Ghosting ... Over

Today’s word is “ghosting” ... goh-sting ... Informal. the practice of suddenly ending all contact with a person without explanation, especially in a romantic relationship. (Dictionary.com)

Over

Ghosts and spirits fly,

Through fallish, spooky skies,

But only for one night,

Then they’ll be out of sight.

Much like reluctant guests,

Who, tiring of their social quest,

Take their crystal shoes,

And leave any time they choose.

This ghosting’s not all bad,

Sometimes not even sad,

Sometimes ghosts must go,

Leaving not an echo.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Hocus-Pocus... Treat!

Today’s word is “hocus-pocus” ... hoh-kuhs-poh-kuhs ... a juggler’s trick; sleight of hand. (Dictionary.com)

Treat!

Hocus-pocus lite,

Halloween tomorrow night,

Candy corn fracas.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Diablerie ... Creepy

Today’s word is “diablerie” ... dee-ah-bluh-ree ... diabolic magic or art; witchcraft. (Dictionary.com)

Creepy

Soon, diablerie

Will take over the evening,

Shrieks and giggles rule.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Ossature ... Form

Today’s word is “ossature” ... os-uh-cher ... the arrangement of bones in the skeleton or a body part. (Dictionary.com)

Form

Such a tricky thing,

Our ossature of bones,

Arranged so perfectly,

It’s origins unknown.

From head to foot we’re knit,

Secure within our skin,

The outside stays without,

The inside stays within.

But thoughts are things they say,

They travel far and wide,

Radiating out,

From the soul inside.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Necropolis ... Shivers

Today’s word is “necropolis” ... nuh-krop-uh-lis ... a cemetery, especially one of large size and usually of an ancient city. (Dictionary.com)

Shivers

We do not want to creep,

Through darkened scary streets,

With ghosties and their friends,

Until the evening ends.

So, it is the season,

(Halloween’s the reason),

Although the necropolis does beckon,

I’m staying home, I reckon!

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Dirigible ... Drift

Today’s word is “dirigible” ... dir-i-juh-buhl ... an airship. (Dictionary.com)

Drift
Odd dirigibles,
Old politicians languish.
Waves of change ripple.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

Moonstruck ... Slivers

Today’s word is “moonstruck” ... moon-struhk ... mentally deranged, supposedly by the influence of the moon; crazed. (Dictionary.com)

Slivers

Sometimes we all seem moonstruck,

Howling in the dark,

Barking up the wrong trees,

With a vengeance, stark.

Looking for mistreatment,

In each other’s words,

Counting all our insults,

To sums that are absurd.

We find what we are looking for,

That is no surprise,

But we might find compassion,

If we looked each other in the eye.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Hooly ... Faithfull

Today’s word is “hooly” ... hoo-lee ... Scot. Cautiously; gently. (Dictionary.com)

Faithfull

We will accept fall.

Unsure of her intentions.

Hooly, we step out.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Barnstorm ... Fly

Today’s word is “barnstorm” ... bahrn-stawrm ... to conduct a campaign or speaking tour in rural areas by making brief stops in many small towns. (Dictionary.com)

Fly

Barnstorming swamps and marshes,

Egrets migrate south toward home,
The cold of winter’s coming,
Forcing them to roam.

They’ll find food and safety,
And happily they’ll stay,
Until the spirit frees them,
About the first of May.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

Humdinger ... Colors

Today’s word is “humdinger” ... huhm-ding-er ... Informal. a person, thing, action, or statement of remarkable excellence or effect. (Dictionary.com)

Colors

Sunsets at the beach,

Amaze in their perfection,

Beautiful and grand,

Capturing attention.

No matter what the season,

Summer, spring or fall,

Even in the winter,

They’re humdingers, all.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Single-hearted ... Mission

Today’s word is “single-hearted” ... sing-guhl-hahr-tid ... sincere and undivided in feeling or spirit; dedicated; not reflecting mixed emotions. (Dictionary.com)

Mission

Those single-hearted,

Undeterred by misfortune,

Bravely carry on.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Ploce ... imagine

Today’s word is “ploce” ... ploy-see ... Rhetoric. the repetition of a word or phrase to gain special emphasis or to indicate an extension of meaning. (Dictionary.com)

Imagine

The great I AM speaks,

The ploce a reminder,

He is that He is.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Cryonaut ... Later

Today’s word is “cryonaut” ... krahy-uh-nawt ... a person whose dead body has been preserved by the technique of cryonics. (Dictionary.com)

Later

Here is the hope ...

     that someday things will

          be better.

Disease will be no more;

     Hostilities will cease.

We will live forever.

     Peace and Love.

A false hope which does not

     weigh our misery or its source.

The curious cryonaut

     wants to live in the crystal ball.

As if human nature will change

     with the magic of technology.

As if our problems will not

     follow us.

As if we, like ice and snow

     will melt into life-giving water,

          ready to nourish the dead earth

               and ourselves, back to life.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

     

Thunderstone ... Boom!

Today’s word is “thunderstone” ... thuhn-der-stohn ... any of various stones or fossils formerly thought to be fallen thunderbolts. (Dictionary.com)

Boom!

Duck! A thunderstone!

Energy morphs to matter.

What else might rain down?

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Linguaphile ... Tomb

Today’s word is “linguaphile” ... ling-gwuh-fahyl ... a language and word lover. (Dictionary.com)

Tome

The book was huge yet fragile,

A liguaphile’s dream,

A dictionary ancient,

More than what it seemed.

The children held it open,

Checking editors and flags,

Wondering at its weightiness,

(About which they would brag.)

Astonished that their ipads,

Held all those words and more,

They sat for half an hour,

As if by an open door.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Patzer ...

Today’s word is “patzer” ... paht-ser ... a casual, amateurish chess player. (Dictionary.com)

Bold

The battle rages;

A patzer won’t win this war ...

The surprising, will.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Brightwork ... Lumen

Today’s word is “brightwork” ... brahyt-wurk ... polished metal parts, as on a ship or automobile. (Dictionary.com)

Lumen

In the gloom and doom around,

Are found the righteous ones,

Shining brightwork where’er they go,

Like diamonds in the sun.

Thank God for their unfailing faith,

Their courage in the fight,

Darkness shrinks like shadows,

In their candled light.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Postern ... Shhh

Today’s word is “postern” ... pho-stern ... a back door or gate. (Dictionary.com)

Shhh
What’s that noise out there?
Check the postern, lock the gate!
Spirits are rustling.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

Sennachie ... Trees

Today’s word is “sennachie” ... sen-uh-kee ... Chiefly Scot., Irish. a professional storyteller of family genealogy, history and legend. (Dictionary.com)

Trees

The sennachie knows ...

And will reveal all secrets,
Ancient snapshots stun.

Anne aselleck
Copyright 2018

Clavier ... Beat

Today’s word is “clavier” ... kluh-veer ...any musical instrument having a keyboard, especially a stringed keyboard instrument, as a harpsichord, clavichord, or piano. (Dictionary.com)

Beat

Clear as a clavier,

Raindrops play through falling leaves,

Orange-red melody.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

vulgarian ... Blank

Today’s word is “vulgarian” ... vuhl-gair-ee-uhn ... a vulgar person, especially one whose vulgarity is the more conspicuous because of wealth, prominence, or pretentious to good breeding. (Dictionary.com)

Blank

In the highest places,

Vulgarians write plots,

Outdoing one another,

Their schemes with evil shot.

No power to the people,

Within their stated aims,

The greater good ignored,

As they strategize their games.

When did their good intentions,

Go so miserably astray?

And will their senses come back,

Before we all join in the fray?

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Ineluctable ... Wait

Today’s word is “ineluctable” ... in-i-luhk-tuh-buhl ... incapable of being evaded; inescapable. (Dictionary.com)
Wait
It is ineluctable that we
     are stuck in our own skin ...
For good or ill our plans are made.
     After, we reach for our perfect dream.
Our unhappiness weighed and measured
     before our first action
          moves us forward.
What consciousness convinces?
     What morality?
Whose desires and directives
     are best for all of us?
Are we even capable of sorting
     through the chaos of ideas
           to extract the only one which will cure our ills?
Many have tried. And failed.
     And tried again.
The evidence for success is not encouraging.
     Until we humbly recognize
           our lack of understanding, we will 
                err on the side of arrogance.
And that pride will not serve us well.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

Librate ... Soar

Today’s word is “librate” ... lahy-breyt ... to remain poised or balanced. (Dictionary.com)

Soar
The dark sky grumbles,
Lightning flashes white to ground.
Seagulls librate, free.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

Brio ... Forward

Today’s word is “brio” ... bree-oh ... vigor; vivacity. (Dictionary.com)

Forward
The brightest and best,
Filled with brio and courage,
Bring joy to the world.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

Axilla ... Emperor

Today’s word is “axilla” ... ak-sil-uh ... the armpit. (Dictionary.com)

Emperor

Dressed in finery,

Crown, to axilla to toes.

Every inch splendid.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Schadenfreude ... Tip

Today’s word is “schadenfreude” ... shahd-n-froi-duh ... satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else’s misfortune. (Dictionary.com)

Tip
They met and later,
The schadenfreude thickened.
Challenging balance.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

Tump ... Gain

Today’s word is “tump” ... tuhmp ... British Dialect. a small mound, hill, or rise of ground. (dictionary.com)

Gain
It’s merely a tump in the road,
This thing that has got you upset,
A moment so temporary,
Like a rainstorm that’s got you all wet.

Yes, it is mighty unpleasant,
And may reduce you to tears,
But the hard things will teach you a lesson,
Not learned in the happiest of years.

Pay attention to that little voice,
That you hear in your head,
And your journey will be so much better,
Almost as if you’re being led.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2018

notionate ... Halt

Today’s word is “notionate” ... noh-shuh-nit ... Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. strong-willed or stubborn. (Dictionary.com)

Halt

Notionate summer

Stammers toward autumn’s coming,

Leaves fly in her wake.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

Rewild ... Survive

Today’s word is “rewild” ... ree-wahyld ... to return (land) to a more natural state (dictionary.com)

Survive

If we were to rewild,

What would we eat and drink?

Who would make our clothes,

If we were on the brink?

Would we walk the woods,

Trapping creatures small,

(It’s a lot more work,

Than shopping at the mall.)

Most are ill prepared,

To go back into that fight.

We’d rather watch our screens,

Deep into the night.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018

nugacity ... dotted

Today’s word is “nugacity” ... noo-gas-i-tee ... triviality; insignificance. (dictionary.com)

Dotted

In every corner,

Nugacity is neutered.

Purpose everywhere.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2018