Jubilate ... Rooftop

Today’s word is “jubilate” ... joo-buh-leyt ... to celebrate a joyful occasion. (Dictionary.com)

Rooftop

Waiting for a place to shout,

“Jubiate!”

Waiting for a hope.

Waiting for a promise to be fulfilled.

There is a place ... this earth.

There is a hope ... resurrection.

There is a promise ... a new heaven

And a new earth. 

It’s just a matter of time.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2019

Prismatic ... Sparkle

Today’s word is “prismatic” ... priz-mat-ik ... spectral in color; brilliant; in the form of a prism. (Dictionary.com)

Sparkle

The world’s prismatic,

Rainbows and auroras

To us from God’s hand.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2019

Symposiarch ... Cracked

Today’s word is “symposiarch” ... sim-poh-zee-ahrk ... a toastmaster. (Dictionary.com)

Cracked
Standing on his stump,
The symposiarch chattered.
Here’s to the hunt!

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2019

Strawhat ... Reprieve

Today’s word is “strawhat” ... straw-hat ... of or relating to a summer theater situated outside an urban or metropolitan area. (Dictionary.com)

Reprieve

The sun is shinning now,

Quick! Go outside and look!

We’ve all been stuck inside,

With rain. (I’ve read a book.)

Now we can smile again,

Go to the strawhat plays,

Run and bike and sit ...

Watching our flowers in array.

We wait so long for this,

And yet it goes too fast,

Get the camera! Selfies now!

At least those smiles will last.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Mimimoon ... Open

Today’s minimoon ... min-ee-moon ... a short, usually inexpensive honeymoon, often followed by a longer honeymoon later on. (Dictionary.com)

Open

Sometimes you need a little trip,

Like a mini-moon,

To refresh perspective,

Sweep your mind clear, like a room.

Then once it’s clear of extra stuff,

And open to the wind,

You must be very careful,

Not to let it all back in!

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2019

Venal ... Misled

Today’s word is “venal” ... veen-l ... open to bribery; mercenary. (Dictionary.com)

Misled

Are they so venal?

Money will not soothe their souls.

It’s shiny fool’s gold.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2019

Ex cathedra ... Speak

Today’s word is “ex-cathedra” eks kuh-three-druh ... from the seat of authority; with authority. (Dictionary.com)

Speak

The Word rings ex cathedra

     through the world ...

          all creation cries praise.

By form and function,

     color, voice and movement,

Every tree and flower, lake

     and bubbling stream,

The sun and moon and 

     all the stars cry to open ears,

           startle every eye,

Wound around and within us,

     DNA confounds with an

          alphabet of complexity,

It is more than we can comprehend.

     We cry, “Holy”

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2019

Demur ... Counter

Today’s word is “demur” ... dih-mur ... to make objection, especially on the grounds of scruples; take exception; object. (Dictionary.com)

Counter

When you know the facts,

Don’t demur or be afraid.

Truth will find a way.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2016

Apologia ... Bookmark

Today’s word is “apologia” ... ap-uh-loh-jee-uh ... a work written as an explanation or justification of one’s motives, convictions, or acts. (Dictionary.com)

Bookmark

Earth full of wonders,

A bright apologia.

Open the pages!

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2019

Summer ... Hours

Today’s word is “summer” ... suhm-er ... the warmest season of the year.

Hours

It’s the summer of the year,

And the longest day is here,

We have been tempest tossed,

But now know all’s not lost,

As sun’s rays warm and cheer.

So watch this, sleepy head,

The world’s outside your bed,

It runs with or without you,

But it matters what you will do,

Follow where time’s led.

The hours of this day,

Have not come to stay,

Time means nothing new,

Except what’s been made by you,

Work and play and pray.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2019

Insipience ... Blow

Today’s word is “insipience” ... in-sip-ee-uhns ... lack of wisdom; foolishness. (Dictionary.com)

Blow
Winds of insipience are blowing,
All the night and day,
Through the windows and the doors,
Through every crack they play.

We try to caulk the openings,
To protect our skin,
But underneath the floorboards,
The breeze is getting in.

It wouldn’t matter all that much,
If it was not so chilly,
Better button up your coat,
It’s going to be a dilly!

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2019

Shog ... Secrets

Today’s word is “shog” ... shawg ... to jog along. (Dictionary.com)

Secrets
In the tiniest of places,
The cells inside our skin,
Are machines with some volition,
Creating while within.

They shog along their highways,
And carry as they go,
Chemicals and this and that,
About which they alone do know.

We give them no instructions,
Equations or timetables,
Yet they are the reason,
We are whole and able.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2019

Epiphonema ... See

Today’s word is “epiphonema” ... ep-uh-foh-nee-muh ... a sentence that is an exclamation, a general or striking comment, or a succinct summary of what has previously been said. (Dictionary.com)

At the very end,

     of parables and fables,

Lies the epiphonema,

     to apply, if you are able.

The Father welcomes back his son,

     with love, and robes and rings,

To show how God will do the same,

     When his children to him cling.

Between the turtle and the hare,

     was an unlikely race,

The turtle did win finally,

     steadiness his saving grace.

When Kipling’s little elephant,

     finally his trunk did find,

It was because his enemy,

     helped it to unwind.

So many lessons to absorb,

     so many applications,

If we’d learn from a few of them,

     we might lessen our frustrations.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2019

Caterpillar ... Trap

Today’s word is “caterpillar” ... kat-uh-pil-er” ... a person who preys on others; extortioner. (Dictionary.com)

Trap

Keep your eyes open ...

Shysters and caterpillars

Wait on sticky webs.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2019

Dada ... Stir

Today’s word is “dada” ... dah-dah ... the style and techques of a group of artists, writers etc., of the early 20th century who exploited accidental and incongruous effect in their work and who programmatically challenged and established canons of art, thought, morality, etc. (dictionary.com)

Stir
Let us run amuck!
Let us live by our own choosings,
Every single thing is up for grabs,
There’s no way we’re losing.

The dada artists’ flame,
Burns now deep inside,
We disapprove of order,
So fling the doors out wide!

Throw out the baby and the bath,
All traditions too,
Nothing from the past is good,
We only love the new.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2019

Fruitlet ... Sassy

Today’s word is “fruitlet” ... froot-lit ... a small fruit, especially one of those forming an aggregate fruit, as the raspberry. (Dictionary.com)

Sassy

Do the little fruitlets know,

As they in the garden grow,

That they will together make,

A berry you cannot mistake?

Beautiful desserts are filled,

And roundabout colored and frilled,

With red raspberry delights,

A memory in every bite.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2019

Undulate ... Pure

Today’s word is “undulate” ... uhn-jut-leyt ... to move with a sinuous or wavelike motion; display a smooth rising-and-falling or side to side alternation of movement. (Dictionary.com)

Pure

Colors undulate,

God’s paintbrush quivers with life,

The sky is singing.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2019

Lulu ... Landing

Today’s word is “lulu” ... loo-loo ... any remarkable or outstanding person or thing. (Dictionary.com)

Landing
The trail was a loo-loo!
At the beginning,
     a paved meandering.
Then slowly, inevitably,
     upward winding.
They climbed, single-file, 
     as the path narrowed,
          one precarious step at a time.
Only chains clasped hand
     over hand kept the
          hikers from 
               the edge.
The whole way back down,
     all they could think,
          was that they had
                overcome 
                      their fears,
And been in awe
     at the top of the world.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2019

Hangdog ... Temporary

Today’s word is “hangdog” ... hang-dawg ... browbeaten; defeated  (Dictionary.com)

Temporary
This world’s not your home ...
Don’t let your face be hangdog.
Watch! The kingdom comes!

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2019

Esprit de l’escalier ... Fading

Today’s word is “esprit de l’escalier” ... es-pree duh le-skahl-yey ... a perfect comeback that one frustratingly comes up with only when the moment for doing so has passed. (Dictionary.com)

Fading

My thoughts flit and flutter,

In and out of mist,

The straight path that I once knew,

Does not now exist.

How could names and dates and times,

Go so far awry?

Though written down with pen and ink,

They’re gone, like saddened sighs.

Even now the quick retort,

Cannot with skill be spoken,

That esprit de l’escalier,

As with other words, lies broken.

Feel the air, see earth and sky,

Trust in the promise given,

In the end we are vouched safe,

Never from our God are riven.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2019

Nebulated ... Chrip

Today’s word is “nebulated” ... neb-yuh-ley-tid ... having dim or indistinct markings, as a bird or other animal. (Dictionary.com)

Chirp
It’s nebulated ...
the barely brown female bird.
Quick! Google it now!

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2019

Delphic ... All

Today’s word is “Delphic” ... del-fik ... oracular; obscure; ambiguous. (Dictionary.com)

All
To see the light of God’s great Heaven,
We need no Delphic intervention,
We may approach as we are able,
If we but give our rapt attention.

Listening for every pindrop,
Whether holy syllable or sigh,
Weighing each ephemeral thought,
Sensed from either earth or sky.

We tune our hearts to see His grace,
To feel His stirrings deep within,
We have no other means or end,
Nor any better love to win.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2019

Stymie ... Waver

Today’s word is “stymie” ... stahy-mee ... to hinder, block or thawrt. (Dictionary.com)

Waver

Walking the path, we stop.

Stymied by the sign. The arrow appears 

to point straight up ...

And as much fun as it would be

to follow, it would be impractical.

Once we hit the clouds, what would

we do? To say nothing of the outer

atmosphere. To say nothing of the 

edge of our solar system or our

universe ... if there is an edge.

Some believe there is an edge

to our planet. That trying to escape 

would be like an ant skirting

the circumference of a plate.

These confusions are too much

to contemplate. We turn left.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2019

Virtuoso ... Blessed

Today’s word is “virtuoso” ... vur-choo-oh-soh ... a person who excels in musical technique or execution. (Dictionary.com)

Blessed
There are more virtuosos,
     than anyone can name,
They live in homes and villages,
     and cities far away.

You might not recognize them,
     in the office or the street,
They might not have an instrument,
     to strum or bow or beat.

One might have a little child,
      to watch throughout the night,
Or an elder who needs comfort,
     or a family to unite.

One might be full of kindnesses,
     done in secret and unknown,
Or expressed with Godly love,
     by letter, text or phone.

The outside of a book, it’s said,
     does not reveal its plot,
And some whose music is not heard,
     Give when they have not.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2019

Bastion ... Timeless

Today’s word is “bastion” ... bas-chuhn ... anything seen as preserving or protecting some quality, condition, etc. (Dictionary.com)

Timeless

A bastion of hope,

Living words speak for ages.

Love is incarnate.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2019

Appellative ... Multitude

Today’s word is “appellative” ... uh-pel-uh-tiv ... a descriptive name or designation, as Bald in Charles the Bald; Appellation ... the act of giving a name to a person or thing. (Dictionary.com)

Multitude

When the animals were given,

Their appellations strange,

What odd scribe took on the task,

Of which letters to arrange?

Was his nature heavenly,

Invisible, obscure?

His voice like a breezy whisper,

To make Adam feel secure?

Did he sit right down with God,

As He blueprinted the bat?

Did he make suggestions,

About its future habitat?

His book must be enormous,

To hold all creatures and their kin,

And he must have been amazed,

As they came alive within their skins!

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2019

Fictioneer ...

Today’s word is “fictioneer” ... fik-shuh-neer ... a writer of fiction, especially a prolific one whose works are of mediocre quality. (Dictionary.com)

Fake

He watched events unfold,

He did what he was told,

Fictioneering all the facts,

With feelings calm and cold.

What difference would it make?

What really was at stake?

He knew that he was right,

Truth was his to take.

Then the balance was upset,

By people he’d not met,

Who didn’t see things his way,

And wanted things reset.

So then he confessed,

To creating undo stress,

He retracted all his words,

And cleaned up the whole mess.

Redemption still might come,

If we can think as one,

Forgive, forget and move,

‘Til all hurt’s undone.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2019

Fecund ... Chalk

Today’s word is “fecund” ... fee-kuhnd ... very productive or creative intellectually. (Dictionary.com)

Chalk

His fecund mind was whirring,
Answers coming fast,
The questions were enormous,
But his intellect was vast.

Writing on the chalkboard,
His equations would amaze,
Although he had few friends,
To help him through his days.

Math problems don’t criticize,
Books accept attention,
Long hours hide all awkwardness,
And minimize rejection.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2019

Jactation ... Mouthy

Today’s word is “jacktation” ... jak-tey-shuhn ... boasting; bragging. (Dictionary.com)

Mouthy

All the jacktation!

Fingers firmly in both ears.

How can you hear truth?

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2019

Disinvent ... Spin

Today’s word is “disinvent” ... dis-in-vent ... to undo the invention of; to reverse the existence of. (Dictionary.com)

Spin

What if we disinvented the wheel?

     Peace would immediately descend.

Oh, it would take a bit longer 

     to get to the store,

But the garbage truck wouldn’t wake

     me early Monday mornings.

We would have to home school, 

     but we’d know where our children were.

Horses would come back in style ...

     I’d like a Palamino! And he could mow my lawn 

          for free.

We’d have to rename mobile homes. I suppose once 

     they were stationary, they would become

          more respected.

The downsides don’t seem so bad. Our attention

     might come back to essentials.

I imagine sitting in my nibbled grass, quietly

     contemplating the birds, wondering where

          my next meal was coming from.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2019