is Jesus.
That's the right answer. That in his largesse,
God gave something, someone so precious
that we cannot do anything but whisper thank you.

But still, we want a real present, something that says
we're important to someone. Something we can hold in our hands.
Something that cost someone a little thought, a little time.

But you see, we are read in our hearts, our very depths.
Thus the gift. The gift we didn't even know we needed.
Until we pulled the paper off, and gasped at its perfection in surprise.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Pokelogan

Today's word is "pokelogan" ... Marshy or stagnant water that has branched of from a stream or lake.

Advent?
It's coming closer.
This Christmas thing.
The necessary music intensifies.
Bells in front of the stores.
Bells in the stores.
Santas appearing in strange places.
     (The wrapping paper and ribbons have been
       lurking since before Thanksgiving.)
This is the pokelogan of the season.
The fresh water, the living water,
     is in the church and the hearts of her people.
And it lives always and forever; though
     there is one day a year when the nearness
     of that water may fill you like a well,
     with tears.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Twain

Today's word is "twain" ... (Not Mark) ... Two.

Witness
Guilt is heavy.
Shame weighs you down.
Makes it hard to breathe,
Causes you to watch your back.
Who knows? What if they find out?
What will happen? Will they still love me?
Should I still love me? Does God?
Even after confession, sometimes
You're not sure it's really gone ...
Like they say, as far as the east is
From the west. Never the twain to meet.
But the horizon has no edge.
Gone is gone. Forever.
So why go off,
Looking for it,
Again?

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Pilcrow

Today's word is "pilcrow" ... A paragraph mark.

Choices
Breaking loose of old ways,
may bring amazing new days,
but not without the certain pain,
that the changed might count as gain.

Old thoughts are a blanket warm,
and we cuddle, like a baby born
to routine and true comforts given,
unable to be question driven.

But when the realizations rise,
that truth cannot remain disquised,
and pilcrowed spaces open wide,
the best path may be the one untried.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Suppletory

Today's word is "suppletory" ... Supplying a deficiency.

Warm
All gathered for a meal.
The family. A one-year old.
A ninety-five year old. Two were
eight and one was almost five. Many were
in-between. Much laughter. A game
or two and a craft. Football.
(There's always football.) A movie.
Hugs and conversation. A fire in
the fireplace. Hot cider and wine.
Tickles and giggles. Stuffed
animals and Minecraft videos.
Ideas for Christmas. Small talk.
A puppet show with monsters.
The baby happily undecorating the
Christmas tree. All this and then
the suppletory ham and trimmings.
(Plus pumpkin pie)
We would have been ok
with soup and crackers.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Wight

Today's word is "wight" ... Active, nimble.

Oh
What was that falcon hunting
in her backyard? Just sitting
in the tree, watching with his
large eyes for some small
movement. It was his first
time there, as far as she
knew. The wightly bird did
not claim this neighborhood
as his own; it said so on
the internet. He only stayed a moment ...
long enough to be seen, but
not known ... like some
sort of sign. Like an
announcement that if
you're patient, or just lucky,
you might discover
wonder in your own
backyard.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Borborygmus

Today's word is (really!!!) ... "Borborygmus ... rumbling or gurgling sound caused by the movement of gas in the intestines. (sometimes redeeming words is difficult!)

Pie
Soooo, Thanksgiving's over.
How are ya feeling? Is that the
sound of borborygmus that
I hear? Maybe that last piece of pie
or turkey leg really was the last
straw, so to speak. Our abundance might
be over abundance after all.

How do we know when too
much is too much, aside from
the annoyance and pain we
cause ourselves? How do we
learn to look before we leap,
or eat for that matter? How do we
learn to share?

We teach 4-year olds to eat
their turkey before they
can have dessert. When all they
want, is dessert. Our own
eyes are bigger than our stomachs.
(And that's saying something). Maybe this
uncomfortable state can remind us
to take more care. To be grateful,
without becoming too full ... of our food,
of our things, of ourselves.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Gelt

Today's word is "gelt" ... Slang; money.

Thanksgiving
This is the night for grateful thoughts,
     (And dreams of turkey dinner!)
To think of things that can't be bought,
     to make one rich or thinner.

To pause in the mad search for fame,
     for fortune or for gelt,
And remember all the moments sweet,
     that made your heart just melt.

To think of gifts like freedom's ring,
      bought with a patriot's blood,
And food and drink abundant, and
     shelter from storm and flood.

For love of family and friends,
     together gathered round,
For strength of ties no force can rend,
     that is in each other found.

For faith and wonders of this world
     too dear to comprehend,
All this and more we see unfurled,
     As to this bounty we attend.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

   


   

Wroth

The word of the day is "wroth" ... stormy; violent; turbulent.

Choice
When in the fury of the past,
     earth and being were created,
Was it planned that all would last,
     or are we to our own sight fated?

It might matter, as we're living,
     to figure out this weighty matter,
To see if we thrive by the spirit's giving,
     or will be by biology, finally shattered.

If we have spirit immaterial,
     and can decide which gifts to use,
And can depend on God, ethereal,
     we'll interpret rightly, his mysterious cues,

On the other hand, if we profess,
     that nothing in the end has meaning,
And this wrothful world is all there is,
     then what is here that's worth the gleaning?

While all the colors of the sun,
     burn constant in their glory,
We realize that we've become,
     the authors of our stories.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Decant

Today's word is "decant" ... to pour (wine or other liquid) from one container into another. 2. gently pour so as not to disturb the sediment.

Church
We sit together, listening ...
to music, to spoken word.
Under stained glass and
reflected candlelight,
we pray, and drink the wine
and eat the bread which
reminds us of the one
whose steps we follow.
Later, after coffee and
conversation, we will
decant back into
the world. And through
word or deed, we will
pour out a little of
the mysterious grace
which we have
experienced. It is
nearly impossible,
but we will try.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Za-zen

Today's word is "Za-Zen" ... meditation in a prescribed, cross-legged position.

Pause
Flitting, fluttering,
Going here and there,
Getting things done,
Important things,
Working on stuff,
Making money,
Making the world go 'round
No time for Za-zen,
Barely time to breathe,
Barely time to think,
Suddenly, a lifetime,
goes by ...

A little more breathing,
A little more noticing,
A little more sitting,
Hands open,
Heart open,
Eyes open.
Grateful,
Time folds
It's wings.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Tenuity

Today's word is "tenuity" ... The state of being tenuous.

Wait
It's all shaky, this existence.
One day its all butterflies,
the next an unending pit of despair.

You would think that hanging in
on the dark days would be the
challenge. But sometimes
it's the light that blinds.

When you're in the dark,
friends come by with
casseroles and sympathy.

But in the light, when you
can't see for the blinding,
no one seems to notice.
All appears well.

You should be filled
with gratefulness, not
overwhelmed with the
senselessness of life.

In the tenuity of this state,
waiting for the other shoe
to drop, we still, for sanity,
hang onto hope.

(Otherwise, why put one
shoeless foot in front of the other?
Why keep up the pretense of
normality?)

And this hope, that God
is real, that salvation
is a true event, that our
purpose is, and waits to be
revealed, becomes enough.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Protoplast

Today's word is "protoplast" ... A person or thing that is formed first.

Reach
It is said that in the beginning,
There was a man, made in the image of God.
And a woman too; and both were
Meant to be prototypes for a holy people.

This happened a very long time ago,
Which is why we can't remember,
And have to pass the story along
As we've heard it spoken and seen it
Written in the holy book.

Without the book, I suppose we
Might think, as we look about,
That our particular race of people
Is just an accident or an unusual
Product of time's imaginings.

But it is written that this story
Has a beginning and an end and
A plot that involves us. That takes
Us from where we are, through
Sin to redemption and on toward an
Impossibly wondrous end.

And this preposterous
Tale is made possible because of
A second prototype, one
Who was, and is a perfect model.
So that we would have an example
And a guide ... not to show us how far
We've strayed from truth, but how close
We are to living its reality here and now.

Anne  Selleck
Copyright 2013

Snarky

Today's word is "snarky" ... Testy, irritable; short.

Testy
It's just malarkey, all that is snarky,
And it's everywhere I look, I swear.
People making mean remarks and faking,
As behind backs, true facts are laid bare.

Where is the ability to act with civility,
And to find resolution with kindness?
Why the need, to dispatch with speed,
One who's frought with thoughts you must bind?

Wouldn't a little more time in the middle,
Let one another get heard?
Then maybe some, would finally have fun,
And we'd all fall down at the Word.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Irredentist

Today's word is "irredentist" ... a member of a party in any country advocating the acquisition of some region included in another country by reason of cultural, historical, ethnic, racial, or other ties ... from dictionary.com.

Union
I don't know if you've noticed,
That this whole world's of one piece,
Though our irredentist leanings,
Lead us to wars without surcease.

But this sphere's not ours to conquer,
Though we may think it's so,
But belongs to the kingdom of the heavens ...
God's magnificent tableau.

We are only here, to cultivate,
To tend the creatures, soil and plants,
To care for one another,
Not to war and rant.

When we fulfill this purpose,
Leaves will surely green,
Lions with lambs will quietly lay,
And glory will be seen.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Omnium-gatherum

Today's word is "omnium-gatherum" ... A miscellaneous collection.

Mist
I've read about the end of all earthly things,
Revelation from a saint's own eyes,
The omnium-gatherum of creatures winged,
Who 'round a thundering throne do fly.

An ending within which may actually be,
The beginning of something new,
Something beyond what we can imagine or see,
Shown only to a privileged few.

As we struggle along on this earthly plane,
Keeping our gaze on that ephemeral prize,
We trust that neither struggle or pain,
Will cloud precious hope from our eyes.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Commix

Today's word is "commix" ... to mix together; blend. (Kuh-MIKS)

Mosaic
In this brave new world, made of equality and co-existence,
it seems that doing one's own theology has become
a fine art.

A belief in the power of the sun to heal, might well
be blended with Buddist tranquility, spiced over ever
so slightly by visits from persons long since gone.

Perhaps some native lore involving animal spirits
is sprinkled into a strange feeling of well being
when warmed by the presence of candles.

Or a burning fire evokes a primitive pleasure,
especially when encircled by the rhythm
of drums.

Maybe a belief in saints lurks under a facade
of agnosticism, making its existence known
awkwardly at the accidental intersection.

Belief that Jesus saves me, might engage in
a strange tangle as it commixes with the thought
that you will never earn his favor.

Round and round this labyrinth we
go, mixing and matching, looking
for a truth that may well be looking for us.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Antitype

Today's word is "anti type" ... Something that is foreshadowed by a type or symbol, as a New Testament event prefigured in the Old Testament.


Foreshadowed

A wondering soul on a boat in a gale
Thrown into the sea, swallowed by a whale.
He sat in the fish, to save the unlucky crew.
For three days he sat, in the dark and the goo.

Then the beast spit him out, onto the sand,
And Jonah was sure it was by God's hand,
He didn't know then, that when his story was told,
He'd be labeled the "type" of a Messiah most bold.

When Jesus was born, so small and so sweet,
No one knew of the fate that later he'd meet.
Or that he was the antitype to Jonah's perfection,
Who would save the whole world, through his resurrection.

Three days in a fish; three days in a tomb,
Coming to new life from a new kind of womb,
To reach us and teach us that God's love never ends,
And that he wants to embrace us as holiest friends.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Con Amore

Today's word is "Con Amore" ... With love tender enthusiasm or zeal.

Warm
They sat on the couch, con amore,
remembering ...with the borrowed dog
between them, his head resting on their legs,
His warm breath coming slowly
As he slept, content.

The boxers had been more agile
Than this dog; and the circus dog
Had been trickier. But all had been
Loyal and their personalities were
Fine, tuned and predictable.

Their hands rambled, stroking
The soft fur of days gone by,
Wondering of all the hours
Spent together with the dogs.
All the hours together, spent
With love and wonder and
Greatfullness for a world
Filled with such gifts
As dogs and each other.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Maugre

Today's word: Maugre In spite of; notwithstanding

Requited
Come high water or the threat of fire,
Come violence or shame,
Poverty, riches, abandonment
Or valleys full of fear,
We gather as the people who have
Been saved by grace.

Hiding underground in
House church or in catacomb,
Preaching in the village square,
Or merely taking the next breath
In a torturous prison cell,
Maugre all, the God who is greater than
Any circumstance is near.

In the midst of faith and furor,
All things are held within
A promise given. It's fruition
Will be the final coming
Of a kingdom bright with
The light of all hopes
Fulfilled.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Commissure

Today's word is "commissure" ... A joint; seam; suture.

It's said there are thin spaces,
Where heaven and earth meet,
A commissure of graces,
Which holiness completes.

God's hand there incarnates,
Into his earthly realm,
Blessings for those who wait,
With feelings, overwhelmed.

If we could see the outlines,
Of those places difficult to breach,
We'd notice tracings that define
The infinities of their reach.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Subjoin

Today's word is "subjoin" ... To add at the end, usually something said or written.

Questions
So if we came from nothing's mind
And lived first as cells and slime
And somehow reproduced our kind,
And from the soup did climb,

Then where did our moral spark arise?
How does rock become a flame?
What makes sense of love or sighs,
How do memories remain?

Why thoughts of immortality,
Of the good, better, or best?
Or hope subjoined to God's centrality ...
Why are we ever blessed?

All these questions swirl around,
In reason and in fear,
When answers finally are found,
There will be no need of tears.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Diathesis

Today's word is "diathesis" ... A constitutional predisposition or tendency, as to a particular disease or affection.

Surrounded
Libraries of books created,
Cause something in me to be sated.
The mere feel of paper-backed,
Fills in me a certain lack ...
I can almost feel the sound,
That within these tomes abound.
And all the pictured covers pure,
Hold promise of a curious cure.

My need to know is very strong,
And I don't want to be proved wrong,
So I consult the rows of words,
Because through them I've often heard,
The ring of truth that's wrapped inside,
Syllables and thoughts that guide.
Besides, diathesis to those printed pages,
Brings visions from both saints and sages.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Roger

Today's word is "roger" ... All right. O.K.

Speak
Smoke signals, signs on roads,
fingers flying, flags in modes,
voice commands, pictograms ...
written words or poetry slams.
A hug, a look, a shout or whisper,
we communicate by any measure.

And we fear as ideas fly around,
we might get lost in Bable's sounds,
and wish that we could simplify,
the ways we think, speak and reply.
Then in agreement, and without doubt,
we could say, "Roger" and be out!

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Mufti

Today's word is "mufti" ... A Muslim jurist, expert in Sharia law, or civilian clothes worn by someone who usually wears a uniform.

Disquise
If this is some sort of conflict ...
a battle between God's will and mine ...
then, though others will not recognize who I am in mufti,
He will not be fooled. I am known by
more than outside fashion. This terrifying knowledge
goes far beyond what I know of myself.
It drops on me when I least expect it ...
     In a selfish moment when I want to keep what I have,
     When I want to protect myself from, or for something,
     When comfort is so much more magnetic than servanthood.

Oh, this invisible pressure to do the right thing.
It nags and prods and won't relent until the deed is
done, or left undone. Then it sits back Cheshire-like
and grins, content. (When ignored, things seldom go well.)

It's an urging to trust and to become better than
I ever desired to be. To be led and loved in ways
I did not think were possible.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

En bloc

Today's word is "en bloc" ... As a whole.

Apart
Can you do faith alone? Just you in a room?
Just you and the golf course or the lake? Just you ...
worshiping, reading holy books, thinking holy
thoughts ... whatever those are? Just you
deciding how best to change the world?

It might work for a while ... but then, how do you
show compassion? How do you forgive or share or
practice honesty? How do you learn how to become
community without ... um ... community?

Even if you could learn all these things en bloc, and
go about the world in a blaze of self-made glory,
what is the story you would tell?

How would you explain the way we belong to one
whose love is greater than our love of solitude?
One who includes and graces us before we even see our need?
One who always whispers, "Come."

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Novitiate

Today's word is "novitiate" ... The state or period of being a beginner in anything.

Experience
I'm only a beginner, I know it's true,
in this kindergarten filled with
old souls and novitiates ... all busy at their lessons
in this one-room school.

Some, it seems, are able to write
their answers on the board for all to see;
even as others of us are struggle to
form our letters correctly, or spell our names.

Some already know how to line up,
quietly, not poking anyone or chewing gum.
Others cannot help but hop and dance
and giggle at the impossibility of stillness.

Wherever we are in this crazy class,
it seems we're responsible for our own
progress. And it's up to us to decide if we'll
move ahead. Or stop, where we are, as if we're good enough.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Clepe

Today's word is "clepe" ... to call, name. Yclepe, clept.

Named
Adam clept them all ... the animals
that is, one by one. So when they
to the ark were summoned, two by two,
they recognized the sounds that Noah spoke.

Our names are how we know ourselves;
how we identify ourselves to others.
Change a letter and you change the way
you see yourself as well. Try it.

It's said that God has a secret name for each of us,
that will truly and completely hold the
essence of each personality or spirit.
I wonder if we have an inkling of it's nature?

Could we predict even a small portion
of its meaning? Do we know ourselves at all?
Or will we be surprised when the one that
knows us best, whispers our truth into our ears?

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Adsctitious

Today's word is "adscititious" ... Added or derived from an external source; additional.

More
If you could sit in silence, would you?
If you could, could you? I mean, if you found
a place away from words, spoken or otherwise.
From visions electronically beamed into your brain.
Sounds from radios, TVs, and screens in restaurants,
blasting from CDs, and videos, people talking everywhere,
and just, well ...
found yourself cabined by a lake, or tented by a tree,
or placed absurdly on a mountain top, wearing mittens
and a wool coat ...

What then?

What if you could hear a leaf fall to the ground,
a bullfrog croak, a far-off loon cry, snow slowly slide
down the side of your tent, a stream ripple,
a branch break. But nothing adscititious.
Nothing at all.

Where would your mind meander?
How long before you would talk to yourself,
nervously listening for anything vaguely human?
Anything to blot out the blaring silence.

How long before you felt the need to run ...
back to the chaos, where sound becomes a blanket,
blocking out worrisome thoughts of why
you are where you are, and where you might be
going?

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Pol

Today's word is "pol" ... a politician, especially one experienced in making political deals.

Rights
Fighting in the real world is hard,
Even thinking about being in the fight is hard, and
Choosing what to fight for ...which cause
Deserves time and energy? Well ...
There are so many. They are are all
So serious. And it seems so hopeless.

Watching all the pols work their
Way into and out of situations, you think
There must be a way to progress that doesn't include
Impossible compromise or the lust for power.
That gets to its goal by a different route.
That loves its way to change. That cares
In spite of. That gives and gives when it is not
necessary or expected. That wins by
Relinquishing, by sacrificing, by
Placing oneself in the position of servant.
And in the process, begins to turn
The world upside down.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Skeigh

Today's word is "skeigh" ... (Of horses) spirited, inclined to shy; (of women) proud, disdainful.

Sit
It's a tug of war, this sitting still,
And waiting in meditative pose, for a word,
     a thought impression, something that will enlighten.
It takes a bit of faith to think that from the grace-filled air,
a prick of conscience will connect, or warmth,
     signifying a deed well done, surround ...
     that perhaps this day, though I be skeigh, an insight will alight.

Most often the skittish shyness wins.
Who am I to sit restless for revelation?
I am no saint, no scholar bright, nor a Godly fool.
Only one who ponders; who approaches this infinity
     with one eye open, fearful ...
Unsure of what awaits ... a cloud of wonder,
     or fearsome lightning strike.

Yet, we are invited to come, to see,
     to hold our very lives attentive ...
     to expect a bolt of glory, or a lover's whisper
     at an unanticipated hour, which will,
     despite our cowardice, deliver news
     from that mysterious kingdom in which
     we move and have our being.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Vexatious

Today's word is "vexatious" ... To cause vexation: troublesome; annoying.

Bumps
Stumbling blocks are everywhere,
In the road that appeared so fair,
Making our paths bend and wind,
Causing us new ways to find.

This is vexatious, don't you think?
As each new problem forms a link,
That makes a chain hard and unbending,
And seems to be most never ending.

But if we look with upmost care,
At each circumstance in which we're snared,
And use our faith to take the test,
We might find an unsuspected guest.

For tucked inside frustrations wild,
Are insight's lights that might beguile,
If we allow them to break in,
And change all of our might-have-beens.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Counterpoise

Today's word is "counterpoise" ... To balance by an opposing weight, counteract by an opposing force. To bring into equilibrium.

Heavy
See saws go both up and down
As long as both kids the same weight are,
If one Is thin and one is fat,
Counterpoise won't work like that.

One will stay up in the air, the other
Grounded thinking it's not fair.
Nothing can make them move at all,
Until one jumps off and the other falls.

Sometimes balance is the best,
And all are happy in this rest,
But if progress is sometimes right
Opposites might just have to fight.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Animalcule

Today's word is "animalcule" ... A minute animal, nearly or quite invisible to the naked eye.

Invisible
Tiny things sometimes grow,
Into giants that then show,
Little things can great become,
Not insignificantly succumb.
 
Yet there are some animalcules,
Which will remain most miniscule,
And yet have purposes unknown,
Carried deep within their bones.

Size does not determine fate,
As some wee creatures contemplate,
How best to use gifts undeserved,
To improve the world they serve.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Phantasmagoric

Today's word in "phantasmagoric" ... having a fantastic or deceptive appearance.

Hallow
Some nights are made for fantasy ...
A full orange moon speckled with bat silhouettes,
leaves dancing 'round costumed children,
the smell of smoke wafting house to house.
Phantasmagoric shapes running from treat to treat,
happily sampling along the way.
It doesn't last long, this frenzied feeding,
except in memories of childhood gone by.
Still, spirits linger, in dreams of night and day,
acting as if they have weight and can
change our world of substance solid.
We know better, yet turn and look behind us
just in case we are mistaken. In these moments,
it's good to remember whose we are and
to whom we trust our souls.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Obsequy

Today's word is "obsequy" ... funeral rite or ceremony.

If
Could we have an obsequy for death?
The death of war and sickness
incomplete ideas, insults and intolerance,
cruelty, torment and in general,
man's inhumanity to man.
The death of gossip and gluttony,
lying, greed and slander?
No more political expediency,
mediocre medicine, poisoned food,
scary neighborhoods, expensive gas,
institutions full of uncaring people,
injustice, pride, narcissism,
incompetent service, shoddy products,
thievery, slavery, children being used.
And closer in, that desire that follows
you around prodding you to do what
you don't want to do or preventing you
from doing what you know you should.
There will be no funeral for any of
these things until we die to self. Then
the awakening will begin.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Crepuscule

Today's word is "crepuscule" ... twilight; dusk.

Twilight
Winter's night comes early; deer forage cautiously
   through the crepuscule, their dark coats blending
          with trees the color of soot.
Wind blows in and around roots ... tossing leaves
      carelessly, as if they were not the treasured remains
          of a thousand sunlit hours.
The last light in the darkening sky fades. Wispy clouds
     scud weightless over disappearing orange as translucent
           as a shell held before a flame.
Shadows settle. Night birds call, confirming life
     vibrant in it's invisibility. The hours until daylight
          are filled full.
These things will happen as we dream. When we
     wake to sun slanting through the window,
          the night birds will sleep in peace.
       
Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013
       
       
   

       
       
       
   



       

Somnambulism

Today's word is "somnambulism" ... Sleepwalking.

Rest
It's all about walking around with our eyes open,
    But more ...  about paying attention. Because it turns out
you can walk for years and not see anything at all.
     Like a somnambulist, you wander along and speak, but later
when life wakes you up at last, you have no memory
     at all of where you've been or what you've done.
All that time might as well have been spent comatose
     for all the difference it's made to you or the world.
Don't you think it's time for all of us, sleepers, to wake up ...
     to stretch and blink and breathe in each day's real-life dreams?
Maybe if we burned with every bush aflame and rose anew
     from within each rainbowed flood, we could again stand
           amazed before the wonders that have been, until this moment,
               hidden by own hands before our eyes.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Phrenology

Today's word is "phrenology" ... A psychological theory or analytical method based on the belief of certain mental faculties and character traits are indicated by the configuration of the skull.


Topology

There is a sort of science, at least that's what they say,
Where one's cranium's examined for the type of it's terrain.
The practitioner feels his way around the nooks and crannies there,
To check results against his chart; match what's beneath the hair.

And then when all the facts are in, a reckoning is made,
As the subject's attitudes and traits, against the bumps are weighed.
When all the mysteries are plumbed, and personality revealed,
Presumably the pain will end and the patient will be healed.

In our lives the road is often full of rocks and trees down blown,
The way that they're handled shows how our characters are honed.
But God's the one who pokes and prods, to point out what's gone awry,
It's up to us to meditate and analyze the whys.

When our judgement comes at last, the bumps won't even matter.
The struggles that consumed us and sometimes caused our faith to shatter,
Will be remembered in the mystery of God's new kingdom interlaced;
As grace-filled crossroads on our journey, opening to sacred space.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Kelpie

Today's word is "kelpie" ... A water spirit, usually having the shape of a horse, reputed to cause drowning, or to warn those in danger of drowning.

Listen
I hear there are spirits roaming, in the wood today,
Some are surely hopeful, helping lost ones find their way,
Others like the kelpie, have no such good intent,
They are the malevolent, and are to evil bent.

Good will triumph in the end, the story's all but writ,
But in the midst of trouble, it's harder to admit,
That in the blight around us, live amazing signs,
That should we confidently seek, we're promised we will find.

A flower through a sidewalk crack, stubbornly appears,
A man bent with sorrows years, reveals a smile for tears.
Somewhere a slave is finally freed, and his scars are healed,
The world for him is opened, and his future is unsealed.

Oh the joy that waits for those, who trust in God's good grace,
They will be filled and overcome by glimpses of his face.
And as the world turns in it's course, around the sun with glory,
The sons and daughters of our Lord, do live His ancient story.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Yoho

Today's word is "yoho" ... Used as a call or shout to attract attention.

Now
Yoho! It's a new day. I wonder what it'll bring?
Snow and wind and rain, or a song to sing?
You never quite know, do you, what's around the bend,
Each moment comes on whispers, to which you might attend.

Sometimes they pass by silently, you hardly know they've come,
Leaving only ghostly footprints, to mark what they have done.
Or they appear with crash and bang, enough to wake the dead,
And forgetting is impossible, because of where they've led.

Looking back it seems as if, time has swallowed whole,
Oceans, lakes and rivers, of hours broken on it's shoals.
We can recall with video, or faces on the wall,
But most are gone forever, beyond our crying, or our call.

So, how to slow this maddening pace and reflect upon our state,
How to savor all that comes calling daily at our gate,
How to learn to take a breath and open up our eyes,
To mark each inhale precious, with gratefulness and sighs.

Practice makes us perfect, as we hold out open hands,
Allowing and observing ... making no demands,
Feeling all the shapes and edges as they come in line,
Cradling each and every one, gracing full our time.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Bequeath

Today's word is "bequeath" ... To dispose of (especially money or property) by last will.

Keep

Don't you think it's strange, this thing we're called to do,

To leave everything behind, so we can enter something new?

This embracing skin we're in, will someday turn to dust,

In the meantime we decide, what gods will earn our trust.

There's one for popularity, there's even one for fame ...

For those who want the world to know the radiance of their name. 

There's one for power in places high or even stations low,

All things seem to come to those to whom this favor flows.

There's a god for those who choose to chase the glow of gold,

But never enough pockets, to hide all that they hold.

Some believe that fashion's whims will fool the gullible,

Who think that mere updating, will change what's not quite done.

And some think that doing right, builds up their sacred score,
As one by one deeds turn to stars, so their crown will have more.
And that in God's economy, perfection's the best measure,
That the goal is to become a self-made, graceless treasure.

Despite the lure of all these things, there's nothing that remains

To bequeath to those who wait, for their turn at the grave,

Save the love which only comes, through great sacrifice,

And unseen, bears all the cost, for the might-haves of our lives.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2013

Falderal

Today's word is "falderal" ... mere nonsense, foolish talk or ideas.

Standoff
Just a bunch of falderal; so much silly nonsense,
We fight on with tooth and claw, trying not to take offence,
Yet we choose which side to back and stand in the impass,
Sure that we're right, and that our point will be the point that lasts.

Why is it hard to care about what's in the other's heart?
Their passions are as sure as ours and just as much a part
Of emotions deep and wide, that guide each waking thought,
Each long ago decided into which belief they bought.

It takes two to tango, at least that's what they say,
If that's true, then maybe two will have to save the day,
By looking at each other with a compassion new,
We can finally sort out what is false and what is true.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Chattel

Today's word is "chattel" ... A moveable article of personal property.

Things
Look at all the stuff we've got,
In closets, rooms and basements,
Sometimes even far away,
In storage sheds with payments.

This chattel lives in drawers and bags,
On shelves and trunks of cars,
There seems to be no end of things,
Hidden in vaults and jars.

In piggy banks and wallets fat,
We stash paper, checks and coins,
And sparkly jewels hang from wrists,
By gold together joined.

But if you were to an island sent,
And could only take one thing,
And had to pick from all you have,
What would you choose to bring?

Would it be something tangible,
That might in months decay,
Or would you take a person,
To talk with you each day?

As we pick and choose between,
Things expensive, dear or cheap,
How do we finally decide,
What's beloved enough to keep?

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Analysand

Today's word is "analysand" ... A person undergoing psychoanalysis.

Issues
Taken in by promises, taken up by greed,
Taken down by our mistakes, taken with our need,
Overwhelmed by circumstance, lost on darkened streets,
We recognize we need some help to untangle problems deep.

So, where to turn for solace, understanding, help or hope,
Who to choose to keep us whole, give us keys to help us cope,
Who can we trust enough to dare to tell the truth most strange,
To whom become an analysand; with whom to engage.

A friend most fiercely loyal, might be a place to start,
Where we know we're safe with the secrets of our hearts.
Or a teacher great and wise in this world's scary calculus,
Or a saint who'll calmly sit and God's point of view discuss.

We might our own counsel keep, until we begin to see,
That a view from a greater distance, might more objective be,
Or we could confide in one another, believing that to share,
Will lighten all our burdens as we one another bear.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Ennoble

Today's word is "ennoble" ... elevate in degree, excellent, or respect.

Whose
What is man that thou art mindful
Of our fumbling foibles or our fears?
With galaxies to play with and stars to constellate,
What could our small lives mean to you?

Looking in at us, do you not grow weary,
Of forgiving the same sins which endlessly process?
Do you grow hopeless watching as we rise and fall,
Even after you have given every grace?

This is how I know you are not like me,
That even when imagination soars, I cannot think
What it would take to hold it all in place ...
All of us run amok like broken clockwork.

Amazingly, though we're not ennobled,
By our high thoughts or our holy deeds,
A city is being readied and will come down,
With magnificence far beyond our understanding.

It will be real and made for us to prosper,
And we will be given what we need to live with you,
Because of your unrelenting love for us and promise.
And there's nothing we can do to stop this wonder.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Shoal

Today's word is "shoal" ... Palace where a sea, river or other body of water is shallow.

Suited
Do you tip-toe along the shore, where the water's shallow?
Or dive right in, with a grin, daring waves to swallow?
Some think it fun to jump and run right into something scary.
Others find they'd rather hide, having feelings that are wary.

Starfish and urchins in the shoal are a special treasure,
Deeper out, the porpoise shout, with joy beyond all measure.
Perhaps sticky legs and beasts that dig are suited best for pools,
While those with speed and tricky deeds need a different set of rules.

It's curious how seriously these creatures choose their habitat,
As if they know, that to grow, they need a bit of this and that.
We could learn, as we yearn to become someone who stands out,
To match our wits to things that fit the talents we have no doubt about.

Anne Selleck 
Copyright 2013

Aureole

Today's word is "aureole" ... a radiance surrounding the head or the whole figure in the representation of  a sacred personage.

Shining
In your ordinary hours, have you ever seen,
A saint, real or imagined in the daylight or a dream?
Whose actions speak more loudly than any word well said,
And on whom glory shines like an aureole round their head?

Maybe he was not obvious, when he first appeared,
Maybe you'd not noticed him, without a long white beard.
Perhaps his garb was like your own, not white or spun of beams,
And yet somehow his visage was more than what it seemed.

Was it when he showed up suddenly at the hospital that day,
When he prayed for healing and you saw pain go away,
Or when he took the time to look a small child in the eye,
As if he was important too, just like you or I?

Sometimes in the market line he talks to one who's near,
Frazzled by life's burdens; it's written on her face so clear.
Or taking time to help someone, who's brain's not up to snuff,
With patience sincere and infinite, even when he's heard enough.

We all could, I suppose, attempt that holy way of being,
It would take a lot of practice and a whole new way of seeing.
And concentration to the expense of things in which we're mired,
That's why saints are saints and we are by commonness attired.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Blowzy

Today's word is "blowzy" ... having a ruddy complexion; disheveled in appearance.

Fall
A day of rain and blowing leaves,
Cold and cloud-full, leaking sadness,
Nothing to cheer or warm the soul,
Just blowzy forest, running wild.

Maybe tomorrow there'll be sun,
And happy children running free,
And maybe red-orange fire will shine,
Around bare trees whose fire has died.

This season is of contrasts made,
By turns joyous or depressed,
I find myself caught in this fight,
Between restless darkness and the light.

I suppose I have a choice to make,
Of where I'll hold each moment's gaze,
And where my memory will cling ...
Which heart song, hallowed, will remain.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Pinion

Today's word is "pinion" ... A bird's flight feathers or wing.

Grounded
Hidden from evil,
Pinion covered shield holds fast,
Safe inside I sigh.

Save
Pinions of my God
Mercifully wrapped 'round my sin,
Save me from myself.

Air
Grace breathes all around,
Love in pinioned beauty flies,
Resurrection, come!


Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Arraign

The word for today is "arraign" ... To call or bring before a court to answer to an indictment.

Court
What if all things we do are judged,
And we are in the dock, arraigned,
And no matter how we try to fudge,
Our guilt runs on ahead like fame.

So what's the chance that we will win,
With mounds of evidence against us?
We stand burning with chagrin,
Because the way we got here's just.

Then our defender comes along side,
With a secret defense sure,
And stands in our place to defy
All charges with a motive pure.

Who would have thought of this surprise,
At this late date, this final hour?
That all of us would finally rise ...
We'd no idea of his power.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Solipsism

Today's word is "solipsism" ... The theory that only self exists or can be proved to exist.

Isolated
My world is me and I and mine,
And because I'm it,
I think that all my thoughts are fine.
And yours? I've let you fit in.

About everything I'm sure I'm right,
And because I've made you real,
It seems you'd have more insight,
And agree with what I feel.

Maybe all's not what it seems,
And now I think I'm stuck,
Is this solipsism just a dream,
Something I, myself made up?

I seem to be most circular,
In this pesky reasoning,
If I could just talk to you,
You might a new truth bring.

But how can I, within my space,
Trust what you see in yours?
As I look into your smiling face
And your open doors.

OK. This once, I'll take a chance,
And reach a little further out,
Please don't refuse this chance to dance,
I might be coming round about.

A vision here I see with you,
As you show your side of things,
It really makes more sense as two,
I'm grateful for your offering.

I'm not completely sure just yet,
If this idea's winning,
But since you've helped me hedge my bet,
I'll mark it, a beginning.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Trepan

Today's word is "trepan" ... A trap or a person who ensnares others.

Oops
Snap! You're going about your own business
when, suddenly you lose your footing. It's not
as if you weren't warned, balanced as you were,
precariously on that tippy bit of ground.

And those who had gone before said to watch out
for the trepan ... they knew it was there and they
tried to warn you. But you wouldn't listen because
you'd been down that road before and had had no trouble.

So you thought you were stronger and trickier.
It seemed so obvious. When you took that
step, the fall was an embarrassed surprise
and a disappointment. You'd been so sure.

You thought you'd learned from your mistakes,
that you were smarter and better than all that.
And yet, here you are again, with dirt on your
clothes and up your nose. Impossible.

Now what. Everyone saw. You can't pretend
it didn't happen. So, you push yourself
back into an upright position. And it seems
as if no one is really paying attention to you after all.

In fact, you start to notice little specs of
dirt and blades of grass clinging to the rest
of them. Someone brushes mud from your arm.
Your job, it appears, is to carry on together.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Promulgate

Today's word is "promulgate" ... To make known by public declaration, to publish.

What!
As fast as Facebook, that's what we need, something
Instantaneous to get the Word out! The Good News!
That God is first of many and all things, love!
That his kingdom is here and now!

Something as powerful as a pyrotechnic finale!
As enormous as a comet's tail setting fire to the sky
Lighting the night in perpetual bursts of joy,
Promulgating the story far and wide!

Blaring louder than a million megaphoned prophets
Shouting at the top of their lungs ...
"The End is near! And so is the Beginning!
Repent! Open your eyes to the hope of the world!"

As surprizing as a whale breeching next to your canoe,
As amazing as a volcano blowing its extraordinary lid!
As astounding as the big top from the very first row!
This is urgent news we have to tell! Run!

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Snollygoster

Today's word is "snollygoster" ... A clever, unscrupulous person.

Sneak
Wounds are caused by many things,
Sticks and stones and words gone bad.
Sometimes an unintentional act or accident
That invites pain to come, settle in and stay.

But then imagine there are snollygosters ...
Yes you heard me right ... Shysters and
Sly villains who do exactly what they want,
While they pretend to have your best at heart.

Who take and fake and make things
Turn out for their advantage ... yet feel no
Twinge of conscience and no sympathy
For the devastation left in their wicked wake.

This question is then for the rest of us ... What
To do. About them, or for ourselves. It matters
What we think and why we think it. It
Matters that we remain innocent somehow.

To take revenge is to become them.
To accept them is to condone and to
Go along is to increase their hold. To
Confront is impossible without a fight.

Is this the time then to forgive, turn
The other cheek, or walk an extra mile or more?
Even if there is no hope for resolution
And maybe the promise of more pain?

So much is asked, and yet there is
Precedence ... Ghandi, Teresa, King,
Malala, Jesus. Examples and a Savior.
Patterns of courage, a map and a way.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Annulate

Today's word is "annulate" ... Having rings or ringlike bands. I think I must have lost my mind on this one and used the wrong word! Here's the fix. That's what happens when you're working with a root canal hangover!!

Garden
How did this start, this downward slide.
With an annulated serpent as they say?
Was it he who caused opposites to collide
And set the scene for God's own play?

However it happened, this long ago scheme,
We now deal with its truth revealed,
And every day remember the theme,
That even in darkness, God's love is our seal.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Obverse

Today's word is "obverse" ... The side of a coin, medal, flag, etc. that bears the principal design ... Opposite of reverse.

Flip
There's a side we see, of life,
Of every tactile thing,
The part that's obviously here,
Where we're sure that truth and glory cling.

But underneath the heads-up side,
Lies another, holy and unseen,
Where the invisible seems to hide,
Though shining sometimes inbetween.

So is the obverse, where we live, true reality?
Or is that back on the reverse, the side we cannot see?
Where you put your guess, is where your life will be.
A choice whose consequence, might ring eternally.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Tittup

Today's word is "tittup" ... An exaggerated prancing, bouncing movement or manner of moving.

Different 
Platapus, sloths, giraffes and ponies,
Galumph and ooze and tittup,
Variety is the way of this world,
And nothing about it's phony.

With people too, strangeness rules,
Personalities are various,
But we're libel to make others laugh,
With criticisms leveled cruelly.

A look in the mirror will surely reveal
Our own deficits and bruises,
And we know we could be targeted too,
And can guess how that might feel.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Picaro

Today's word is "picaro" ... A rogue or vagabond.

Roguish
On the outskirts of society, balanced on the edge,
Or hiding out for dear life, under rocks along the ledge,
Are the hobos and the renegades, the picaros and the fools,
Those we won't hang out with because we are too cool.

We've worked so hard to cultivate our image and our style,
Our characters and faces with sophisticated smiles,
Our nods of understanding, and knowledge deep and wide,
Our holy comphrehensions that fill us up with pride.

It's just easier to hang out with those who love us best,
And ignore the helpless eyes staring out from all the rest.
We do not know their circumstance and they have no names,
So how could we then realize, we're not different but the same?

That their hearts beat with longing for comradery and friends,
For kindness, understanding, and a love that's not pretense;
If we truly offered this, what more could we then say,
Since every action offered, would be a way to pray.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Malign

Today's word is "malign" ... To speak harmfiul truths about. To speak evil.

Bad
Please don't malign me. I've got enough problems
The way things are. Don't you? Why should we
Make things worse for each other? It seems
We should do the opposite.

Speak well of one another. Lift each other up.
Find the the good, the beautiful, the wonder
And the uniqueness that lies within us all.
Just look a little more carefully. It might be fun.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Whirligig

Today's word is "whirligig" ... Something that whirls or spins.

Twirl
The wind spins windmills, pinwheels,
whirligigs. Colors fly. Wings dance.
Birds are born on invisible breath; clouds
Swirl, funnel, form into phantasmagoria.

So we are spun by Spirit, invisibly moved,
Never knowing source or destination, but
Carried aloft like milkweed taken from its teardrop bed,
Laden with purpose, testing the currents ... letting go.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Bluestocking

Today's word "bluestocking" ... A woman with considerable scholarly, literary or intellectual ability or interest.

Learn
See all the Marys sitting at the feet of Jesus?
The women who want to come close
To the origin of truth and to understand ...
Who ask question after question ... bluestockings.

Including why their passion, ability
And intellect should not be used to
Guide, direct, and help bring the
Kingdom of God into this world

We should pay attention to the way
In which Jesus treated the women
Who followed and the women who
We're encountered by him.

The sick were healed, even one too
Unclean to touch; they were engaged
In conversation, even one too shunned
To speak with her own kind.

One was shown compassion, outrageously
Given back a son who was dead; one was
Allowed to wash the feet of the master
With hair unbound ... a scandal.

And, because of him, one ancient one was
admired for her generosity for generations.
In his day, Jesus lifted up the marginalized,
The forgotten, the women ... for all time.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Hoosgow

Today's word is "hoosgow" ... Jail

Solitary
Some say only a very few of us will live this life
Well enough to find in the end, a heavenly home.
And that the rest deserve whatever they get ...
A trip to the eternal hoosgow, or worse.

But that is mistaking good deeds and laws,
For what really matters in the eyes of God ...
A gladdened attitude of heart that
Proves ones love and gratitude.

Do we really think that we can, holy
Bootstraps in hand, pull ourselves out
Of the mire we've created? Or should we
Instead accept the graceful hand extended?

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Emanate

Today's word is "emanate" ... To flow out, issue from, proceed from a source

Word
I've said the Words. I am redeemed.
A person reborn .... fresh and new and
Loved in the heart of God.

And yet, as forgiven as I am, and new,
A battle rages still ...
Between the best and glorious things
And the lure of the others, sinisterly shining
With the gold of fools or the
False lights of selfishness.

I'd like to think that every time I chose,
I would allow my choice to be
Guided by that spirit emanating
From the holy place that holds all good.

Being fallen though, I know I'll fall.

But, even in that helpless place, there is
Grace, descending like the dove at
The baptism of the Son ... whispering
That there is another chance and then
Another, to experience redemption.

As if grace on grace on grace is what it takes
To catch the unending flood of tears
That fall from all our eyes when
We finally know that we are held in the
Completeness of a love that has no end.

We should then, be more gentle with each other ...
When we're hurt, confused or disappointed by those
Who travel with us on this road. And
Recognize that redemption is not
Equal to perfection ... that none of
Us can wholly see the way ahead,
Or holds a map with all the x's marked.
And no one yet has traveled without
Tripping on the stones along the path.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Loblolly

Today's word is "loblolly" ... A mire; mud hole.

Dirty
Into the loblolly and out again
Seems to be the way of man.
Somehow no matter how hard we try,
Things just seem to go awry.

We don't always do the things we should
And then do things that are no good,
Our acts go wrong despite our will,
And the going seems to be all uphill.

So what can change this unfortunate course,
And bring us closer to our source?
Help us to see what makes us tick,
Keeps us well or makes us sick.

Perhaps in silence we'll finally find,
How we can become more naturally kind.
And always by God to be forgiven,
As gratefully into his arms we're driven.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Instauration

Today's word is "instauration" ... redemption, renewal, restoration

Mess
It's a mess all right.
Wars and rumors of war,
Inhumanity, injustice,
Unfairness and disease and sorrow.

The cynics sigh ...
"I told you so. There's no hope.
Nothing will ever change.
We are all doomed."

And yet disciples, filled
With fear and wonder,
Proclaim a new Word
Of hope and healing.

Wiping their feet of
The dust of unbelievers,
They call out demons and
bring the sick to instauration.

They are, after all, only
Doing what they were told,
"Go! Cast out! Restore! Announce!"

Even if you do not see it or
Believe it, Light is streaking
Through dusty windows and
the Kingdom that has come
Is coming. On to the next house!

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Contrail

Today's word is "contrail" ... A visible trail of condensation of water droplets or ice crystals, from the atmosphere, occurring in the wake of an aircraft, rocket or missle under certain conditions.

Streak
What is left in the contrail ... in the dusty trail of other things:
Assumptions: replaced by newly discovered facts
Beliefs: abandoned in favor of experience
Cultures: destroyed by another stronger, faster, smarter
Demands: left in the wake of grace
Elegant moments: forgotten by expediency
Flowers: choked by weeds
Gargoyles: snubbed by glass and concrete
Hats: laughed at by new fashion
Indigenous people: pushed out by newcomers
Jobs: made irrelevant by careers
Kids: assaulted by poverty
Listening: drowned out by noise
Mentors: outdone by protégés
Nobodies: unseen by the proud
Old cowpokes: buried by stories
Popes: made impotent by unbelief
Questions: silenced by answers
Relatives: estranged by distance
Senile old folks: forgotten by the competent
Traditions: lost in modernity
Ugly things: outshone by beauty
Victims: minimized by quantity
Weather forecasts: sneered at by reality
Xeroxes: replaced by pixels
Yahoos: obscured by the elite
Zip codes: ignored by e-mail

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013

Gangle

Today's word is "gangle" ... To move awkwardly

Change
They say the Adirondacks are peaking this weekend.
Oh my. Time has begun to run away with me.
When I was young it would meander, colt-like,
On spindly legs, gangling from here to there.

There were long moments for tennis or talking
Or collecting tent caterpillars for study.
For bike rides and swimming and picnics
and reading and firefly chases in the night.

Today I will watch a baby grow up,
A dog grow old; I'll lose another week
And a memory or two. I'll note the garden
As it too gives up its growing claim.

But, I can also see the Kingdom coming,
Wrestling its way from a winter deep,
Bursting with rays of light and truth,
Cracking open the most stubborn seed.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2013