Palpebral ... Contest

Today’s word is “palpebral” ... pal-puh-bruhl ... of or relating to the eyelids. (Dictionary.com)

Contest

I watch the cat. He slinks.

His palpebral vision, arrowed,

Locked onto a feisty squirrel,

Feline options, slowly narrow.

The squirrel is unperturbed,

Judging distances in his mind,

From branch to branch to trunk,

His escape is tuned in, fine.

A flurry as the cat runs,

Missing the squirrel by a mile,

I can’t be positive of course,

But I think that squirrel just smiled.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Mump ... Shine

Today’s word is “mump” ... muhmp ... to sulk; mope. (Dictionary.com)

Shine

To sit in the dark,

To mump and cry with despair,

Hides the sun of hope.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Excogitate ... Learn

Today’s word is “excogitate” ...to think out; devise; invent. to study intently and carefully in order to grasp or comprehend fully. (Dictionary.com)

Learn

Long ago in ivied halls,

Excogitation was the rule,

Discussion solved each argument,

Reasoning the chosen tool.

Now it’s all a shouting match,

Just one view tolerated,

Those who yell the loudest,

Think they’ve won and smile, elated.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Estimable ... Edge

Today’s word is “estimable” ... es-tuh-muh-buhl ... deserving respect or admiration; worthy of esteem. (Dictionary.com)

Edge

Holy words are only words?

Estimable, not Godly?

Until the sky falls.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Lateritious ... Grow

Today’s word is “lateritious” ... lat-uh-rish-uhs ... of the color of brick. (Dictionary.com)

Grow

Green, green everywhere,

No lateritious leaves,

(Littering the fresh-cut lawn,

Filling up the eves.)

Just fragrant flowers blooming,

Birds and squirrels galore,

Heat as hot as summer,

Who could ask for more?

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Ferly ... Current

Today’s word is “ferly” ... fer-lee ... something unusual, strange, or causing wonder or terror. (Dictionary.com)

Current

What’s this ferly thing?

It’s seeded and it flies high.

Off to tomorrow.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Pasquinade ... Spin

Today’s word is “pasquinade” ... pas-kwuh-neyd ... a satire or lampoon, especially one posted in a public place. (Dictionary.com)

Spin

Just because you choose to mock,

With pasquinade or jest,

And believe yours to be the only way,

Does not mean you’re best.

A shout is not an argument,

Nor an ad hominem attack,

Or sneaking round the edges,

Or stabbing in the back.

If you would like to make a point,

You must define your case,

Or you may discover,

No one will meet you face to face.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Antemeridian ... New

Today’s word is “antemeridian” ... an-tee-muh-rid-ee-uhn ... occurring before noon. (Dictionary.com)

New

All green buds burst forth.

Antemeridian joy

Overwhelms the earth.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Flubdub ... Entice

Today’s word is “flubdub” ... fluhb-duhb ... pretentious or show; airs. (Dictionary.com)

Entice

The charlatan would come to town,

With tonics wild in tow,

And flabbergast the masses,

With his magical new show.

His flim flam was outrageous,

His flubdub grandiose,

Before you knew it, you would give,

Hard-earned money for a dose.

Snake oil and elixirs,

Entertainment for good measure,

His promise of relief was sure,

His medicine a treasure.

Today in worlds medicinal,

Our chance for cure is better,

Just ignore the side-effects,

And follow your RX to the letter.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Cynosure ... Break

Today’s word is “cynosure” ... sahy-nuh-shoor ... something that strongly attracts attention by its brilliance, interest, etc. (dictionary.com)

Break

Morning star of light,

Cynosure of day and night,

Shine on us today.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Adultescent ... Buried

Today’s word is “adultescent” ... ad-uhl-tes-uhnt ... a young adult or middle-aged person who has interests, traits, etc. that are usually associated with teenagers. (Dictionary.com)

Buried
Adultescents wait
In deep basements full of fun ...
Life postponed until?

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

Sub Rosa ... Hold

Today’s word is “sub rosa” ... suhb roh-zuh ... confidentially; secretly; privately. (Dictionary.com)

Hold

Just when you think you understand,
All wherefores and whys,
You see sub rosa happenings,
Come forward with a cry.

And you finally realize,
How much you do not know,
As with life you’re taken,
Helpless in its flow.

So faithfully on God we wait,
Confident in his power,
Which sustains and keeps us,
This very day and hour.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

Omnifarious ... Choose

Today’s word is “omnifarious” ... om-nuh-fair-ee-uhs ... of all forms, varieties, or kind. (Dictionary.com)

Choose

Omnifarious ideas,

Flow through us and around,

Gathering energy as they go,

As if they’ve just been found.

Some may find their sanity,

By ignoring all the madness,

But to bring real change about,

We can’t resort to sadness.

Gather up your courage,

And find a place to stand,

The times have a heavy habit,

Of making tough demands.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Spagyric ... Mix

Today’s word is “spagyric” ... spuh-jeer-ik ... pertaining to or resembling alchemy; alchemic. ( dictionary.com)

Mix

We are all fragile.

God’s spagyric creations ...

Distilled to essence.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Paraph ... Signs

Today’s word is “paraph” ... par-raf ... a flourish made after a signature, as in a document, originally as a precaution against forgery. (Dictionary.com) Yesterday’s word, which I missed was “bezonian” ... an indigent rascal; a scoundrel. So, I’m going to try to combine them!

Signs
Civilization has its clues,
It’s customs and it’s measures,
To tell the bezonian from the rest,
The good and blessed treasures.

The way you wear your hat or tie,
Or carry your umbrella,
If your jeans have holes or not,
Reflects directly on your seller.

Do you know your etiquette,
Can you tell one spoon from another?
Do you serve from left or right?
That’s a judgement on your mother!

Can you write a note in longhand?
With a paraph at the end?
If not, your keyboard is your slave,
Personalization is not your friend.

Oh how we judge each other,
By standards that will vary,
And never see the center,
It’s all arbitrary.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

Tempus fugit ... Spin

Today’s word is “tempus fugit” ...tem-poos foo-git ... Latin. time flies. (Dictionary.com)

Spin

From babies come teens,

Tempus fugit in real life.

And memories long.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Lollapalooza ... Cirque

Today’s word is “lollapalooza” ... lol-uh-puh-loo-zuh ... Slang. an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. (Dictionary.com)

Cirque

We watch the ladies fly above,
We hear the magic songs,
Jugglers with amazing skills,
Spin balls both high and long.

Colors shine on everything,
Dancer’s ribbons trail,
This lollapalooza never ends,
Entertaining without fail.

For an hour or two we fall,
Into a wondered world,
Taken from the mundane,
To the place where joy unfurls.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

Minnie ... Imperfect

Today’s word is “minnie” ... min-ee ... Scot. And North England Informal. mother; mom. (Dictionary.com)

Imperfect

Today, did you think about your momma,

     your mother, your minnie?

This day was for her,

     and because of her, you live.

Gratefulness seems to be the best response,

     even if things were not long,

          or perfect.

How often are they perfect? 

     So much can happen.

But, you have a chance, because of her.

     to live life better. To love in your way.

To love in a way that might change the world,

     or, at least yourself.

There will be someone, somewhere,

     who will thank God that you were born.

What a lovely miracle. That gift of life.

     That chance for love.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Truthiness ... Blab

Today’s word is “truthiness” ... troo-thee-nis ... the quality of seeming to be true according to one’s intuition, opinion, or perception without regard to logic, factual evidence, or the like. (Dictionary.com)

Blab
So much talking all around,
Opinions fly and spin,
Truthiness is spouting,
With a simple grin.

They’re talking on the tv,
And the radio,
YouTube stars are acting,
It’s everywhere you go.

But where then is the arbiter,
Between mere wishes and the facts?
Until we get it figured out,
We best discuss, and not react.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

Cordillera ... Train

Today’s word is “cordillera” ... kawr-dl-yair-uh ... a chain of mountains, usually the principal mountain system or mountain axis of a large landmass. (Dictionary.com)

Train

Sitting in the vista dome,

Watching the Rockies rise,

An amazing, awesome sight,

For a child to realize.

I was coming from the lowlands,

Where all is dunes and fields,

The rising cordillera,

Had secrets to reveal.

Towering virgin pines,
Clinging to valley walls,
Tresseled rivers raging,
Rocky waterfalls.

All was nature scented,
The very air alive,
Beauty like a spirit,
In those forests thrives.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

Hypocorism ... Pet

Today’s word is “hypocorism” ... hahy-pok-uh-riz-uhm ... a pet name. (Dictionary.com)

Pet

Every little doggy,

Every kitty cat,

Each noisy, flighty parakeet,

Or fish, or horse or rat,

Has a very special name,

A hypocorism sweet,

That separates them from the rest,

It’s what you call them when you meet.

Sweetie, Blackie, Baby,

Snowy, Swimmy, Gus,

It doesn’t matter all that much,

As long as you make a fuss.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Suborn

Today’s word is “suborn” ... suh-bawrn ... to bribe or induce (someone) unlawfully or secretly to perform some misdeed or to commit a crime. (Dictionary.com)

Hidden

In the knowing tree,

Lay the one would suborn.

Even so, we’re saved.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Infomania ... Consumed

Today’s word is “infomania” ... in-fuh-mey-nee-uh ... Digital Technology. an obsessive need to constantly check emails, social media websites, online news, etc.: The fear of being out of the loop, not to know, fuels infomania, especially among teens. (Dictionary.com)

Consumed

So much news. 

We must stay on top.

This infomania,

Just will not stop.

What if we miss,

A headline or two,

A blog or a newsflash,

What will we do?

Our input’s important,

Our understanding supreme,

We need to know details,

You know what that means.

We must pay attention,

To our iPads and phones,

E-mails and TVs,

So we won’t be alone.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Ocellated ... Blink

Today’s word is “ocellated” ... os-uh-let-tid ... having eyelike spots or markings. (Dictionary.com)

Blink

Like the ocellation on the tail,

Of a peacock fancy,

All the eyes of earth are rare,

There’s about them, nothing chancy.

And each of them reflect the souls,

Which God has freely given,
Good and hopes there mirrored,
As by greatest dreams we’re driven.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

Sabulous ... Shore

Today’s word is “sabulous” ... sab-yuh-luhs ... sandy; gritty. (Dictionary.com)

Shore

If my feet are sabulous,

I hope it’s from the beach,

Where the foamy water,

Is close, within my reach.

There the gulls are flying,

The sun is shinning bright,

My worries will all fade away,

In that summer light.

Warming breezes will begin,

As we anxious wait,

Summer always comes, you know,

Whether soon or late.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Cinquefoil ... Shine

Today’s word is “cinquefoil” ... singk-foil ... any of several plants belonging to the genus Potentilla, of the rose family, having yellow, red, or white five-petaled flowers, as P. Reptans (creeping cinquefoil) of the Old World, or P. reptans (silvery cinquefoil) of North America. (Dictionary.com)

Shine
Birds with joyous peep,
Hop through cinquefoil yellow, bright,
Blessing the new day.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

Sith ... Finally

Today’s word is “sith” ... sith ... since. (Dictionary.com)

Finally
Let us then be merry,
Sith it is spring and green’s alive,
Our heart’s can sing; we now see,
All’s growing and upward thrives.

Winter’s gone far, far away,
And it’s breath no longer freezes,
We’ll have tea out on the porch,
And enjoy the gentle breezes.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

Forgetive ... Burst

Today’s word is “forgetive” ... fawr-ji-tiv ... Archaic. inventive; creative. (Dictionary.com)

Burst
Tulips open wide,
Their forgetive palette glows ...
Hue on hue on hue.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

Pococurante ...

Today’s word is “pococurante” ... poh-koh-koo-ran-tee ... a careless or indifferent person. (Dictionary.com)

Pooh
Once was a story written,
     about a little bear,
Who was pococurante in extreme,
     who at the sky would hum and stare.

He searched for both balloons and bees,
     high above his home,
And worried about little,
   as with his piglet friend he’d roam.

But if his honey disappeared,
   and he could not remember why,
His mood would quickly take a fall,
     and he would pout and sigh.

His escapades warm child-like hearts;
    young and old enjoy his tales,
A fuzzy bear with little brain,
     yet over all, prevails.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

Tussie-Mussie ... In

Today’s word is “tussie-mussie” ... tuhs-ee-muhs-ee ... a small bunch of flowers or herbs. (Dictionary.com)

In

A tussie-mussie 

Small. The room fills with hopeful.

Petals burst with joy.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018