Testudinal ... Creepy

Today's word is "testudinal" ... te-STOOD-n-l ... pertaining to or resembling a tortoise or tortoise shell. (Dictionary.com)

Creepy

Do you know the story,

Of the tortoise and the hare?

Where the turtle won the race,

As if the rabbit wasn't there?

The rabbit slept the time away,

Bored with his amazing skill,

He never thought he'd lose a race,

To testudinal will.

But, in the end the turtle won,

Step by baby step,

And that furry bunny lost,

To one he thought inept.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Lodestone ...

Today's word is "lodestone" ... LOHD-stohn ... Something that attracts strongly. (Dictionary.com)

Golden

What is your lodestone?

Does it haunt you in your dreams?

There contentment waits.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Eristic ...

Today's word is "eristic" ... e-RIS-tik ... Also, eristical; pertaining to controversy or disputation; controversial. (Dictionary.com)

Debate

Look! They're going at it.

It's a slug fest and a rout,

Everybody's watching,

Nobody's going out.

For all this eristic speaking,

The arguments are worn,

Out and on their shirtsleeves,

Yet, between them we are torn.

Just a few more days now,

Until our fate is sealed,

Did you ever imagine,

The power that you wield?

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2015

Bon mot

Today's word is "Bon mot" ... Bawn moh ... a witty remark or comment; clever saying; witticism. (Dictionary.com).

Say
What more could we wish for,
Than a bon mot to come our way?
But who it is who says this,
I don't know and could not say.

A kind hello however,
Is easy on the ears,
And simple too, to pass along,
To anyone who'll hear.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Haimish ... Kudzu

Today's word is "haimish" ... HEY-mish ... Slang. homey; cozy and unpretentious. (Dictionary.com)

Kudzu

Technology grows.

We need haimish traditions.

Soil for famished souls.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Albatross ... Squawk

Today's word is "albatross" ... AL-buh-traws ... a seemingly inescapable moral or emotional burden, as of guilt or responsibility. (Dictionary.com)

Squawk

Of all the things to carry 'round,

Your neck or on your back,

An albatross would be much worse,

Than any heavy sack.

How long would it take you,

To see your errored ways,

Remove that horrid, feathered thing
And go back out, to play?

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Cackleberry ... Ouch

Today's word is "cackleberry" ... KAK-uh l-beer-ee ... Facetious. a hen's egg used for food. (Dictionary.com)

Ouch

It is surprising ...

A cackleberry results

From much loud squawking!

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Plutocracy ... Lead

Today's word is "plutocracy" ... ploo-TOK-ruh-see ... the rule or power of wealth or of the wealthy. (Dictionary.com)

Lead

So many "acracys,"

All around the world,

Plutocracies, aristocracies,

Have 'round the people swirled.

Dictators, politicians,

Looking for power, dance.

We're needing something better,

And need to take a chance.

We are all in God's hands,

Our future he assures,

But at this crucial hour,

We help create the cure.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Flavescent ... Rise

Today's word is "flavescent" ... flush-VES-uh nt ... turning yellow; yellowish. (Dictionary.com)

Rise

Fall is the season,

For trees green, flavescent,

Soon they'll be gone,

Floating, then silent.

They fill up our eyes,

And lighten our hearts,

And remind us all,

That of nature we're part.

As they dissasemble,

We realize that we,

Will someday fall down,

But then we'll be free.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Afflatus ... Spill

Today's word is "afflatus" ... uh-FLEY-tus s ... inspiration; an impelling mental force acting from within. (Dictionary.com)

Spill

Watch the horizon ...

The afflatus is coming.

Soon the tide will turn.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Circumbendibus ... Dizzy

Today's word is "circumbendibus" ... sur-kuh m-BEN-duh-buh s ... informal. a roundabout way; circumlocution. (Dictionary.com)

Dizzy

Around and around,

A true circumbendibus.

We take the hard way.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Cosset ... Met

Today's word is "cosset" ... KOS-it ... to treat as a pet; pamper; coddle. (Dictionary.com)

Met

See the little creatures,

Cosseted all their lives,

Happy in their ignorance,

That's how they survive.

Petting is expected,

Food is brought on cue,

Treats are joyfully abundant,

A bone, a fish, a shoe!

From one moment to another,

Needs are well supplied,

Yet they've no idea,

On whom they rely.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Stentorian ... Reveal

Today's word is "stentorian" ... sten-TAWR-eye-uh n ... very loud or powerful in sound. (Dictionary.com)

Reveal

All his character,

Laid bare completely,

With one stentorian howl.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Zymurgy ... Expansion

Today's word is "zymurgy" ... ZAHY-mur-jee ... the branch of applied chemistry dealing with fermentation, as in winemaking, beer making, the preparation of yeast, etc. (dictionary.com)

Expansion

With all that's brewing,

A zymurgist is required.

How is this growing?

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Overweening ... Taut

Today's word is "overweening" ... OH-ver-WEE-ning ... presumptuously conceited, overconfident, or proud. (Dictionary.com)

Taut

Wild fires burn bright ...

The overweening one rules.

The subjected, wait.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Eponym ... Speak

Today's word is "eponym" ... EP-uh-nim ... a person, real or imaginary, from whom something, as a tribe, nation, or place, takes or is said to take its name. (Dictionary.com)

Speak

Hello? Hello?

Is that an echo I hear?

What is it? What is it?

That you're saying my dear?

Does the cat have your tongue?

Are you unable to speak,

Like that poor eponym,

Who's words were so weak?

She courted a God,

You can read her sad tale ...

How her speech was curtailed,

And her love was derailed.

Speak up and tell me,

What's on your mind?

I've no magic powers,

And I'll be kind!

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Longanimity ... Hush

Today's word is "longanimity" ... long-guh-NIM-I-tee ... Patient endurance of hardship, injuries, or offense; forbearance. (Dictionary.com)

Hush

Would we be happy,

If longanimity reigned?

Let's give it a try.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Chemirical ... Visions

Today's word is "chemirical" ... ki-MER-i-kuh l ... wildly fanciful; highly unrealistic: a chemirical plan. (Dictionary.com)

Visions

If someone was to come,

Down into this world of ours,

And observe the wild seasons,

The sky on fire,

Ocean depths with creatures rare,

And, on the earth more obscurities,

Including us.

The visitor might be forgiven,

For assuming a mind chemirical,

Invented it all.

Just for fun.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Eutaxi. .

Today's word is "eutaxi" .... YOO-tak-see ... good order or management. (Dictionary.com)

Brillant

Look! The universe!

Eutaxi at its finest,

     holds us together.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Dabster ... Yellow

Today's word is "dabster" ... DAB-ster ... Slang. an expert. (Dictionary.com)

Yellow

We had a small forsythia,
Planted a year ago,

It survived the winter,

And the man who grass does mow.

We were hoping for some blossoms,

To decorate our spring,

All the neighbors had them,

What a frustrating thing.

For ours had not a flower,

Nor even a small bud,

We thought that our forsythia,

Surely was a dud.

What we needed was a dabster,
To sleuth our problem out,

But instead, we checked with Google,

To puzzle this thing out.

Well, apparently this green thing,
Which sprang up from our soil,

Was a weed and not forsythia,
And to pull it we must toil.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Pulverulent ... Turn

Today's word is "pulverulent" ... puhl-VER-yuh-kuh nt ... covered with dust or powder. (Dictionary.com)

Turn

Stalking the book aisles,

Pulverulent leaves smolder,

Ready to ignite.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Lucida ... Whisper

Today's word is "lucida" ... LOO-si-duh ... Astronomy. the brightest star in a constellation. (Dictionary.com)

Whisper

Carelessly making our way,

We form our granite plans,

Lining our steps toward mountains,

Where we'll finally stand.

Then we mark the lucida,

As pointer, light and guide,

Believing this is all we need,

To prevail and to survive.

But there is spirit also,

Without us and within,

That we'd be well to listen to,

In spaces holy, thin.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Phalanx ...

Today's word is "phalanx" ... FEY-langks ... a number of individuals, especially persons united for a common purpose. (Dictionary.com)

Germinate

At redemption's bud,

A phalanx of angels sang,

Let new life begin!

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Corybantic ... Singe

Today's word is "corybantic" ... kawr-uh-BAN-tik ... frenzied; agitated; unrestrained. (Dictionary.com)

Singe

Crazy is normal.

Corybantic spirits rise.

Yet the kingdom comes.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2015

Vagarius ... Signs

Today's word is "vagarious" ... vuh-GAIR-ee-uh s ... characterized by vagaries; erratic; capricious. (Dictionary.com)

Signs

Little green leaves, turning brown,

Orange and red and yellow,

Squirrels burying acorn crowns,

(Such industrious fellows!)

A scent of woodsmoke traveling,

On vagarious wind aloft,

Through the forest wondering,

Stealthy, silent, soft.

Tender birds arrowing south,

Wings whispering their flight,

So gives the season over,

To coming winter's might.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Spinebash ... Refresh

Today's word is "spinebash" ... SPAHYN-bash ... Australian Slang. to rest; loaf. (Dictionary.com)

Refresh

Sometimes when we move to fast,

A timeout we should heed,

When we spinebash there is calm,

And that's just what we need.

A moment to collect our wits,

Take a breath and think,

About the earth's fine gifts to us,

That keep us from the brink.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Abeyance ... Hold

Today's word is "abeyance" ... uh-BEY-uh ns ... temporary inactivity, cessation, or suspension. (Dictionary.com.) 

Hold

When fog overcomes,

Decisions in abeyance,

Gather reason's peace.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Paen ... Hidden

Today's word is "paen" ... PEE-uh n ... any song of praise, joy,,or triumph. (Dictionary.com)

Hidden

Hear the lovely paen,

Coming from the trees,

Emerging from a tiny bird,

That I cannot see?

It's the melody of summer,

Which will echo long and low,

When snowflakes plate the windows,

And coming spring is slow.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Gaposis ... Whoops!

Today's word is "gaposis" ... gap-OH-sis ... facetious. a noticeable gap or series of gaps, as between the fastened buttons or snaps on an overly tight garment. (Dictionary.com)

Whoops!

So many fashion faux pas,

Wrong colors, lines or size,

A gaposis in your shirt,

Will make fashionistas cry.

Leftover styles from last year,

Closet secrets, even older,

Items left in dresser drawers,

To wrinkle up and molder.

Some say that clothes can make you,

Turn a pauper to a prince,

But sometimes the fancy covering,

Hides that which makes you wince!

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Peradventure ... Now?

Today's word is "peradventure" ... per-uh- d-ven-chur ... Chance, doubt or uncertainty. (Dictionary.com)

Now?
What peradventure
is there in this fair moment ...
that cannot be changed?

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2016