Laicism ... Burn

Today's word is "laicism" ... LEY-uh-siz-uh m ... the nonclerical, or secular, control of political and social institutions in a society (distinguished from clericalism). (Dictionary.com)

Burn

They worked hard for years,

Laicism stopped them short.

For no holy fire fell.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Quinquennium ...

Today's word is "quinquennium" ... kwin-KWEN-ee-uh m ... a period of five years. (Dictionary.com.)

See

The years pass ...

     one quinquennium upon another.

To amass the total of a life.

     But we barely notice,

until they've gone, then,

     looking back, it seems

          a flash we scarcely recognize.

All the bithdays and Christmases,

    summers and falls, children grown and growing,

meals and working days and vacations,

     merged into a glance.

How do we weigh that weightless sum?

     Some say the counterweight is grace.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

     

     

  

     

     

Toggery ... Stunned

Today's word is "toggery" ... TOG-uh-ree ... Informal. clothes; garments; togs. (Dictionary.com)

Stunned

We sit in silence,

Ignoring our toggery.

Staring at the star.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Soliloquize ...

Today's word is "soliloquize" ... suh-LIL-uh-kwahyz ... to utter a soliloquy; talk to oneself. (Dictionary.com)

We were driving on the road,

En route from here to there,

Above us little birds were perched,

On lightposts in the air.

They chattered their soliloquies,

Into the graying afternoon,

Mutterings about their lives,

What they'd be doing soon.

We continued on our way,

Constructing human plans,

Oblivious of the avain thoughts,

Which high above us ran.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Heartsease ... Hold

Today's word is "heartsease" ... HAHRTS-eez ... peace of mind. (Dictionary.com)

Hold

When your life is going,

Into a darkened place,

Spinning out of order,

Without a touch of grace,

What gives you your heartsease,

Despite the raging storm,

What grounds you to the moment,

With hope for a blessed morn?

Listen close within you,

For whispered angel sound,

Unseen wings protect you,

Within, and around.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Schlockmeister ... Bonus

Today's word is "schlockmeister" ... SHLOCK-mahy-ster ... Slang. a person who deals in or sells inferior or worthless goods; junk dealer. (Dictionary.com)

Bonus

How many slippery schlockmeisters,

Are there on T.V.?

They're selling pans for a great price,

Plus a handling fee.

If you order two or more,
(Must be one is for a friend!?)
One or the other of them's free!
Even less for you to spend.

Eggs and cheese, slide right out,
And burned up carmel too,
Everything will taste just great,
And be a joy to chew!

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2016

Boon ... Thanksgiving

Boon ... something to be thankful for; blessing; benefit. something that is asked; favor sought. (Dictionary.com)

Thanksgiving

This is a day to count our blessings,

To feast and talk and pray,

To thank God for the boon of freedom,

Which we enjoy each day.

And thanks for family and lifelong friends,

Who journey with us here,

To whom we turn for comfort warm,

For meaning and for cheer.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Savior-faire ... Social

Today's word is "savior-faire" ... SAV-wahr-FAIR ... knowledge of just what to do in any situation; tact. (Dictionary.com)

Social

So many awkward moments,

When I've no savior-faire,

I really don't know what to say,

So I stand and stare.

Some people are always on their toes,

Filled with jokes and wit,

I'd rather stay where it's safe, at home,

And just pet the cat and sit.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Equipoise ... Tippy

Today's word is "equipoise" ... EE-kwuh-poiz ... an equal distribution of weight; even balance; equilibrium. a counterpoise. (Dictionary.com)

Tippy

All the opinions,

Now in perfect equipoise ...

One breath will change it.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Duende ... Grand

Today's word is "duende" ... DWEN-de ... Spanish. charm; magnetism. (Dictionary.com)

Grand

She is tiny and she's fun,

She has duende certain,

Just one bat of those eyelashes,

And you know she's flirten' 

She gets her way with that look,

Or a great big hug,

But no one cares at all because,

She's such a cutie bug!

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Incipient ... See?

Today's word is "incipient" ... in-SIP-eye-uh nt ... beginning to exist or appear; in an initial stage. (Dictionary.com)

See?

I see the sun rise ...

Incipient day burning.

Let the fires rage!

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Ripsnorter ... Blizzard

Today's word is "ripsnorter" ... rip-SNAWR-ter ... informal. Something or someone remarkably good or exciting. (Dictionary.com)

Blizzard

Yesterday was beautiful,

Warm and quite serene,

Today is blustery and cold,

And snow was even seen.

They say there's a ripsnorter,

Blowing toward our town,

The time for warmth is over,

The leaves have fallen down.

So we'll get the boots out,

The mittens and the gloves,

Face the winter's madness,

And whatever falls from up above.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Juvenilia ... Apprentice

Today's word is "juvenilia" ... joo-vuh-NIL-ee-uh. works, especially writings produced in one's youth. (Dictionary.com)

Apprentice

The artist works his magic,

Everybody sighs,

The lines are just magnificent,

Seems he doesn't even try.

His hues are kaleidoscopic,

Though his process is obscure,

The critics swoon with fervor,

As if they know his meaning, sure.

His juvenilia reveals,

A different, labored story,

Years of practicing his craft,

Before this (instant) glory.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Sycophant ... Follow

Today's word is "sycophant" ... SIK-uh-fuh nt ... a self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite. (Dictionary.com)

Follow

Ideas abound,

Sycophants follow behind.

Bow only to truth.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Pleonasm ... Calm

Today's word is "pleonasm" ... PLEE-uh-naz-uh m ... the use of more words than are necessary to express an idea; redundancy. (Dictionary.com)

Calm

Talk, talk, talk, talk,

Pleonasm's running wild,

Exagerations piling up,

Everyone's upset or riled.

Breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe,

Everything will be ok,

Sometimes things seem broken,

Sometimes they go your way.

Peace, peace, peace, peace,

In your soul and mind,

Let God guide your heart and soul,

And to yourself be kind.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Manna ... Bored?

Today's word is "manna" ... MAN-uh ... any sudden or unexpected help, advantage, or aid to success. (Dictionary.com)

Bored?

And yet, manna falls

     on us, day on day on day.

Do we say "thank you?"

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Anathema ... View

Today's word is "anathema" ... uh-NATH-uh-muh ... a person or thing detested or loathed. (Dictionary.com)

View

Isn't it strange,

How friends so close at heart,

Can find in each other,

Ideas which are anathema ...

Friends who would lay down their lives,

Yet look through a different lens,

And believe everything they see.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Immure ... Stand

Today's word is "immure" ... ih-MYOO r ... to shut in; seclude or confine. (Dictionary.com)

Stand

There is a temptation,

To immure ourselves from danger,

Hide in the nearest closet,

Stay far away from strangers.

But a better avenue,

Is to be brave and take a stand,

And know your truth will shine,

Within a greater plan.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Cloudburst ... Patter

Today's word is "cloudburst" ... KLOUD-burst ... a sudden and very heavy rainfall. (Dictionary.com)

Patter

Sunny days filled with light,

You just know that things are right,

Then a cloudburst blows through town,

And changes everything around.

In this kind of circumstance,

You can decide to mourn or dance,

It's just a temporary storm,

Soon enough the sun will warm.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Eximious ... Work

Today's word is "eximious" ... eg-ZIM-ee-uh s ... distinguished; eminent; excellent. (Dictionary.com)

Work

Now the problems grow,

We need someone eximious,

Turn it all around!

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Frowzy ... Whiskers

Today's word is "frowzy" ... FROU-zee ... dirty and untidy; slovenly. (Dictionary.com)

Whiskers

Once I was told,

That when I got old,

I'd be covered with straggly cats,

I'd be frowzy and fuzzy,

(He wasn't right, was he?)

What would anyone think of that?

Well now, it is true,

The first thing I do,

When the morning arrives,

Is get out the dish,

And put in the fish,

That keeps my kitty alive.

But there's only one,

Not a great sum

Of felines to keep me warm,

And he is enough,

With his spunk and his fluff,

To bring comfort, whatever the storm.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Syncretism ... Boo

Today's word is "syncretism" ... SING-kri-tiz-uh m ... the attempted reconciliation or union of different or opposing principles., practices, or parties, as in philosophy. (Dictionary.com)

Boo

The contest's over ...

"We need syncretism now,"

     say the vanquished.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Suffrage ... Who?

Today's word is "suffrage" ... SUHF-rij ... the right to vote, especially in a political election. (Dictionary.com)

Who?

Suffrage is our right.

Pity those who have no voice

Save the voice of God.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2015

Circumspect ... Effort

Today's word is "circumspect" ... SUR-kuh m-spekt ... well-considered. Watchful and discreet; cautious; prudent. (Dictionary.com)

Effort We were circumspect.
But still, the world went astray.
It was not enough.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2015

Quotidian ...

I can't believe I missed a day! I was having so much fun with the grandkids that I totally forgot to write!! So, today you get 2 strange words in one poem!

Yesterday's word was "quotidian" ... kwoh-TID-ee-uh n ... usual or customary. Today's word is "bathos" ... BEY-thos ... insincere pathos; sentimentality; mawkishness. (Dictionary.com)

Noise
All of us unfortuneates,
With pads or pods or phones,
T.Vs, radios or friends,
(Even some who live alone),

Hear politics quotidian,
Around us everyday,
Which can't be halted or escaped,
Nor even delayed.

Our only choice in this, I think,
Faced with bathos and extremes,
Is to do our duty,
Then bow our heads and dream.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2016

Obdurate ... Scatter

Today's word is "obdurate" ... OB-doo-rit ... unmoved by persuasion, pity, or tender feelings; stubborn; unyielding. (Dictionary.com)

Scatter

Leaves are falling,

Football calling,

Elections on a tear,

Squirrels are nutting,

Skuttlebutting,

Running here and there,

We're all waiting,

Anticipating,

Obdurate winter chill,

In the mean time,

Enjoying sunshine,

Let it come what will.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Galimatias ...

Today's word is "galimatis" ... gal-uh-MEY-shee-uh s ... Confused or unintelligible talk. (Dictionary.com)

Mum

Concentrate on now.

Galimatis will attack

In day's confusion.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Infra dig ...

Today's word is "infra dig" ... IN-fruh DIG" ... beneath one's dignity. (Dictionary.com)

Fade

From our point of view,

Lowliness is infra dig.

God thinks otherwise.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Hagiography ... Pages

Today's word is "hagiography" ... hag-eye-OG-ruh-fee ... the writing and critical study of the lives of the saints. (dictionary.com)

Pages

There are stories being told,

Every day and week and year,

By the lives of living saints,

Every place where they appear.

Their hagiographies are written,

In those things they do and say,

Forming for us an example,

Of how to watch and pray.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016