Truism

TRUISM

–noun
a self-evident, obvious truth.























Cooking
Pure form of truism
Heaven
Hell
Bliss

Sigmoid

SIGMOID

-adj.
1
a : curved like the letter C
b : curved in two directions like the letter S
2 of, relating to, or being the sigmoid colon



Sigmoid maenad
Lost to the dance
And nympholepsy

Tombstone

TOMBSTONE

–noun
a stone marker, usually inscribed, on a tomb or grave.



You
Fell
Letting your life disappear
In the too many cracks
From our known universe

A dead leaf it was
Twirling in the gale, gay
But dead all the same

Then the storm came about
And lifted your tombstone
A broken toy to the winds

In the broken plaque
I recognized that spirit in you
Still twirling, still agonizing,
Still
Dead.



The background picture is copyright of Willow of Willow Manor, who has put it forth as a writing prompt.
Join the writing fun at Magpie Tales.

Strap

STRAP

–noun
1. a narrow strip of flexible material, especially leather, as for fastening or holding things together.
2. a looped band by which an item may be held, pulled, lifted, etc., as a bootstrap or a ring that standing passengers may hold on to in a bus, subway, or the like.
3. a strop for a razor.
4. a long, narrow object or piece of something; strip; band.
5. an ornamental strip or band.
6. shoulder strap.
7. watchband.
8. Machinery . a shallow metal fitting surrounding and retaining other parts, as on the end of a rod.
9. Nautical, Machinery . also strop.
a. a rope or a band of metal surrounding and supporting a block, etc.
b. a metal band surrounding the pulley of a block to transmit the load on the pulley to its hook or shackle.
c. a rope sling, as for handling cargo.
d. a ring or grommet of rope.
–verb (used with object)
10. to fasten or secure with a strap or straps.
11. to fasten (a thing) around something in the manner of a strap.
12. to sharpen on a strap or strop.
13. to beat or flog with a strap.



Straps
Myriads of them
Holding the sea in place

Peristeromorphous

PERISTEROMORPHOUS

-adj
Like or pertaining to the pigeons or columbae.























I live in a dream
Where peristeromophous fountains
Come alive at night
To feed on pebbles
And think of the sun.

Grow

GROW

–verb (used without object)
1. to increase by natural development, as any living organism or part by assimilation of nutriment; increase in size or substance.
2. to form and increase in size by a process of inorganic accretion, as by crystallization.
3. to arise or issue as a natural development from an original happening, circumstance, or source.
4. to increase gradually in size, amount, etc.; become greater or larger; expand.
5. to become gradually attached or united by or as if by growth.
6. to come to be by degrees; become.
7. Nautical . to lie or extend in a certain direction, as an anchor cable.
–verb (used with object)
8. to cause to grow.
9. to allow to grow.
10. to cover with a growth (used in the passive)






















When I grow up
I want to become a cloud designer.

Fossick

FOSSICK

-verb
1. To search for any object by which to make gain.
2. Mining. To undermine another's digging; search for waste gold in relinquished workings, washing places, etc.
3. To hunt; seek; ferret out.






















Nets fossicking for dreams
Settling for dried leaves
With a story to tell.

Nisus

NISUS

–noun
an effort or striving toward a particular goal or attainment; impulse.






















Hunger
Will drive us to nisus
Or to desperation
Death even
If we are much too slow.

Extenuate

EXTENUATE

–verb (used with object)
1. to represent (a fault, offence, etc.) as less serious.
2. to serve to make (a fault, offence, etc.) seem less serious.
3. to underestimate, underrate, or make light of.
4. Archaic .
a. to make thin, lean, or emaciated.
b. to reduce the consistency or density of.



To extenuate my sins
I took you to a black beach
For a romantic stroll
But you hurt your foot
On a fallen chestnut

Bellwether

BELLWETHER

–noun
1. a wether or other male sheep that leads the flock, usually bearing a bell.
2. a person or thing that assumes the leadership or forefront, as of a profession or industry.
3. a person or thing that shows the existence or direction of a trend; index.
4. a person who leads a mob, mutiny, conspiracy, or the like; ringleader.






















If you promise not to castrate me
I'll be your faithful bellwether
Always.
I'll let you tie nosegays in my hair
And we'll foment ignominies together

Excrescence

EXCRESCENCE

–noun
1. an abnormal outgrowth, usually harmless, on an animal or vegetable body.
2. a normal outgrowth, as hair or horns.
3. any disfiguring addition.
4. abnormal growth or increase.






















Mark
The
Angel
Excrescence
Shaming Earth bound roofs.

Ensconce

ENSCONCE

-verb (used with object)
1. to settle securely or snugly.
2. to cover or shelter; hide securely






















Come November,
I might ensconce in madness
Its folds tight around me
Or just write.

Flout

FLOUT

–verb (used with object)
1. to treat with disdain, scorn, or contempt; scoff at; mock.
–verb (used without object)
2. to show disdain, scorn, or contempt; scoff, mock, or gibe (often followed by "at").
–noun
3. a disdainful, scornful, or contemptuous remark or act; insult; gibe.



One might try and flout
Metempsychosis
However our world's
Physical body
Is sheer delusion
Our true nature
Is energy, force
It waxes and wanes
Never disappears.

Enfant terrible

ENFANT TERRIBLE

-noun
A person, especially someone famous or successful, whose unconventional lifestyle, work, or behaviour appears shocking.























In her cage
The enfant terrible roams around
Looking for an exit
Or a prey

Do not touch
Or reach out to her for she bites
Hungry for flesh and soul
Life to her.

Emanate

EMANATE

–verb (used without object)
1. to flow out, issue, or proceed, as from a source or origin; come forth; originate.
–verb (used with object)
2. to send forth; emit.






















See
Smell
Listen
Feel hunger
Emanates from this
Simple lactic fare
Perfect cheese
Fresh out
This
Day

Ossicle

OSSICLE

–noun
a small bone.






















Lady Death
Nurses her ossicles
Deploring wet weather
That makes her ache
So.

Heavy

HEAVY

–adj.
1. of great weight; hard to lift or carry
2. of great amount, quantity, or size; extremely large; massive.
3. of great force, intensity, turbulence, etc.
4. of more than the usual or average weight.
5. having much weight in proportion to bulk; being of high specific gravity.
6. of major import; grave; serious..
7. deep or intense; profound.
8. Military .
a. thickly armed or equipped with guns of large size..
b. (of guns) of the more powerful sizes: heavy weapons.
9. hard to bear; burdensome; harsh; oppressive.
10. hard to cope with; trying; difficult.
11. being as indicated to an unusually great degree.
12. broad, thick, or coarse; not delicate.
13. weighted or laden..
14. fraught; loaded; charged.
15. depressed with trouble or sorrow; showing sorrow; sad.
16. without vivacity or interest; ponderous; dull.
17. slow in movement or action; clumsy.
18. loud and deep; sonorous.
19. (of the sky) overcast or cloudy.
20. exceptionally dense in substance; insufficiently raised or leavened; thick.
21. (of food) not easily digested.
22. being in a state of advanced pregnancy; nearing childbirth.
23. having a large capacity, capable of doing rough work, or having a large output.
24. producing or refining basic materials, as steel or coal, used in manufacturing.
25. sober, serious, or sombre.
26. Chemistry . of or pertaining to an isotope of greater than normal atomic weight, as heavy hydrogen or heavy oxygen, or to a compound containing such an element, as heavy water.
27. Slang .
a. very good; excellent.
b. very serious or important.
28. Prosody . (of a syllable)
a. stressed.
b. long.
–noun
29. a sombre or ennobled theatrical role or character.
30. the theatrical role of a villain.
31. an actor who plays a theatrical heavy.
32. Military . a gun of great weight or large calibre.
33. Slang . a very important or influential person






















Your dreams are so heavy
When you lock me out
Banging on their door
Asking to be let in
Or out.



The background picture is copyright of Willow of Willow Manor, who has put it forth as a writing prompt.
Join the writing fun at Magpie Tales.

Tittle

TITTLE

-noun
1. A dot or other small mark in writing or printing, used as a diacritic, punctuation, etc.
2. A very small part or quantity; a particle, jot, or whit






















Beaded curtains
Linked tittles catching light
Scareflies

Macropsia

MACROPSIA

–noun
Ophthalmology . a defect of vision in which objects appear to be larger than their actual size.



Successful fishermen
And my rear view mirror
Suffer from macropsia

Litmus

LITMUS

—noun
a soluble powder obtained from certain lichens. It turns red under acid conditions and blue under basic conditions and is used as an indicator.



Your lips had turned to litmus
Bright red with acidity
Your fake smile sour with rancour

Homespun

HOMESPUN

-adj.
Unsophisticated; unpolished; rustic.






















Homespun delights
Fragrant with straw and time
Waiting for wine.

Sessile

SESSILE

–adj.
1. Botany . attached by the base, or without any distinct projecting support, as a leaf issuing directly from the stem.
2. Zoology . permanently attached; not freely moving.






















Sessile protuberances
Adding pearls or popcorn to palm trees
Odd Christmas trees.

Become

BECOME

–verb (used without object)
1. to come, change, or grow to be (as specified).
2. to come into being.
–verb (used with object)
3. to be attractive on; befit in appearance; look well on.
4. to be suitable or necessary to the dignity, situation, or responsibility of.






















Sorrow becomes her
Blood rusted on her cheeks
The burn cooled to acceptance
Of what can’t be changed.

Spate

SPATE

–noun
1. a sudden, almost overwhelming, outpouring.
2.British .
a. a flood or inundation.
b. a river flooding its banks.
c. a sudden or heavy rainstorm.






















A spate of autumn
Drew moribund leaves to mind
And chestnut roasting.


The background picture is copyright of Willow of Willow Manor, who has put it forth as a writing prompt.
Join the writing fun at Magpie Tales.

Desert

DESERT

–noun
1. a region so arid because of little rainfall that it supports only sparse and widely spaced vegetation or no vegetation at all.
2. any area in which few forms of life can exist because of lack of water, permanent frost, or absence of soil.
3. an area of the ocean in which it is believed no marine life exists.
4. any place lacking in something
–adj.
6. of, pertaining to, or like a desert; desolate; barren.
7. occurring, living, or flourishing in the desert.
8. designed or suitable for wear in the desert, as cool, protective clothing

–verb (used with object)
1. to leave (a person, place, etc.) without intending to return, esp. in violation of a duty, promise, or the like.
2. (of military personnel) to leave or run away from (service, duty, etc.) with the intention of never returning.
3. to fail (someone) at a time of need.
–verb (used without object)
4. to forsake or leave one's duty, obligations, etc. (sometimes fol. by from, to, etc.).
5. (of military personnel) to leave service, duty, etc., with no intention of returning

–noun
1. Often, deserts. reward or punishment that is deserved.
2. the state or fact of deserving reward or punishment.
3. the fact of deserving well; merit; virtue.




Sand
Dunes
Desert
My reward
For months of hard work
Slipping through my fingers like time
With just a faint memory settling between my teeth
Warm scents to coax my reptile brain
Sweet shushing of wind
Over sand
Peace
Light

Obverse

OBVERSE


–noun
1. the side of a coin, medal, flag, etc., that bears the principal design ( opposed to reverse).
2. the front or principal surface of anything.
3. a counterpart.
4. Logic. a proposition obtained from another by obversion.
–adj.
5. facing the observer.
6. corresponding to something else as a counterpart.
7. having the base narrower than the top, as a leaf.



Stating the obverse from my alternative side, causing commotion and annoyance
You call me contrary - of course - but please consider
Where was the starting position
The true line of sight
My focus,
My point
Of
View.

Celerity

CELERITY

–noun
swiftness; speed.



They fleet about,
The cheeky creatures
Celerity their ally
Refusing to be caught
On film or pixel

I chase them anyway
Looking out of the corner
Of my lens
For presence
Of the elusive ghosts.

Fantod

FANTOD

–noun
1. Usually, fantods. a state of extreme nervousness or restlessness; the willies; the fidgets (usually preceded by "the" ).
2. Sometimes, fantods. a sudden outpouring of anger, outrage, or a similar intense emotion.



Assailed by caffeine induced fantods
I turn to sipping green tea or hot water
In a desperate attempt at reclaiming serenity

Insouciant

INSOUCIANT

–adj.
free from concern, worry, or anxiety; carefree; nonchalant.



Insouciant goblins
Prancing on the lawn
Ready for the worse
For celebration
Of Leiden Ontzet.


Leiden Ontzet

Zetetic

ZETETIC

— adj.
proceeding by inquiry; investigating























His
Look
Puzzled
Zetetic
As he attempted
To assess the situation
Friend or foe? Or foe?
Innocence
Distrust:
Foe.
Foe!!!

Impugn

IMPUGN

–verb (used with object)
1. to challenge as false (another's statements, motives, etc.); cast doubt upon.
2. Archaic . to assail (a person) by words or arguments; vilify.
3. Obsolete . to attack (a person) physically.






















He wasn't a coward!
He would impugn such concept:
The helmet was only there
Because imposed by law