Escapism ... Enough

Today’s word is “escapism” ... the avoidance of reality by absorption of the mind in entertainment or in an imaginative situation, activity, etc. (Dictionary.com)

Enough
Run away! Run away,” my brain says,
But there is no place that’s safe.
No place that is “away.”

There is a virus lurking,
Hiding in plain sight,
Shaking all our confidence.
We are unsure.

Fires are burning, windows breaking,
Mobs in the street, screaming.
Hate flowing freely. Grimly.
Brick by brick the violence grows.

Escapism is tempting,
Telling us, anywhere else would be better.

Perhaps if we listen instead
To the still, small voice inside us,
Our actions will be turned
By love.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Uctuous ... Speech

Today’s word is “unctuous” ...  excessively smooth, suave, or smug. (Dictionary.com)

Speech
Verbose. Unctuous.
Talking from a little square.
He reads all the news.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Doover ... Dusk

Today’s word is “doover” ... thingamabob; thingamajig. (Dictionary.com)

Dusk
He stood on the dock
Doovers and lures at his feet.
As well, a small boy.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Sciliet ... Mistaken

Today’s word is “sciliet” ... to wit, namely. (Dictionary.com)

Mistaken
He thinks that he is other
Than the meaning of his name,
Sciliet not squirrelly,
And so, rather tame.

I call “kitty, kitty”
He looks at me and runs,
Not away, but toward me,
Looking for some fun.

Right up to the railing,
Where the cat does perch,
Looking all expectant,
The end of his short search.

So he gets a walnut,
I enable his behavior,
I know he’ll be back again,
Because he likes the flavor!

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Celestial ... Multitude

Today’s word is “celestial” ... pertaining to the sky or visible heaven, or to the universe beyond the earth’s atmosphere. (Dictionary.com)

Multitude
We sigh. Gaze upward
And count celestial bodies.
Like sheep before sleep.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Salute ... Fallen

Today’s word is “salute” ... to express respect or praise for; honor; commend. (Dictionary.com)

Fallen
Today we salute
     the fallen ones
Those who sacrificed themselves,
     for unknown generations.
We would hope for a better way
     to secure our futures.
To save freedom for the world
     and for ourselves.
It seems we cannot tell a story
     without a battle ...
Good and evil colliding,
     as if the theme is written so large,
          there is no escape.
Yet, with gratefulness and sad hearts,
     we remember and hope for
          a future that does not require 
                  such sacrifice.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Whelked ... Beached

Today’s word is “whelked” ... ridged like the shell of a snail: a whelked horn. (Dictionary.com)

Beached
Where? Under the sea,
Whelked, smooth, fish and strange creatures ...
World within a world.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Syncopate ... Timing

Today’s word is “syncopate” ... to place (the accents) on beats that are normally unaccented. (Dictionary.com)

Timing
Our days ran in steady rhythm,
We knew what each one would contain,
Now their syncopated timing
Is filled with unexpected strain.

Facts from yesterday refuted,
New thoughts spring up through the air,
They fly like swallows in the currents,
Believe them if you must, or dare.

We would be glad of happy hindsight,
A compendium of truthful facts,
Pointing us in one direction,
A faithful framework for our acts.

Without this we lurch along,
Making guesses on the fly,
Hoping for a resolution,
Before much more time goes by.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Soupçon .... Holy

Today’s word is “soupçon” ...  a slight trace, as of a particular taste or flavor. Dictionary.com)

Holy
The book is old as time,
With time’s lines drawn,
And the history of man,
And of angels.

Without thus soupçon of mystery,
Reality would be all there is
Or was or could be.

But there is a rumor of gods,
Long ago, and giants,
And a council of holy ones.
And the one most holy.

Without this we would be doomed
To repeat our sins forever.
But now there is hope.
Because of a still, small voice
That whispers, “It is true.”

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Jawbone ...

Today’s word is “jawbone” ... to attempt to influence or pressure by persuasion rather than by the exertion of force or one's authority, as in urging voluntary compliance with economic guidelines. (Dictionary.com)


So lamentable they are,
Coercion and it’s friends,
Threats and intimidation,
Lead to nothing but dead ends.

Fines and abuse that’s verbal,
Power plays and spite,
Soft, endless jawboning,
Leave us without light.

All this pressure is unnerving,
In this family; in our home.
When we only have each other,
Yet feel like we’re alone.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Eftsoons ... Consequences

Today’s word is “eftsoons” ... soon after (Dictionary.com)

Consequences
From the dust we came,
Eftsoons our choices went wrong,
Glory seems doubtful.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Indemnity ... Trouble

Today’s word is “indemnity” ... compensation for damage or loss sustained. (Dictionary.com)

Trouble
How can there be indemnity,
For all the loss and pain?
Who can provide the comfort,
We need in this great rain?

All our tears are washed away,
By more powerful floods,
That threaten to undue us,
Before our hope can bud.

Please keep us for a future,
That you alone can see,
Where we will be at peace at last,
And in you truly free.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Weal ... Found

Today’s word is “weal” ... well-being, prosperity, or happiness: the public weal; weal and woe.  (Dictionary.com)

Found
Oh what weal is this?
We find love in sorrowing.
Light within darkness.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Dishabille ... Corona

Today’s word is “dishabille” ... the state of being dressed in a careless, disheveled, or disorderly style or manner; undress. (Dictionary.com)

Corona
It’s another pj day,
Nowhere to go, no one to see,
Though dishabille, we do not care,
What other way is there to be?

The office is right in the house,
The rules say stay in place,
So what if there is hair on legs,
Or growing from your face?

The neighbors wave from porches,
Or from the windows in their cars,
Gas is cheap; but restaurants closed,
They’re not going very far.

We’re starting to get used to it,
Soon we’ll be content,
And we’ll all be wondering,
Where our manners went.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Chariness ... Quill

Today’s word is “chariness” ... scrupulous integrity. (Dictionary.com)

Quill
They worked all day and in the night,
By candle light they toiled,
With chariness they copied words,
No page by ink was soiled.

Flourishes embellished,
Creatures their beauty gave,
Peacocks and fishes winding,
Fins and feathers waved.

After long-lost centuries,
We yet feel their patient stance,
As through their faithful awe-filled work,
The Spirit spins his dance.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Melee ... Sandy

Today’s word is “melee” ... confusion; turmoil; jumble.  (Dictionary.com)

Sandy
It’s just a melee.
Fight for a place at the beach!
Ignore all the rules!!!

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Insufflate ...

Today’s word is “insufflate” ... to blow or breathe (something) in. (Dictionary.com)

Roll
Time to shine them up,
Those rusty unused bikes,
Insufflate the softened tires,
Take them on a hike.

Rev up your legs and lungs,
Breathe in the bright spring air,
Remind yourself that there are things,
Both natural and fair.

An hour in the sun,
Will fill your eyes with sky,
And set your heart alight,
As your spirits fly.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Blarney ... Spout

Today’s word is “blarney” ...  deceptive or misleading talk; nonsense; hooey: a lot of blarney about why he was broke.  (Dictionary.com)

Spout

He was speaking blarney,

And everybody knew,

But he kept on anyway,

Though his words weren’t true.

He was exhausted by the effort,

Annoyed and quite confused,

He mixed up all his sentences,

And meanings he abused.

Then he stopped, quite satisfied,
That he had done his best,
He went upstairs, turned off the light,
And forgot about the rest.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Cleek ... Thieves

Today’s word is “cleek” ... to grasp or seize (something) suddenly and eagerly; snatch. (Dictionary.com)

Thieves
Those squirrels again ...
Ready to cleek a blossom ...
But I got them first!

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Crepuscular ... Stagger

Today’s word is “crepuscular” ... of, relating to, or resembling twilight; dim; indistinct. (Dictionary.com)

Stagger
We float
Through crepuscular days,
One on another, blending.
There is no clarity in questions,
or answers.
Experts give instructions,
The restless ignore them ...
We cannot be held forever.
The chips will fall where they will.
Hindsight will be interesting.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Materfamilias ... Connected

Today’s word is “materfamilias” ... the mother of a family. (Dictionary.com)

Connected
This is the day for the materfamilias,
As they try to hold things together,
All of the teaching, schedules and chores,
Families huddling like birds of a feather.

In these strange nests they work busily,
Close up now, their children can see,
Who does what, and when, but even then,
They take her for granted, mostly.

Therefore, there’s a day for thanking and praise,
Recognition for moms everywhere,
As they do their best under all kinds of stress,
To love their children the best that they dare.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Today’s word is “aeolian” ... of or caused by the wind; wind-blown. (Dictionary.com)

Flow
The spirit listens,
Aeolian murmurs sound.
Going where they will.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Garth ... Be

Today’s word is “Garth” ... a yard or garden. (Dictionary.com)

Be
A cozy green garth,
Warm temperature and bird song.
A blessed retreat.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Proxemics ... Spreadsheet

Today’s word is “proxemics” ... the study of the spatial requirements of humans and animals and the effects of population density on behavior, communication, and social interaction. (Dictionary.com)

Spreadsheet
The proxemics are turned
      upside down.
The little man checking statistics
     shakes his head.
People who worked in offices
     are sitting in their living rooms
          juggling e-mail and zooming.
Kids crammed into schoolrooms
     just weeks ago are squinting
          at their friends on screens.
People who were flying are grounded,
     unable to fix their broken wings.
Even God can only find his people
     in seclusion, as they send comfort
          to each other on the internet.
The little man cleans his glasses,
     perplexed and uncertain, his finger poised 
          above the delete key.

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Solace ... Darn!

Today’s word is “solace” ... something that gives comfort, consolation, or relief. (Dictionary.com)

Darn!
All my tulips have been nibbled,
Just the blossoms fallen down,
The squirrel’s test one, then another,
Then reject them with squirrelly frowns.

Just as they open they are struck,
The ground is petalled, colored yellow,
My only solace is ‘round the corner,
Three not discovered by those fellows!

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020

Peregrinate ... Lost

Today’s word is “peregrinate” ... to travel or journey, especially to walk on foot. (Dictionary.com)

Lost
Where’s the wonderland
Where we might peregrinate ...
Safe, like yesterday?

Anne Selleck
Copyright 2020