Bibliotaph ... Stack

Today's word is "bibliotaph" ... BIB-lee-uh-taf ... a person who caches or hoards books. (Dictionary.com)

Stack
You know you have a problem,
When bookstores call your name,
And you answer on the double,
With no one else to blame.

Every volume, every cover,
Contains a mystery,
For a bibliotaph, it's heaven,
To the highest of degrees.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Nocturne .... Rest

Today's word is "nocturne" ... NOK-turn ... Music. a piece appropriate to the night or evening. (Dictionary.com)

Rest
Oh, for a simple nocturne,
While I fall asleep,
To soothe away my worries,
As peaceful thoughts I keep.

A pleasant little melody,
Into whose notes I'd slip,
Calming, sighing, breathing,
A smile upon my lips.

But listening to the raindrops,
Or breezes in the trees,
Brings an even deeper peace,
Than the musician's key.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Pandiculation .... Sprout

Today's word is "pandiculation" ... pan-dik-yuh-LEY-shuhn ... the act of stretching oneself. (Dictionary.com)

Sprout
Choosing to grow requires,
Pandiculation,
Day by day, by day.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Oniomaina ... Mine

Today's word is "oniomania" ... oh-nee-uh-MEY-nee-uh. an uncontrollable desire to buy things. (dictionary.com)

Mine

The clock strikes one day after,

The great Thanksgiving day,

Known as the blackest Friday,

When crazy greed holds sway.

Oniomania strikes,

And everyone goes mad,

Even sweet old ladies,

In the aisles, are bad.

Waiting in expansive lines,

Is nothing for these folks,

Less than fourteen hours there,

To them is just a joke.

How we got into this fix,

Is a mystery confusing,

But it seems these attitudes,

Are of our own sad choosing.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2015

Gormandize ... Pilgrims

Today's word is "gormandize" ... GAWR-much n-dahyz ... To eat greedily or ravenously. Unrestrained enjoyment of fine foods, wines, and the like. (Dictionary.com)

Pilgrims

We've seen it all before,

The turkey and the gravy,

Sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes,

Whipped cream high and wavy.

Carrotts, peas and green beans,

Cauliflower pure and white,

Breads and pies and biscuits,

Piled near out of sight.

All these gastronomic pleasures,

Make gormandizers sigh,

Before they sink into the sofa,

With one "last" piece of pie!

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2015

Uxorious ... Duo

Today's word is "uxorious" ... uhk-SAWR-ee-uhs ... doting upon, foolishly fond of, or affectionately submissive toward one's wife. (Dictionary.com)

Duo
Some marriages seem heaven made,
They last the years in style,
Through riches great or poverty,
Each day ends with hugs and smiles.

It takes a wife with courage,
And an uxorious man,
To coax the goodness from each day,
And keep to a simple plan.

Of course some faith and honesty,
Help keep them side by side,
So even when they're tested,
They know together they'll survive.

Anne Selleck
Cooyright 2015

Penetralia ... Dig

Today's word is "penetralia" ... pen-i-TREY-lee-uh ... the most private or secret things. the innermost parts or recesses of a place or thng. (Dictionary.com)

Dig
Hidden deep inside,
Human penetralia,
Are all our answers.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Splendiferous ... Earth.

Today's word is "splendiferous" ... splen-DIF-er-uhs ... splendid; magnificent; fine. (Dictionary.com)

Earth
Mountain majesty,
Oceans rolling on,
Primal forests deep,
Wildflower riots.,
Clouded birds dancing
In the wind,
Human faces, none the same,
A myriad of creatures,
Cities in our cells,
Galaxies unnumbered,
All of this splendiferous wonder,
Given in abundance,
And for it all,
We give thanks.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Gratulation ... Pop

Today's word is "gratulation" ... grach-uh-LEY-shun ... a feeling of joy. the expression of joy. (Dictionary.com)

Pop
Making fresh popcorn,
Fills all my senses.
Such gratulation!

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Nominalize ... Later

Today's word is "nominalize" ... NOM-uh-nl-ahyz ... to convert (another part of speech) into a noun, as in changing the adjective lowly into the lowly or the verb legalize into legalization.

Later
Sometimes we seem stuck.
Rooted in our personalities,
Our circumstances, relationships,
Our routines. And it appears
That changing anything, 
Will change everything.
So we run the same roads,
Eat the same breakfasts,
Love the same loves,
Unwilling or unable 
To nominalize our lives.
Perhaps one day some
Courage will appear
And a small, safe, change
Will be made. And one
Moment will become two,
And then, looking back,
We will see how far we've come.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Penurious ... Pennies

Today's word is "penurious" ... puh-NOO R-eye-us ... Extremely stingy; parsimonious; miserly. (Dictionary.com)

Pennies
We have all riches,
Penurious spirits gloat,
The poor cry for bread.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Empyreal ... Shine

Today's word is "empyreal" ... em-PIR-ee-uhl ... pertaining to the sky; celestial: empyreal blue. formed of pure fire or light: empyreal radiance.

Shine
Our final hope is that,
At the end of days and time,
Somewhere beyond
our empyreal sky,
And our lives and memories,
A more congenial land exists,
More pure than this reality.
Where all will be put right,
And we will be at peace.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Slugabed ... Pillowed

Today's word is "slugabed" ... SLUHG-uh-bed ... a lazy person who stays in bed long after the usual time for arising. (Dictionary.com)

Pillowed

Through morning's frenzy,

the slugabed snoozes on.

Blind to its wonder.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2015

Panglossian ... Remain

Today's word is "Panglossian" ... pan-GLOS-ee-uhn ... characterized by or given to extreme optimism, especially in the face of unrelieved hardship or adversity. (Dictionary.com)

Remain

When trouble comes too near,

And hearts are filled with fear,

Frail strength's outdone by pain,

And eyes are filled with rain,

The faithful carry on,

With Panglossian song,

Where others see but loss,

They see a shadowed cross.

This humble symbol shows,

The love of God that flows,

Around and through us all,

As we, beloved, he calls.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2015

Hortatory ... Metamorphasis

Today's word is "hortatory" ... HAWR-tuh-tawr-ee ... urging to some course of conduct or action; exhorting; encouraging: a hortatory speech. (Dictionary.com)

Metamorphasis

So, what will it take,
As through our days we go,
What changes will we make,
To tease joy out of our woe?

What hortatory phrases,
Will speak us into motion,
Wake us from our daze,
Drag order from commotion?

Every word we welcome in,
Through our eyes or ears,
Will rise out of the din,
And change to love or fear.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Diaphanous ... Here

Today's word is "diaphanous" ... dahy-AF-uh-nuhs ... very sheer and light; almost completely transparent or translucent. Delicately hazy. (Dictionary.com)

Here

The curtain between God and his people,

Once heavy with misunderstanding,

Has become diaphanous; a thin space.

Because he came among us,

Became one of us in truth.

Our God now calls us friend. 

This terrifying closeness, 

Causes us to breathe his name in wonder,

Secure, yet amazed that he would tame his power,

To bring us wandering, home.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2015

Indefatigable ... Rise

Today's word is "indefatigable" ... in-di-FAT-i-guh-buhl ... incapable of being tired out; not yielding to fatigue; untiring. (Dictionary.com)

Rise
Down the corridors of history,
Indefatigable evil comes,
Snarling its intentions,
Looking for victims.

How odd that only something,
As soft and vulnerable as love,
Can whisper down this monster,
And wrest victory from it's grasp.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Inconnu ... Horizon

Today's word is "inconnu" ... in-kuh-NOO ... a person who is unknown; stranger. (Dictionary.com)

Horizon

We are called to love our God,

Our mothers and fathers,

     Sons and daughters,

Friends, of course.

And, strangely, ourselves ...

(Maybe the most difficult of all)

But, wait! There's more!

      As the circle widens,

            the inconnu.

No one is left out of this command.

     Not even our enemies.

Where do we begin?

     Perhaps at the center? Work our way out.

And at the far edges of our safety,

     we may be surprised 

           by enfolding joy.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2015

     

Saporific ... Swept

Today's word is "saporific" ... sap-uh-RIF-ik ... producing or imparting flavor or taste. (Dictionary.com)

Swept
A gale moans 'round us outside,
Rain and wind are swirling,
On the beaches wide,
Enormous waves are curling.

Here, cozy by the fire's glow,
Soup, saporific fills,
We'll stave off nature's blows,
Wrapped warm against the chill.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Magnanimous ... Listen

Today's word is "magnanimous" ... mag-NAN-uh-muhs ... proceeding from or revealing generosity or nobilty of mind, character, etc.; high-up; noble; generous and forgiving of insult or injury; free from petty resentfulness or vindictiveness. (Dictionary.com)

Listen
A whisper of leaves wends its way,
Across the street, then far away,
Leading the gusts that next speak slow,
Chasing anything that'll with them go.

The magnanimous wind seeks to give,
A lifting up to those who live,
It's restlessness a sign of change,
For those who lies for truth exchange.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2015

Logophile ... Yum

Today's word is "logophile" ... LAW-guh-fahyl ... a lover of words. (Dictionary.com)

Yum
What could be better,
than delicious words?
Logophiles devour them.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Lassitude ... Fly

Today's word is "lassitude" ... LAS-i-tood ... weariness of body or mind from strain, oppressive climate, etc.; lack of energy; listlessness; languor. (Dictionary.com)

Fly
Lazy, lassitudinal days,
Are slipping into pages,
Of Julys and Augusts,
Tucked into the ages.

Cold air and wild wind,
Herald the new season,
Bare trees and solitudes,
And time for lonely reason.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Frangible ... Critic

Today's word is "frangible" ... FRAN-juh-buhl ... easily broken; breakable: Most frangible toys are not suitable for young children. (dictionary.com)

Critic

Just a phrase, out of place,

But the look upon her face,

Spoke volumes of its own about,

How quickly she was filled with doubt.

Frangible self-esteem,

Can be crushed by many means,

A look, a sneer, a gesture mild,

Can turn an adult into a child.

And from there it goes downhill,

Until unbidden tears are spilled,

And feelings brought up from the past,

Have their way as hopes are dashed.

When you want to speak your mind,

Take a moment to be kind,

Find words that get your point across,

But do not the other person cost.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2015

Mauka ... Watch

Today's word is "mauka" ... mah-Oo-kuh ... Hawaii. toward the mountains; land. (Dictionary.com)

Watch

When the loud call comes,

to go mauka ... Run there!

Safety's on the high ground.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2015

Crepuscular ... Requite

Today's word is "crepuscular" ... kri-PUHS-Kyuh-ler ... of, relating to, or resembling twilight; dim; indistinct. (Dictionary.com)

Requite
Winding down at end of day,
As crepuscular light gives way,
To soft, dark night and muted thought,
And answers to great questions sought,
Do we look back with fainted heart,
Remembering the day's new start,
And promises of hope?

Is there joy as we review,
Moments filled with worldly hue?
Or sadness at connections missed,
Through unintended selfish twist,
Which could've been bright with laughter rare,
Had we simply, bravely dared,
To set aside our fancies.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Recondite

Today's word is Recondite ... "REK-uhn-dahyt" ... dealing with very profound, difficult, or abstruse subject matter: a recondite treatise. (Dictionary.com)

The way they argue,
you would think they understand
     all things recondite. As if their minds could
          wrap themselves around galaxies,
                and DNA, and motor proteins.

Come on people! Admit your humanness.
 your frailty and ignorance. Your limits.
      Perhaps the mystery is our friend.
           Perhaps unknowing
                 is the greatest wisdom.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Coriaceous ... Paette

Today's word is "coriaceous" ... kawr-ee-EY-shuhs ... of or like leather. (Dictionary.com)

Palette
The leaves have fallen,
Their skins turned coriaceous.
In the tree, life runs.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Landloper ... Northstar

Today's word is "landloper" ... LAND-loh-per ... a wanderer, vagrant, or adventurer. (Dictionary.com)

Northstar
Sometimes in this world,
We landlopers lose our way.
We are full of dreams.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Desultory ... Morning

Today's word is "desultory" ... DES-uhl-tawr-ee... digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark. Lacking in constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.

Morning
They were eating breakfast,
Two friends with sugar bread.
And frosting. And rolls with cinnamon.
Enough for four.

They talked and watched their phones,
They watched their phones,
And texted. To eachother.
To someone else? Desultory. Lifeless.

Do we have time for this?
The consuming screens,
When right before us are faces
With eyes full of questions?

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Ferhoodle ... Heaps

Today's word is "ferhoodle" ... fer-HOOD-l ... to confuse or mix up. "Don't ferhoodle the things in that drawer." (dictionary.com)

Heaps
What's with laundry? How it grows!
As if there's life among the clothes.
Even when we're only two,
Seems there's more people in our crew.

Don't get me started on the socks,
They're fine when they're together locked,
But let them loose to roam about,
You'll find ferhoodling in the dark!

A necessary evil's all this cleaning,
With no apparent deep dark meaning,
Just creating order out of chaos,
And showing random socks who's boss!

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015