Felicific ... Above

Today’s word is “felecific” ... causing or tending to cause happiness. (Dictionary.com)

Above
Turn from the darkness;
Felecific thoughts can rise.
Peace will settle in.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Transliterate ... Change

Today’s word is “transliterate” ... to change (letters, words, etc.) into corresponding characters of another alphabet or language. (Dictionary.com)

Change
The word of God lives
In transliteration.
Become flesh in us.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Apoplectic ... Mad

Today’s word is “apoplectic” ... extremely angry; furious. (Dictionary.com)

Mad Becoming apoplectic,
At the state of things,
Brings no resolution,
It only wounds and stings.

Casting blame and accusations,
At one’s enemies,
Will change the shape of your heart,
In ways God alone can see.

If we are truly one,
Then all must the burden share,
The price of great forgiveness,
Is to know that nothing’s fair.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Won’t ... Break

Today’s word is “wont” ... custom; habit; practice. (Dictionary.com)

Break
We rise up every morning,
As we’re wont to do,
Look out the window at the world,
At the day, brand new.

And yet we’re trapped, here inside,
Free to think, but not to move,
While others make the choices,
They say will our lot improve.

We trust each moment separately.
As it ticks away,
But, they shapeshift into hours,
While we wait and pray.

Hope beckons us, just out of reach,
We sink into holy words,
Meanings open silently,
Souls by the Spirit stirred.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Sciolism ... Questions

Today’s word is “sciolism” ... superficial knowledge. (Dictionary.com)

Questions
Our sciolism is astounding.
We do not know where the wind
     comes from or where it goes.
We do not know how we come to be,
     or why.
We do not know the true shape of 
     stars or of our own hearts.
We do not know the source of music,
     or colors, only that they comfort.
We are overwhelmed by numbers,
     of creatures, of galaxies, of grains of sand.
We can not comprehend what is happening
     inside our own skin and bones.
We do have inklings ... of conscience, of logic,
     of beauty, of love.
And sometimes, we know what is true. Despite
     the lack of evidence.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Cinderella ... Glitter

Today’s word is “Cinderella” ...  a person or thing that achieves unexpected or sudden success or recognition, especially after obscurity, neglect, or misery. (Dictionary.com)

Glitter
In the long lost fairy tales,
The endings are the same,
Forever after, happy,
The villains doomed and shamed.

Dragons lose their altitude,
Black knights their shiny luster,
But Cinderella’s into princesses turn,
Elder sisters flustered.

The stories point beyond themselves,
To futures yet to be,
To mysterious promises,
Which blinded, we can’t see.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Moue ... Nevertheless

Today’s word is “moue” ... pouting grimace.

Nevertheless We will face the world,
With a smile, not a sad moue.
Trusting the future.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Longevous ... Endure

Today’s word is “longevous” ... long-lived; living to a great age. (Dictionary.com)

Endure
He’s longevous and slow,
He plods his way along,
He’s seen so much already,
He’s old, but not so strong.

Other than this, quiet.
More than a hundred years to think,
But no wisdom comes from him.
Only a slow, uncaring blink.

Why in God’s great wisdom,
Did he give this creature years?
Perhaps they were not given us,
Because of the weight of tears.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Schlep ... Heavy

Today’s word is “schlep”  ... to carry; lug. (Dictionary.com)

Heavy
Too often days spent,
Schlepping our sorrows around.
When we could let go.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Hypermnesia ... Remembered

Today’s word is “hypermnesia” ... the condition of having an unusually vivid or precise memory. (Dictionary.com)

Remembered
Twenty years from now,
     former teenagers
          will tell stories.
They will remember, as if
     they had hypermnesia,
          the days of isolation.
When they stayed home,
     in their rooms ...
          (not that they minded.)
The whole world was sick. Schools
     closed down. And everything else.
People panicked and bought
     more toilet paper than they
          could carry or use in a month.
Memes were made. And people
     laughed and cried and died.
And after some time, it ended.
     Prayers had been answered.
They will tell their children 
     how they survived.
And their children will laugh,
     and go outside to play.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Bromide ... What?

Today’s word is “bromide” ... a platitude or trite saying. (Dictionary.com)

What?
A plethora of bromides,
Will not cure our fears,
As we sit secluded,
Just like all our peers.

We’re all alone together,
Connected by our minds,
Trying to stay calm,
Trying to unwind.

What will become of us,
We can only speculate,
So we watch and pray,
And rest and breathe and wait.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Stir-crazy ... Sit

Today’s word is “stir-crazy” ... restless or frantic because of confinement, routine. (Dictiinary.com)

Sit
If it hasn’t happened yet,
Wait another week,
You’ll be stir-crazy soon enough,
Unless relief you seek.

Call a friend or write a letter,
Find your puzzles new or old,
Search your iPad for a game,
Take a walk out in the cold.

Learn a language, clean your house,
Soon summer will be here,
We’ll all look back with great relief,
With nothing left to fear.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Primaveral ... Open

Today’s word is “primaveral” ... of, in, or pertaining to the early springtime. (dictionary.com)

Open
Winter’s stepping back.
We breathe primaveral air,
Our spirit’s soar.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Lunker ... Catch

Today’s word is “lunker” ... something unusually large for its kind. (Dictionary.com)

Catch
You go to catch the lunkers,
Small ones are no fun,
Somehow if you catch the largest,
You feel as if you’ve won.

It’s not as if a medal,
Is placed upon your chest,
It’s just a point of pride ...
You feel as if you’re best.

And then you eat your prize,
Or hang it on the wall,
But the lake still looks the same,
As if there was no fish at all.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Greenth ... Emerge

Today’s word is “greenth” ... green growth; verdure. (Dictionary.com)

Emerge

Today the sun came out,

Soon greenth here will be seen,

But spring sneaks in so slowly,

As from the cold we ween.

A robin here and there,

A daffodil in brilliant yellow,

A cardinal in the bush,

(He is a dapper fellow.)

We have time to watch and learn,

As nature’s ways repeat,

Slow the minutes down,

Watch the garden and the street.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2020

Muzz ... Burn

Today’s word is “muzz” ... to confuse (someone); make (someone) muzzy. (Dictionary.com)

Burn
All our heads are muzzed.
Fearful that the light is gone.
But, light will conquer.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Scordatura ... Play

Today’s word is “scordatura” ... the tuning of a stringed instrument in other than the usual way to facilitate the playing of certain compositions.

Play
If we will allow,
We will become fine tuned
Scordatura, by the spirit,
To heal all our wounds,

And to find our place,
Where we will fit, just so,
And to know true peace,
Wherever we may go.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

À la mode ... More

Today’s word is “à la mode” ... of pie or other dessert) served with a portion of ice cream, often as a topping: apple pie à la mode.

More
What? Eat pie alone?
À la mode is pure excess.
Extraordinary!

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Hobgoblin ... Scary

Today’s word is “hobgoblin” ... something causing superstitious fear; a bogy.

Scary
Is this hobgoblin real or fake?
We hear his footsteps in the night,
He is knocking the dishes off the shelf
 as he makes himself a snack.
He’s rustling the bookcase.
We hide under the covers, wishing him to be gone.
We can hear him breathing ...
Or is that our own air rushing from our lungs?
Surely he is malevolent ... 
Why else would he stalk us. Invite us to fear?
What do hobgoblins fear?
If you throw water on him will he dissolve
     like a wicked western witch?
If you face him and yell will he jump out 
     of his shadow?
If you ignore him and put on some
     soothing music, will he fall asleep?
Maybe he likes stories or poetry.
Maybe sticks of peppermint make him smile.
Maybe if we avoid him with our eyes,
     he will die of sadness.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Stownlins ... Feelings

Today’s word is “stownlins” ... secretly; stealthily. (Dictionary.com)

Feelings
They will travel here,
Stownlins, smiles on their faces,
They are knocking now.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Punctillio ... Right

Today’s word is “punctilio” ... a fine point, particular, or detail, as of conduct, ceremony, or procedure. (Dictionary.com)

Right
Each punctillio,
Every single dot in place.
Perfection beckons.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Moil ... Fight

Today’s word is “moil” ... to work hard; drudge. (Dictionary.com)

Fight

We moil along, at work or school,

In factories and on farms,

In homes and also on the road,

Calmly or with some alarm.

Our peace is being shattered,

Our isolation pierced,

By tiny little viruses,

Whose results are fierce.

Yet our minds can calm us,

And keep us in repose,

And maybe even strengthen,

When these evils we oppose.

Anne Selleck

Copyright 2020

Hypethral ... Stare

Today’s word is “hypethral” ... wholly or partly open to the sky, especially of a classical building; having no roof.

Stare
Can we see heaven? 
Hypethral spirit rises.
Love is there revealed.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Confidence ... Return

Today’s word is “confidence” ... belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities; self-confidence; self-reliance; assurance. (Dictionary.com)

Return
The path ahead is steep,
And sleep is not allowed,
One step and then another,
We go along, unbowed.

Despite the narrow way,
And rocks and tricky turns,
Our confidence is in our God,
Not in what we’ve learned.

Trust becomes our compass,
Faith our stepping stone,
As we weary travel,
On our way back home.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020