Thursday 29 June 2017

Adept

ADEPT

-adj.
1. very proficient in something requiring skill or manual dexterity
2. skilful; expert
-noun
3. a person who is skilled or proficient in something


























A learner
Not yet an adept

But striving for perfection

Wednesday 28 June 2017

Focus

FOCUS

-noun
1. a point of convergence of light or other electromagnetic radiation, particles, sound waves, etc., or a point from which they appear to diverge
2. another name for focal point, focal length
3. (optics) . the state of an optical image when it is distinct and clearly defined or the state of an instrument producing this image
4. a point upon which attention, activity, etc., is directed or concentrated
5.( geometry) . a fixed reference point on the concave side of a conic section, used when defining its eccentricity
6. the point beneath the earth's surface at which an earthquake or underground nuclear explosion originates
7. (pathology) . the main site of an infection or a localized region of diseased tissue
-verb
8. to bring or come to a focus or into focus
9. (trans. ; often followed by “on”) . to fix attention (on); concentrate


























A point of convergence
Defining our eccentricity
By its colour and shape
A distinct focus
Slightly blurred by grain

Particles movement

Tuesday 27 June 2017

Potter

POTTER

-noun
a person who makes pottery

-verb
1. (intr.; often followed by “about” or “around”) . to busy oneself in a desultory though agreeable manner
2. (intr.; often followed by “along” or “about”) . to move with little energy or direction
3. (trans. ; usually followed by “away”) . to waste (time)
-noun
4. the act of pottering


























The problems with
Pottering about

A lack of balance

Monday 26 June 2017

Exactitude

EXACTITUDE

-noun
the quality of being exact; precision; accuracy


























In old age
A steely exactitude
Was all she could summon

To stay alive

Sunday 25 June 2017

Cup

CUP

-noun
1. a small open container, usually having one handle, used for drinking from
2. the contents of such a container
3. a unit of capacity used in cooking equal to approximately half a pint, 8 fluid ounces, or about one quarter of a litre
4. something resembling a cup in shape or function, such as the flower base of some plants of the rose family or a cuplike bodily organ
5. either of two cup-shaped parts of a brassiere, designed to support the breasts
6. a cup-shaped trophy awarded as a prize
7. (British) a sporting contest in which a cup is awarded to the winner
8. a mixed drink with one ingredient as a base, usually served from a bowl
9. (golf) . the hole or metal container in the hole on a green
10. the chalice or the consecrated wine used in the Eucharist
11. one's lot in life
-verb (trans.)
12. to form (something, such as the hands) into the shape of a cup
13. to put into or as if into a cup
14. (archaic) . to draw blood to the surface of the body of (a person) by using a cupping glass


























The satisfaction
Of a fish in my cup
Going around

In all that saké

Saturday 24 June 2017

Scraggy

SCRAGGY

-adj.
1. lean or scrawny

2. rough; unkempt
























She never trusts anyone
The scraggy old thing
Possibly for good reasons

Friday 23 June 2017

Digress

DIGRESS

-verb (intr.)
1. to depart from the main subject in speech or writing
2. to wander from one's path or main direction

























In the mirror
Ghosts digressing
From the tangible world
Following a light

Into oblivion

Thursday 22 June 2017

Emendation

EMENDATION

-noun
1. a correction or improvement in a text
2. the act or process of emending, i.e. to make corrections or improvements in (a text) by critical editing


















Though it was his duty
He found emendation tedious
And borderline sacrilegious

An assault on an author’s rights

Wednesday 21 June 2017

Deliberate

DELIBERATE

-adj.
1. carefully thought out in advance; planned; studied; intentional
2. careful or unhurried in speech or action
-verb
3. to consider (something) deeply; ponder; think over

















Fake spontaneity
All here is deliberate

But for the lack of focus

Tuesday 20 June 2017

Ataraxia

ATARAXIA
[ætəˈræksɪə]

-noun
Calmness or peace of mind; emotional tranquillity (also called: Ataraxy)

















Behold the Etruscan death

Ataraxia in stone or terracotta

Monday 19 June 2017

Crapulent

CRAPULENT

-adj.
1. given to or resulting from intemperance
2. suffering from intemperance; drunken


























Here he is
A crapulent god
Tottering
Not clear on how
And why or where

He lost his crown

Sunday 18 June 2017

Bladdernut

BLADDERNUT

-noun
1. any temperate shrub or small tree of the genus Staphylea, esp S. pinnata of S Europe, that has bladder-like seed pods: family Staphyleaceae
2. the pod of any such tree


























A curiosity
From Georgia
Pickled bladdernut buds

Milder than expected

Saturday 17 June 2017

Sedition

SEDITION

-noun
1. speech or behaviour directed against the peace of a state
2. an offence that tends to undermine the authority of a state
3. an incitement to public disorder
4. (archaic) . revolt

























Despite her cute pink nose
Defiance and sedition

Vibrate from her whiskers

Friday 16 June 2017

Scotoma

SCOTOMA
[skɒˈtəʊmə]

-noun
1. (pathology) . a blind spot; a permanent or temporary area of depressed or absent vision caused by lesions of the visual system, viewing the sun directly, squinting, etc.
2. (psychology) . a mental blind spot; inability to see, understand, or perceive certain things or matters

























Let’s share other people's joys and sorrows
Stick a red rose at the side
Of the fairy palace in our minds
Ignoring the scotoma drapery

That renders us blind to others

Thursday 15 June 2017

Abridge

ABRIDGE

-verb (trans.)
1. to reduce the length of (a written work) by condensing or rewriting
2. to curtail; diminish
3. (archaic) to deprive of (privileges, rights, etc.)

























The occasion will plead excuses.
To put two and two together
Whatever abstract ideas are here
Of an actual killing at once empirical
Abridged and yet unpractical
A comment kept unhurt

For private satisfaction.

Wednesday 14 June 2017

Abri

ABRI
ˈbriː]

-noun
a shelter or place of refuge, in particular during wartime or natural disasters


























We pass shadows
With a doorstep for all abri
Trying hard not to see
In case we should feel
A vortex of compassion

Or pity sucking us in

Tuesday 13 June 2017

Still

STILL

-adj.
1. (usually predicative) . motionless; stationary
2. undisturbed or tranquil; silent and calm
3. (of a liquid) not sparkling or effervescent
4. gentle or quiet; subdued
5. (obsolete) . (of a child) dead at birth
-adv.
6. continuing now or in the future as in the past
7. up to this or that time; yet
8. (often used with a comparative) . even or yet
9. quiet or without movement
10. (poetic) (dialect) . always
-noun
11. (poetic) . silence or tranquillity
12. a photograph or frame, in particular of a scene from a motion-picture film
-verb
13. to make or become still, quiet, or calm
14. (trans.) to allay or relieve
-sentence connector
15. even then; nevertheless

-noun
1. an apparatus for carrying out distillation, consisting of a vessel in which a mixture is heated, a condenser to turn the vapour back to liquid, and a receiver to hold the distilled liquid, used in particular in the manufacture of spirits
2. a place where spirits are made; distillery





















A still life by heart
Of old men and many things.
The water shapes their mind
Shaking the meadows
Swift and shadowy heaving
Beneath the shadows on the walls.



Monday 12 June 2017

Panic

PANIC

-noun
1. a sudden overwhelming feeling of terror or anxiety, in particular one affecting a whole group of people
-verb
2. to feel or cause to feel panic

-adj.
(with capital P) of or relating to the god Pan


























My heart is beginning to return
In a house of panic
The colour of a burning blue
All for the records of high fields of work.

Sunday 11 June 2017

Biscuit

BISCUIT

-noun
1. (British) . a small flat dry sweet or plain cake of many varieties, baked from a dough
2. (US and Canadian) . a kind of small roll similar to a muffin
3. a pale brown or yellowish-grey colour
4. earthenware or porcelain that has been fired but not glazed (also: bisque)



















Italian variations
On the art of biscuit

Ideal coffee companions

Saturday 10 June 2017

Bibliophile

BIBLIOPHILE

-noun
a person who collects or is fond of books


























Such a cute sleeper
I never realised
He was such a bibliophile
But then again

Most cats are

Friday 9 June 2017

Decay

DECAY

-verb
1. to decline or cause to decline gradually in health, prosperity, excellence, etc.; deteriorate; waste away
2. to rot or cause to rot as a result of bacterial, fungal, or chemical action; decompose
3. (intr.) (physics)
a. (of an atomic nucleus) to undergo radioactive disintegration
b. (of an elementary particle) to transform into two or more different elementary particles
4. (intr.) (physics) . (of a stored charge, magnetic flux, etc.) to decrease gradually when the source of energy has been removed
-noun
5. the process of decline, as in health, mentality, beauty, etc.
6. the state brought about by this process
7. decomposition, as of vegetable matter
8. rotten or decayed matter
9. (physics)
a.  radioactive decay
b. a spontaneous transformation of an elementary particle into two or more different particles
c. (of an excited atom or molecule) the losing of energy by the spontaneous emission of photons
10. (physics) . a gradual decrease of a stored charge, magnetic flux, current, etc., when the source of energy has been removed
11. (music) . the fading of a note

























A monochrome crowd

A decay of some sort


Statue by Ellen Lindström

Thursday 8 June 2017

Promote

PROMOTE

-verb (trans.)
1. to further or encourage the progress or existence of
2. to raise to a higher rank, status, degree, etc.
3. to advance (a pupil or student) to a higher course, class, etc.
4. to urge the adoption of; work for
5. to encourage the sale of (a product) by advertising or securing financial support
6. (chess) . to exchange (a pawn) for any piece other than a king when the pawn reaches the 8th rank


























Obsolescence is hard for a retired robot
This one could have ended on a dump

But was promoted to museum piece

Wednesday 7 June 2017

Mystify

MYSTIFY

-verb (trans.)
1. to confuse, bewilder, or puzzle
2. to make mysterious or obscure


























Everyday weird

Failing to mystify

Tuesday 6 June 2017

Flânerie

FLÂNERIE
[flɑnri]

-noun
aimless strolling or lounging; idleness


















Following scents
An olfactive flânerie
Through artificial

And curated grounds

Monday 5 June 2017

Intimism

INTIMISM

-noun
a school of impressionist painting in early 20th century France whose painters portrayed everyday, usually domestic, scenes

























Within the darkened set
I try my hand at intimism

With a digital filter

Sunday 4 June 2017

Carafe

CARAFE

-noun

an open-topped glass container for serving water or wine at table
























Dreams you can drink
A genie swimming in a carafe
Georgian wines

Saturday 3 June 2017

Pococurante

POCOCURANTE
[ˌpəʊkəʊkjʊˈræntɪ]

-noun
1. a person who is careless or indifferent
-adj.
2. indifferent or apathetic


























She likes to hide facts
Disguise her life
As a pococurante
With timely snoozes

Friday 2 June 2017

Cumbersome

CUMBERSOME

-adj.
1. awkward because of size, weight, or shape
2. difficult because of extent or complexity


























She seems to rant at the boy
For being such a cumbersome weight

And at his age too!

Thursday 1 June 2017

Staffage

STAFFAGE
[ˈstɑːfɪdʒ]

-noun
all of the additional figures, animals and other items of ornamentation in a painted scene or landscape, as distinct from the main figures or elements of the composition


























Petals and decay
Staffage and props

Shadow taming