Axiomatic

Today's word is "axiomatic" ... Pertaining to or of the nature of an axiom; self evident; obvious. (Dictionary.com)

Spring
Winter's habits are hard to break,
And the squirrel at the feeder is
Frustrated. It seems there's some trick
Or other about it. His nose cannot fit 
The opening. Although there's more
Than enough seed on the ground to
Feed him; you can almost hear him
Wishing for hands.

This morning, a deer jumped the fence into our backyard. 
It's axiomatic, that they'll be seen everywhere.
Even though the hard winter must have
Taken some, they are numerous still, and
Very comfortable living close to the feeder ...
As if the newly sprung grass might run out.

A strange bird made his appearance this
Afternoon with a furociously loud song.
He seemed to be willing the world to hear.
I suppose some like to make a scene
In a new place, to be noticed. He had his eye
On the feeder as well. 

Such a popular place for these many
Creatures. They all announce the coming
Of spring in their own ways. Perhaps so
We don't miss it when it comes.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014

Obliquity

Today's word is "obliquity" ... Divergence from moral conduct, rectitude, etc.; immorality, dishonesty, or the like.

Step

Wandering the straight path,

Is easy on some days,

All sunshine and flowers,

Nothing to dismay.

Then on others, it is all

obliquity and pain.

The trail is rough and rocky,

The weather, constant rain.

Keeping to the high way then,

Is a task immense,

Remembering that God is all,

And each thing's for the best.

Yet, that is the only hope

We have in this strange place,

To trust that good wins in the end,

And we are held by grace.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2014

Forenamed

Today's word is "forenamed" ... Named before; mentioned before in the same writing or speech. (Dictionary.com) first name.

Here
Grateful for each moment,
Aware of all things good,
Amazed at common wonders,
Found in field and wood.

God is everywhere abroad,
If eyes are opened wide,
He's forenamed in creation,
Within him we abide.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014

Spumescent

Today's word is "spumescent" ... Foamy; foam like; frothy. (dictionary.com)

Sphere
Big and small, wonders fill the earth.
From things under and within the soil,
To creatures swimming through the
Spumescent sea and tumbling sky,
On mountain peaks and dessert sands,
The coldest ice or steaming vents.
They live and breathe. Unlike us, and yet
The same. Living like us in their own
Comfortable lairs. But unaware of all
The vast complexity of which they are a part.
We are the ones who look around, under
And on top of things to see what might
Be there. Who see, as far as we can,
Everything. Our curiosity extends
Everywhere. Yet we are in awe.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014

Grimalkin

Today's word is "grimalkin" ... A cat; an old female cat; an ill-tempered old woman. (Dictionary.com)

The Mamma

We met in a strange circumstance,

That old cat and I,

My daughter brought her home,

Rescued with a sigh.

She left for college all alone,

Leaving her with me,

She crawled into my arms and heart,

Deciding that's where she should be. 

She was a tiny puffball,

Now she's a grimalkin,

She's developed awful screeching sounds,

That get underneath your skin.

But she loves to be held on her back,

And petted head to toe,

And even though she's elderly,

She must still come and go.

She's had very many kittens,

And knows not where they are,

I think one went to Mexico ...

She cares not they've wandered far.

We are her family by choice,

Though sometimes she runs away,

Or goes out late some bugs to catch,

She always comes back here to stay.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2014

Rile

Today's word is "rile" ...to irritate or vex.

How?

Sometimes it seems that the whole world,

Is riled about something, 

In every corner, there are those,

Who pain and sorrow bring.

It's been this way since time began,

And man had a part to play,

You'd think in all those eons,

Compassion'd rule the day.

But we've changed not one iota,

Since we came out of the cave,

If we don't learn our lessons soon,

The consequences will be grave.

The only thing that moves a heart,

Is the deepest seated love,

It originates not in us,

But in our God above.

We must acquiesce to him,

Admit our weakness and our fear,

Learn to love each other,

Or peace never will be near.

Anne Selleck 

Copyright 2014

Anagorisis

Today's word is "anagorisis" ... an-ag-NAWR-uh-sis ... (In Ancient Greek tragedy) the critical moment of recognition or discovery, especially preceding peripeteia (a sudden turn of events).

Open

The darkness of a cave,

the darkness of the blackest moment,

a burden of spices born,

to the entrance of forever death ...

And then ... Anagorisis as a light,

and a lightening, and an angeled

word straight from God himself,

to turn every last perception

upside down.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2014

Scherzo

Today's word is "scherzo" ... a movement or passage of light or playful character, especially as the second or third movement of a sonata or a symphony. (Dictionary.com)

Song 

Cardinals, sparrows, and juncos, oh my!

On the ground and over the feeder they fly,

To a scherzo they're dancing around and about,

A ballet with steps that are never in doubt.

We watch with joy, in fascination,

And await the next move with anticipation.

Color and motion create unique art,

We're grateful just to observe as our part.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2014

Frivol

Today's word is "frivol" ...to behave frivously; trifle.

Rules

I was told I shouldn't frivol any of my time away,

That each moment was important, of every single day,

That money didn't grow on trees, so to be careful what I spend,

To wear my clothes til they wore out and never morals bend.

That it was important what the neighbors thought,

And teachers should be listened to because of what they taught.

Some of this I've followed, right down to the letter,

But some has been gradually replaced, by things I've learned are better.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2014

Immiscible

Today's word is "immiscible" ... in-MIS-uh-bull ... Not miscible; incapable of being mixed. (Dictionary.com)

Unfair
He said he was right and he was sure of it,
If you'd object, he'd throw a huge fit,
All of the answers were right on his tongue,
If you had an answer, it was the wrong one.

He didn't have facts; but he'd attack with great vigor,
And swipe at your very person with rigor,
Insisting your brain was so very small,
And your education, worth nothing at all.

You are immiscible with your opponent.
He'll not meet for any atonement,
If he did, that mean one would surely insist,
No faults could be missing, from your very long list.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014

Leveret

Today's word is "leveret" ... A young hare. (Dictionary.com)

Open

A door opened. Well, not exactly a door,

more like a window into a new world. No.

More like a window from another world.

Into this one. No one thought it could happen.

It was so unexpected that even those

who were there, could not believe

their own eyes. There was shaking ... and a

light that frightened the leveret and song 

bird, and struck the guardians of Rome

into stoney silence. And then, the first of all

the children of God rose up from death

to make our world whole again.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2014

Agnize

Today's word is "agnize" ag-NAHYZ ... To recognize; acknowledge; own.

Easter

Thousands of dominoes fall. It's astonishing!

What cleverness. What patience! We agnize

a certain kind of mad genius as we watch

row on row on row of thousands of little

pieces fall and crash and spell words and 

lead upstairs and down to their inevitable

stopping point. Which, sometimes happens

accidentally. With a sad brush of sleeve,

or finger. And then ... What do you do?

Well, start again. As if it never happened.

Because the joyous outcome is sure, once

everything has been set in motion.

And then ... Surprise! Wonder! Amazement!

Even though you knew from the start

exactly what was going to happen.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2014

Dyad

Today's word is "dyad" ... A group of two; couple; pair.

Togetherness
Holding hands as they have for years,
they shuffle down the sidewalk,
through the tree-lined park. To the pond.
Fingers entwined, their gaits match perfectly.
They whisper a word now and then. Laugh.
Remember. This dyad, this oneness. Where
does one end and the other begin? How did
this life become so short. So quickly.
Looking back at the beginning ... one could
almost believe, that from God's point of view,
within one day, there are a thousand years.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014

Analphabetic

Today's word is "analphabetic" ... (An-al-fuh-BET-ik), not alphabetic: an analphabetic arrangement of letters. Unable to read or write; illiterate: analphabetic peoples. (Dictionary.com)

ABC

How could I ever get along 
Without the alphabet?
For me it's words, all day long,
Better friends I've never met!

How would one communicate,
Analphabetically?
By winks and shrugs and grunting sounds,
Or jumping round with glee?

I think I like this writing thing,
And it would be absurd,
To write a book or poem if
A word could not be heard.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014

Picayune

Today's word is "picayune" ... Pik-ee-YOON; of little value or account; trifling.

Trouble

Have you ever been with someone,
With problems big and small, 
That made yours seem so picayune,
That they were hardly there at all?

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014

Maslin

Today's word is "maslin" ... A mixture; a medley. (Dictionary.com)

Eat
Thinking about what to eat,
Is quite a task today,
What is healthy, what is good,
And what gets in the way.

Is it meat or milk or cream,
Or vegetables galore?
Or bread, or seeds or yogurt cups,
Or chocolate? (I want more!)

All food philosophies seem to have,
Something to recommend,
As I hear them, I agree
With everything that's said.

Even those who do believe,
Fervently in moderation,
Convince me far beyond a doubt,
To trust with no protestation.

But in this maslin there must be,
A bit of reason somewhere,
If I could find it I could cope
And plant my actions there.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014

Cuittle

Today's word is "cuittle" ... To wheedle, cajole, or coax. (Dictionary.com)

Yum
How many cookies can I have?
I've been good and not much bad.
I'd really like to have the pack,
But 'spose there's not much chance of that.

Pleeeease, can I have five, in my lunch?
That's better than a whole big bunch.
My teeth won't rot if I eat five,
They will be a nice surprise.

Can I have two then. Just today?
You don't like them anyway.
I'll eat some carrots, if you please,
Even though they make me sneeze.

Just one! Just one! I like strawberry,
They're much better than the cherry.
I'll eat it quick so I won't get fat!
Tell me what you think of that!

What's that you say? I'm wheedling?
Begging? Pleading? Cuittleing?
You say I'm turning your hair grey?
We'll then, let me have my way!!

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014

Prelusive

Today's word is "prelusive" ... Introductory. (Dictionary.com)

Wild
Wild wind howls down canyons.
The wild man eats his lunch of locusts
And honey fresh from the wild comb.
His wild clothes hang carelessly on his frame,
And his hair strays wild about his face.
He hardly looks like the embodiment
Of a preclusive promise. But he is. And
He shouts to the people, "Prepare the way!
The king is comming! Repent!" They listen
And ask for his baptism. He tells them
The next one, the comming one, will
Baptise them by his spirit. That he
Is no one by comparison. So they
Become baptized in hope and are
Ushered into a kingdom come.

Anne Selleck 
Copyright 2014

Passé-partout

Today's word is "passé-partout" ... Something that passes everywhere or provides a universal means of passage; a master key; a skeleton key. (Dictionary.com)

Walk
When you travel, you should take,
in your pocket or your bag,
essentials for the road, and make
an effort not to shout or brag as if
you have a passé-partout,
to do whatever you want to do.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014

Glib

Today's word is "Glib" ... readily fluent, often thoughtlessly, superficially, or insincerely so: a glib talker; glib answers. (Dictionary.com)

Verbose
We talk of all things, seen and unseen,
And feel, no matter our true expertise,
That what we say is the final word.
After all, we have opinions. And just
Because a scientist works only with
What can be measured, he does not think
Himself incapable of great philosophical thought.
And the philosopher believes he may comment
About the origin of the species. And the theologian
Describes the interaction of personalities as if
He might be a psychologist. Those who study
Physics may, by observing quarkish activity,
Come closest to having an accurate opinion
Of the space where consciousness makes decisions
By way of who it is that is observing. All this
Cross pollination may just be adding to the mass confusion
Which leads the average person to scratch his
Head and go off to live his life unencumbered
By all these glib revelations.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014

Vastitude

Today's word is "vastitude" ... Vastness; immensity. (Dictionary.com)

Vortex
Look through the lens and see,
A tiny world revealed,
With fine complexity it's made,
And within it mystery is sealed.

Who can say how life's first spark,
Began the wonders hidden there,
Especially the secret code,
Contained in all things good and rare.

Still, as we try to comprehend,
The vastitude of this strange land,
We know for sure that we could hold,
This plethora of universes in our hands.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014

Ad infinitum

Today's word is "ad infinitum" ... To infinity; endlessly; without limit. (Dictionary.com)

Oh ...
We used to think the stars went on and on,
That time stretched forever back and forward both.
Then came relativity and a wild-haired man who proved
Ad infinitum an incorrect assessment of our reality.

So, now we know. At least in part (once again),
Beginnings have beginners. And space has a boundary.
And no one knows how life first began. And our
Consciousness is a mystery, as is our purpose.

Unless, free-willed, we choose to listen
To the still small voice within (which is always right),
And to trust the wisdom found in sacred writings,
As we fall gracefully into the safety of the unseen.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014

Deke

Today's word is "deke" ... Ice Hockey. A fake or feint intended to deceive a defensive player, often drawing that player out of position. (Dictionary.com)

Wayward
I trundle along the path,
Navigating by the half-light of reason,
(Knowing that the way will truly
Show itself only by the light of faith.)

Occasionally there is a root to deke around,
Or a rockslide that requires even more agility,
And sometimes the mud sucks me in
Until I nearly give up hope.

There is only hope. Then and now.
And the promise of a Kingdom that
Lies along, and at the end of this journey.
But for that, I would have given up long ago.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014

Achromatic

Today's word is "achromatic" ... Colorless; without coloring matter. (Dictionary.com)

Me
There are some societies,
That seem so very bland to me,
Where everyone is dressed the same,
Distinguished only by their names.

Their days pass achromatically,
With nothing new to do or see,
No joy to make the daytime light,
Or truth to shine within the night.

Trapped in this relentless deep,
They must promise rules to keep,
And if they stray from the straight path,
They will face the others' wrath.

I like the sun and garden flowers,
Music and books to pass the hours,
My voice and choices that I make,
And grace to fail for heaven's sake.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014

Plantlet

Today's word is "plantlet" ... A little plant. (Dictionary.com)

Hurray!
Today we walked outside without our coats,
And felt the sunshine warm upon our skin,
And saw plantlets which brightly had upsprung,
And knew for sure, spring really has begun!

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014

Vittate

Today's word is "vittate" ... A band or stripe of color. (Zoology)

Mmmmm

If we could junggeled journeys take,

Through vittate forms we would make,

Our way as animals with strange calls,
Might find us wishing we had walls.

Once we found our way back home,
We'd promise never more to roam,
Where wild creatures could, on just a hunch,
Decide to have us all for lunch.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014

Omphaloskepsis

Today's word is "omphaloskepsis" ... Om-fuh-loh-SKEP-sis ...contemplation of one's navel as part of a mystical experience. (Dictionary.com)

Go

Gulls wheel silently through grey sky.

Ice slowly releases rivulets to run free.

All thoughts go to the power of God,

Changing the seasons as he wills.

Hibernated inside against the cold,

We feel the fire's warmth, outside in,

This is one last chance for omphaloskepsis,

Til true spring allows us into its mellowness.

Winter's last fling annoys with furror,

Biting wind lashes every thing without mercy.

We only wait. Late or soon, we can depend

On history to repeat itself, and bring life

From this death-like moment.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2014

Bedash

Today's word is "bedash" ... To dash or splatter (something) all over. (Dictionary.com)

Wake

Waking from a dream bedashed with images ...

A kalidescope of broken pieces from the day before,

Fighting to make sense of time turned on its head.

There must be meaning there. I remember something.

But it will not fuse together in its proper order,

And I'm left unfinished, confused and wondering.

Soon, I know, I'll not remember anything at all.

As everything fades back into that unconscious space

Where chaosed thought is rearranged somehow

And reason and order again regain the stage.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2014

Ambivert

Today's word is "ambivert" ... One whose personality type is intermediate between extrovert and introvert. (Dictionary.com)

Ambivalent

I like to be friendly to those that I meet,

To shake hands and talk to them on the street,

But later that day, I might curl up with a book,

Happy alone in my own little nook.

As much as I care for the welfare of others,
That's how I give in to my very own druthers,
Content to just think of me and myself,
And put all the others away on a shelf.

If this is selfish, I'm sure I don't know,
But it's sometimes exhausting to put on a show.
This is the ambivert's inside-out life,
Coming or going, with chances, it's rife.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014

Capriccio

Today's word is "capriccio" ... Kuh-PREE-chee-oh; a caper; prank. (Dictionary.com)

Trick
It's April first, the perfect day,
To play a little prank,
A capriccio, a little laugh,
To keep unhappiness at bay.

But do be careful who you pick,
To be your victim here,
Or you may have to disappear.
Run far away. And quick!

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2014