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

Deipnosophist

DEIPNOSOPHIST

–noun
a person who is an adept conversationalist at table.



Shame:
My stomach
Is a deipnosophist.

Glabrous

GLABROUS

-adj.
1. having no hair or bristles; smooth























Glabrous love feels in a cage
Painted over by desire or ennui
It wants to escape the bonds
But finds only reflective matters
In which getting lost and trapped
Once again.

Hypnagogic

HYPNAGOGIC

–adj.
1. of or pertaining to drowsiness.
2. inducing drowsiness.






















Light dancing in darkness
Hypnagogic
Whispering of mysteries
Genies to be rubbed the right way.

Adjuvant

ADJUVANT

–adj.
1. serving to help or assist; auxiliary.
2. Medicine/Medical . utilizing drugs, radiation therapy, or other means of supplemental treatment following cancer surgery.
–noun
3. a person or thing that aids or helps.
4. anything that aids in removing or preventing a disease, especially a substance added to a prescription to aid the effect of the main ingredient.
5. Immunology . a substance admixed with an immunogen in order to elicit a more marked immune response.






















Scooters as age adjuvant
Just looking at them
I become young once more.

Dizen

DIZEN

-verb tr.
1. To attire with finery.
2. To dress or decorate in a gaudy manner.






















Light dizens you
Becoming you less than shadows
Where one can idealize
Your shapes
And your soul.

Tryst

TRYST

–noun
1. an appointment to meet at a certain time and place, especially one made somewhat secretly by lovers.
2. an appointed meeting.
3. an appointed place of meeting.
–verb (used with object)
4. Chiefly Scot. to make an appointment or arrange a meeting with.
–verb (used without object)
5. Chiefly Scot. to make an appointment or agreement.






















I had hoped the feral kittens could keep our tryst
But feared their mother would object to our meetings.
When I arrived, I was given an earful by the father.

Uncanny

UNCANNY

–adj.
1. having or seeming to have a supernatural or inexplicable basis; beyond the ordinary or normal; extraordinary.
2. mysterious; arousing superstitious fear or dread; uncomfortably strange























An uncanny light takes holds of the clouds
A tremor tearing their curtain apart
To reveal another world dying in pain.

Clancular

CLANCULAR

-adj.
Conducted with secrecy; clandestine; concealed.



They had their clancular ways
Muffled in kisses and sighs
To handle life’s difficulties
The parents all too pliant
To offer any severe obstacle.


Background picture courtesy of the State Library Of New South Wales.

Dactylogram

DACTYLOGRAM

-noun
A fingerprint.




Someone
Is leaving dactylograms
All over the ceiling...

Launch

LAUNCH

–verb (used with object)
1. to set (a boat or ship) in the water.
2. to float (a newly constructed boat or ship) usually by allowing to slide down inclined ways into the water.
3. to send forth, catapult, or release, as a self-propelled vehicle or weapon.
4. to start (a person) on a course, career, etc.
5. to set going; initiate.
6. to throw; hurl.
7. to start (a new venture) or promote (a new product).
8. Computers . to start (a software program).
–verb (used without object)
9. to burst out or plunge boldly or directly into action, speech, etc.
10.to start out or forth; push out or put forth on the water.
–noun
11.the act of launching.

–noun
1. a heavy open or half-decked boat propelled by oars or by an engine.
2. a large utility boat carried by a warship.




Helping a friend
Launch her book
A new adventure
For internet sailors

"Up from the Blue" a new novel by Susan Henderson

More at LitPark

Abrogate

ABROGATE

–verb (used with object)
1. to abolish by formal or official means; annul by an authoritative act; repeal.
2. to put aside; put an end to.




A flash from the past
Abrogated by later technology
Not yet an antiquity.

Bibulous

BIBULOUS

–adj.
1. fond of or addicted to drink.
2. absorbent; spongy.























I have a bibulous glass
Fond of wine pretty and red
Cajoling drinks in the shade
I need to watch it
And moderate its habit
Less it gets drunk
And profligate.

Stertorous

STERTOROUS

–adj.
1. characterized by stertor or heavy snoring.
2. breathing in this manner.






















I wonder if he dreams
Stertorous visions shaking his whiskers

Motile

MOTILE

–adj.
Biology . moving or capable of moving spontaneously.

















Motile time
Growing tendrils
Pushing momentum
Expending the universe:
Sand is finite,
The seconds not.


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.

Vicarious

VICARIOUS

-adj.
1.
a. serving instead of someone or something else
b. that has been delegated
2. performed or suffered by one person as a substitute for another or to the benefit or advantage of another
3. experienced or realized through imaginative or sympathetic participation in the experience of another
4. occurring in an unexpected or abnormal part of the body instead of the usual one






















Despite its best efforts,
The vicarious palm tree
Is unable to provide dates.

Adjure

ADJURE

-verb
1. to command solemnly under or as if under oath or penalty of a curse
2. to urge or advise earnestly



The mirror adjure
Heavens might be much too close
Beware of impact!

Maquillage

MAQUILLAGE

-noun
Makeup or cosmetics.























Hiding behind graphic effects
The perfect maquillage or trick
Being there and yet not be quite
Ultimate escape illusion.

Quiddity

QUIDDITY

-noun
1. The essence of someone or something.
2. A trifling point.






















Four tin effigies
Quiddity of felines
On kitties' buffet.

Tomato

TOMATO

–noun
1. any of several plants belonging to the genus Lycopersicon, of the nightshade family, native to Mexico and Central and South America, especially the widely cultivated species L. lycopersicum, bearing a mildly acid, pulpy, usually red fruit eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable.
2. the fruit itself.
3. Older Slang: Sometimes Offensive . a girl or woman.






















I dream of the time
Of your watering the garden
Guided by moonlight,
Our bed fragrant with green scent
Tomato trace on your skin.

Latibule

LATIBULE

-noun
A hiding place






















He found a latibule
Under the kitchen sink
An imperfect one at that
The faucet leaked.

Back

BACK


–noun
1. the rear part of the human body, extending from the neck to the lower end of the spine.
2. the part of the body of animals corresponding to the human back.
3. the rear portion of any part of the body.
4. the whole body, with reference to clothing.
5. ability for labour; effort; endurance.
6. the part opposite to or farthest from the front; the rear part.
7. the part that forms the rear of any object or structure.
8. the part that covers the back.
9. the spine or backbone.
10. any rear part of an object serving to support, protect, etc..
11. Nautical, Aeronautics . the forward side of a propeller blade.
12. Aeronautics . the top part or upper surface of an aircraft, especially of its fuselage.
13. Bookbinding . the edge of a book formed where its sections are bound together.
14. the backs, grounds along the River Cam in back of certain colleges at Cambridge University in England noted for their great beauty.
15. Architecture . Also extrados: the exterior curve or surface of an arch or vault.
16. Carpentry .
a. the upper side of a joist, rafter, handrail, etc.
b. the area of interior wall between a window stool and the floor.
17. Mining . the roof of a stope or drift.
18. Sports .
a. a player whose regular position is behind that of players who make initial contact with the opposing team, as behind the forward line in football or nearest the player's own goal in polo.
b. the position occupied by this player.
–verb (used with object)
19. to support, as with authority, influence, help, or money (often followed by “up”).
20. to bet on.
21. to cause to move backward (often followed by “up”)
22. to furnish with a back.
23. to lie at the back of; form a back or background for.
24. to provide with an accompaniment.
25. to get upon the back of; mount.
26. to write or print on the back of; endorse; countersign.
27. Carpentry . to attach strips of wood to the upper edge of (a joist or rafter) to bring it to a desired level.
28. Nautical .
a. to alter the position of (a sail) so that the wind will strike the forward face.
b. to brace (yards) in backing a sail.
c. to reinforce the hold of (an anchor) by means of a smaller one attached to it and dropped farther away.
–verb (used without object)
29. to go or move backward (often followed by “up”).
30. Nautical . (of wind) to change direction counterclockwise.
–adj.
31. situated at or in the rear.
32. far away or removed from the front or main area, position, or rank; remote.
33. belonging to the past.
34. in arrears; overdue.
35. coming or going back; moving backward.
36. Navigation . Also reciprocal : bearing in a direction 180° to a given direction .
37. Phonetics . (of a speech sound) produced with the tongue articulating in the back part of the mouth, as in either of the sounds of go.


–adv.
1. at, to, or toward the rear; backward.
2. in or toward the past.
3. at or toward the original starting point, place, or condition.
4. in direct payment or return.
5. in a state of restraint or retention.
6. in a reclining position

–noun
1. a large tub, vat, or cistern used by dyers, brewers, distillers, etc., to hold liquids.
2. a broad-beamed ferryboat hauled across a body of water by a rope or chain.























You rest at your window
Turning your back on the world.
The leaves are still falling.


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.

Flotsam

FLOTSAM

–noun
1. the part of the wreckage of a ship and its cargo found floating on the water.
2. material or refuse floating on water.
3. useless or unimportant items; odds and ends.
4. a vagrant, penniless population



After the storm
Broken loves
Mere flotsam
Foam driven
Drift apart

Sward

SWARD

-noun
The grassy surface of land: turf.



Let’s walk
In the sward
Sweeping upward
A ticklish walk.

Irenic

IRENIC

-adj.
Promoting peace or conciliation.

















I
Write
Your name
In my dreams
On irenic skies
But you escape me
A lone cloud
Drifting
Out
Out

Muddle

MUDDLE

–verb (used with object)
1. to mix up in a confused or bungling manner; jumble.
2. to cause to become mentally confused.
3. to cause to become confused or stupid with or as if with an intoxicating drink.
4. to make muddy or turbid, as water.
5. to mix or stir (a cocktail, chocolate, etc.).
6. Ceramics . to smooth (clay) by rubbing it on glass.
–verb (used without object)
7. to behave, proceed, or think in a confused or aimless fashion or with an air of improvisation: Some people just muddle along, waiting for their big break.
–noun
8. the state or condition of being muddled, especially a confused mental state.
9. a confused, disordered, or embarrassing condition; mess.























Too many thoughts
Muddled inside my brain
Shaken and stirred
Mind cocktail.

Plump

PLUMP

–adj.
1. well filled out or rounded in form; somewhat fleshy or fat.
–verb (used without object)
2. to become plump (often followed by “up” or “out”).
–verb (used with object)
3. to make plump (often followed by “up” or “out”)

–verb (used without object)
1. to drop or fall heavily or suddenly; come down abruptly or with direct impact.
2. Chiefly British . to vote exclusively for one candidate in an election, instead of distributing or splitting one's votes among a number.
–verb (used with object)
3. to drop or throw heavily or suddenly (often followed by “down”)
4. to utter or say bluntly (often followed by “out”)
5. to praise or extol
–noun
6. a heavy or sudden fall.
7. the sound resulting from such a fall.
–adv.
8. with a heavy or sudden fall or drop.
9. directly or bluntly, as in speaking.
10.in a vertical direction; straight down.
11.with sudden encounter.
12.with direct impact.
–adj.
13.direct; downright; blunt.
























Plump plum
Plumping summer
In a plump manner

Crassulent

CRASSULENT

-adj.
Very fat, overweight, obscenely obese























The doctor's verdict was clear,
The animal declared crassulent
- Much to her horror and denial -
And condemned to dieting inferno.

Torment

TORMENT

–verb (used with object)
1. to afflict with great bodily or mental suffering; pain.
2. to worry or annoy excessively.
3. to throw into commotion; stir up; disturb.
–noun
4. a state of great bodily or mental suffering; agony; misery.
5. something that causes great bodily or mental pain or suffering.
6. a source of much trouble, worry, or annoyance.
7. an instrument of torture, as the rack or the thumbscrew.
8. the infliction of torture by means of such an instrument or the torture so inflicted.




I will admit it:
I did hesitate
Surfing on the edge
Reason or folly
Keeping it or not
Keeping it. Or not.

It had met your lips
And I was jealous
But also your teeth
Its flesh marred, broken
Rot a breath away

It had met your lips
Its scent too haunting
Truly maddening
To be forsaken
Tormenting notion.
It going to waste

It had met your lips:
That did seal its fate.
I couldn’t let go.
I ate your apple
Your abandoned kiss
Our shared memory.




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.

Strew

STREW

-verb (used with object)
1. to let fall in separate pieces or particles over a surface; scatter or sprinkle
2. to cover or overspread (a surface, place, etc.) with something scattered or sprinkled
3. to be scattered or sprinkled over (a surface)
4. to spread widely; disseminate



Strewn live emerald
Captured by a lazy wave.
Savoury lettuce.

Noisome

NOISOME

-adj.
1. Offensive, especially to the sense of smell.
2. Harmful; noxious.




Noisome and noxious
Rotten flesh a threat to health
Zombie fruits looming.