Saturday 31 October 2015

Martinet


MARTINET

-noun
a person who maintains strict discipline, especially in a military force
























We call her the “union leader”
She keeps track of dinner times
Demanding more crunchies and cuddles

Fuzzy assertive martinet 

Friday 30 October 2015

Rood

ROOD

-noun
1. a crucifix, especially one set on a beam or screen at the entrance to the chancel of a church
2. the cross on which Christ was crucified
3. a unit of area equal to one quarter of an acre or 0.10117 hectares
4. a unit of area equal to 40 square rods

























So heavy was the load
So cumbersome the rood
That he lost his breeches

(Supposing he had any to start with)

Thursday 29 October 2015

Argie-bargie

ARGIE-BARGIE

-noun
(British, informal) . a wrangling argument or verbal dispute.
Also called:: argle-bargle


























Reason 24 not to
Have an argie-bargie:

(It’s a headache)

Wednesday 28 October 2015

Gongorism

GONGORISM

-noun
1. an affected literary style characterized by intricate language and obscurity
2. an example of this

























While busied myself, concocting
Clever gongorisms about dawn

The kaleidoscope sky turned to grey

Tuesday 27 October 2015

Misogamic

MISOGAMIC

-adj.
having a hatred of marriage

























He sent a misogamic letter from the airport

While the crowd waited form him at the altar.

Monday 26 October 2015

Widechapped

WIDECHAPPED
[ˈwaɪdˈtʃæpt]

-adj.
(literary) open-mouthed

























The massive urn shows
Widechapped spouts
Yet all are closed

There is no escape

Sunday 25 October 2015

Scoff

SCOFF

-verb
1. (intr.) often followed by “at” .to speak contemptuously (about); express derision (for); mock
2. (trans.) (obsolete) . to regard with derision
-noun
3. an expression of derision
4. an object of derision

-verb
1. to eat (food) fast and greedily; devour
-noun
2. food or rations

























Raspberries
Are not to be scoffed at
But rather to be scoffed
Before the season stops

For another year

Saturday 24 October 2015

Agog

AGOG

-adj.
(postpositive) highly impatient, eager, or curious

























She thrust her face into mine
Agog and slightly miffed

How can I be so utterly useless?

Friday 23 October 2015

Revelry

REVELRY

-noun
noisy or unrestrained merrymaking




















Wine gives wings
As shown in this example
Etruscan revelry

Thursday 22 October 2015

Gadroon

GADROON

-noun
1. a moulding composed of a series of convex flutes and curves joined to form a decorative pattern, used especially as an edge to silver articles
2. (architecture) . a carved ornamental moulding having a convex cross section
Also: godroon

























Etruscan urn
Iron gadroons
Tying up a head
Spewing water


Wednesday 21 October 2015

Wellnigh

WELL-NIGH

-adv.
nearly; almost




















They write and read
Well-nigh function
As alternate realities

Of full human beings

Tuesday 20 October 2015

Envermeil

ENVERMEIL
[ɪnˈvɜːmɪl]

-verb
(trans.) (literary) . to colour or dye with vermilion; give a reddish colour to




















The last of dying suns
Envermeils the sky

Harbinger of doom

Monday 19 October 2015

Rodomontade

RODOMONTADE
[ˌrɒdəmɒnˈteɪd]

-noun
boastful words or behaviour; bragging
-verb
(intr.) to boast, bluster, or rant

























Murder and damnation
Mentioned in a same breath

A demon’s rodomontade

Sunday 18 October 2015

Lambic

LAMBIC

-noun
a type of Belgian beer naturally brewed from raw wheat and ambient wild yeast in wooden casks, and left to naturally ferment for a long time


























Going through Brussels
Trying all the lambic









Saturday 17 October 2015

Vail

VAIL

-verb (trans.)
(obsolete)
1. to lower (something, such as a weapon), especially as a sign of deference or submission
2. to remove (the hat, cap, etc.) as a mark of respect or meekness

-noun, -verb
1. an archaic word for avail

-noun, -verb
1. an archaic spelling of veil


























In the end Life vailed
And Death took him
May he rest in peace



(Felix ? - 08/10/2015)

Friday 16 October 2015

Gad

GAD

-verb
1. (intr.) (often followed by “about” or “around”) . to go out in search of pleasure, especially in an aimless manner; gallivant
-noun
2. carefree adventure

-noun
1. (mining) a short chisel-like instrument for breaking rock or coal from the face
2. a goad for driving cattle
3. a western US word for spur
-verb
4. (trans.) (mining) . to break up or loosen with a gad

























Pictures on a wall
A pleasant mental gad
Until a new coat of paint

Or an attack of the gad

Thursday 15 October 2015

Draggle

DRAGGLE

-verb
1. to make or become wet or dirty by trailing on the ground; bedraggle
2. (intr.) to lag; dawdle

























Let's meander
Draggle by the sea
Lazy cormorants

Wednesday 14 October 2015

Pore

PORE

-verb (intr.)
1. (followed by “over”) . to make a close intent examination or study (of a book, map, etc.)
2. (followed by “over” or “upon”) . to think deeply (about) 
3. (followed by “over”, “on”, or “upon”) (rare) . to look earnestly or intently (at); gaze fixedly (upon)

-noun
1. (anatomy, zoology) any small opening in the skin or outer surface of an animal
2. (botany) any small aperture, especially that of a stoma through which water vapour and gases pass
3. any other small hole, such as a space in a rock, soil, etc.

























Squinting,
I pore over faded letters
But fail to decipher

A Celtic message

Tuesday 13 October 2015

Pour

POUR

-verb
1. to flow or cause to flow in a stream
2. (trans.) to issue, emit, etc., in a profuse way
3. (intr.) to move together in large numbers; swarm
4. (intr.) to serve tea, coffee, etc.
-noun
5. a pouring, downpour, etc.

























A pour of serenity

Grits fall at the bottom

Monday 12 October 2015

Pavonine

PAVONINE

-adj.
of or resembling a peacock or the colours, design, or iridescence of a peacock's tail















Above the morning sea

A pavonine dawn

Sunday 11 October 2015

Bilberry

BILBERRY

-noun
1. any of several ericaceous shrubs of the genus Vaccinium, having edible blue or blackish berries, like blueberry
2. the fruit of any of these plants

























Cut bilberries
Disappointing in colours
Great in taste

How do they stain my teeth?

Saturday 10 October 2015

Affeerment

AFFEERMENT

-noun
the act of deciding upon or settling penalties or fines

























He'll look up from his nap
Affeerment all over his face
We will never atone
For being merely human


Friday 9 October 2015

Gimlet

GIMLET

-noun
1. a small hand tool consisting of a pointed spiral tip attached at right angles to a handle, used for boring small holes in wood
2. (US) a cocktail consisting of half gin or vodka and half lime juice
3. a eucalyptus of West Australia having a twisted bole
-verb
4. (trans.) to make holes in (wood) using a gimlet
-adj.
5. penetrating; piercing

























I call it a gimlet
(I can be pedantic that way)
As long as I can get

My way with wine

Thursday 8 October 2015

Aver

AVER

-verb (trans.)
1. to state positively; assert
2. (law) . to allege as a fact or prove to be true



















He likes to point
To averred facts

A blank page

Wednesday 7 October 2015

Avert

AVERT

-verb (trans.)
1. to turn away or aside
2. to ward off; prevent from occurring

























Rather than avert transit

Court such coincidences

Tuesday 6 October 2015

Whimsy

WHIMSY

-noun
1. a capricious idea or notion
2. light or fanciful humour
3. something quaint or unusual
-adj.
4. quaint, comical, or unusual, often in a tasteless way

























Lurking in darkness
A plucky whimsy gang
Visiting terror on small children

“Eat your greens!’ threats

Monday 5 October 2015

Whilom

WHILOM

-adv.
formerly; once
-adj.
(prenominal) one-time; former



















I saw snow
Whilom and forgot
How beautiful
And cold the world was
Shivering skeletons

Sunday 4 October 2015

Linseed

LINSEED

-noun

the seed of the flax plant, which yields linseed oil. Also called: flaxseed

























A rampart of linseed
Nutty sesame hiding
Fragrant cep mixture

Saturday 3 October 2015

Renitent

RENITENT

-adj.
(rare)
1. reluctant; recalcitrant
2. not flexible
3. resisting physical pressure


























He’d like a cuddle
Or even just a quick brush
But is too renitent

Too shy to come along

Friday 2 October 2015

Pogonip

POGONIP

-noun
an icy winter fog

























Warm earth
Breathes fire
Into a cold sky

Pogonip

Thursday 1 October 2015

Serein

SEREIN

-noun
fine rain falling from a clear sky after sunset, especially in the tropics



















That it should come to that
Hoping for serein to come
To wash away sweaty tears

Desperate night blossoms