Friday 30 September 2016

Restraint

RESTRAINT

-noun
1. the ability to control or moderate one's impulses, passions, etc.
2. the act of restraining or the state of being restrained
3. something that restrains; restriction
















We talked all over the place
Crossing lines to rhymes and nonsense
But she insisted for restraint
And drew up lists instead

Thursday 29 September 2016

Betimes

BETIMES

-adv.
1. (archaic) in good time; early
2. (archaic) in a short time; soon

























She rang a fugue
Betimes and back
We nearly missed it

Wednesday 28 September 2016

Stirps

STIRPS

-noun
1. genealogy a line of descendants from an ancestor; stock or strain
2. botany a race or variety, especially one in which the characters are maintained by cultivation



















Out at sea,
Lie the stirps that brought us here
Playing with waves
Singing sweet songs of death

Tuesday 27 September 2016

Analeptic

ANALEPTIC

-adj.
1. (of a drug, etc.) stimulating the central nervous system
-noun
2. any drug that stimulates the central nervous system
3. (formerly) a restorative remedy or drug



















Sunshine
The ideal analeptic
Cast in clay and glazed
For better conservation


Monday 26 September 2016

Manteel

MANTEEL

-noun
a cloak, shawl or covering

























Against summer winds
Famous blue manteel

Sunday 25 September 2016

Seltzer

SELTZER

-noun
1. a natural effervescent water with a high content of minerals
2. a similar synthetic water, used as a beverage

























After excess
Seltzer might help
Though restraint
Would work best

Saturday 24 September 2016

Sheathe

SHEATHE

-verb (trans.)
1. to insert (a knife, sword, etc.) into a sheath
2. (especially of cats) to retract (the claws)
3. to surface with or encase in a sheath or sheathing
























Magnanimous
He sheathes his blades for me
But could I please
Leave him alone?

Friday 23 September 2016

Countervail

COUNTERVAIL

-verb
1. (when intr., usually followed by “against”) to act or act against with equal power or force
2. (trans.) to make up for; compensate; offset

























When greed and curiosity
Countervail suspicion

Thursday 22 September 2016

Syllable

SYLLABLE

-noun
1. a combination or set of one or more units of sound in a language that must consist of a sonorous element (a sonant or vowel) and may or may not contain less sonorous elements (consonants or semivowels) flanking it on either or both sides.
2. (in the writing systems of certain languages, especially ancient ones) a symbol or set of symbols standing for a syllable
3. the least mention in speech or print
-verb
4. to pronounce syllables of (a text); articulate
5. (trans.) to write down in syllables

























Wooden minstrel
Unable to syllable
If not in a song


Wednesday 21 September 2016

Splatter

SPLATTER

-verb
1. to splash with small blobs; spatter
-noun
2. a splash of liquid, mud, etc.















Intemperate years
Have splattered these walls
With old age flowers


Tuesday 20 September 2016

Gesticulate

GESTICULATE

-verb
to express by or make gestures

























A debate of statues
Marble gesticulating
Arguments

Monday 19 September 2016

Sheath

SHEATH

-noun
1. a case or covering for the blade of a knife, sword, etc.
2. any similar close-fitting case
3. biology an enclosing or protective structure, such as a leaf base encasing the stem of a plant
4. the protective covering on an electric cable
5. a figure-hugging dress with a narrow tapering skirt
6. another name for condom
-verb
7. (trans.) another word for sheathe

























Despite looming fall
Pumpkin flowers still
Burst out of their sheath
Looking for adventure 

Sunday 18 September 2016

Scallion

SCALLION

-noun
any of various onions or similar plants, such as the spring onion, that have a small bulb and long leaves and are eaten in salads. Also called: green onion

























A little kick
Scallions over a dish
Cheap domestic exotism 

Saturday 17 September 2016

Eyrie

EYRIE

-noun
1. the nest of an eagle or other bird of prey, built in a high inaccessible place
2. the brood of a bird of prey, especially an eagle
3. any high isolated position or place




















Cats envy birds
Their eyries
And will steal them

Whenever possible

Friday 16 September 2016

Distal

DISTAL

-adj.
(anatomy) (of a muscle, bone, limb, etc) . situated farthest from the centre, median line, or point of attachment or origin.

























Tombs were thus placed
Distal growth along consular roads
To accompany citizens in their travels

A reminder of transience

Thursday 15 September 2016

Evaginate

EVAGINATE

-verb
(trans.) medicine to turn (an organ or part) inside out; turn the outer surface of (an organ or part) back on itself

























Men’s ire had buried the place alive
The memory of his owner smothered
Archaeologists reversed the spell for a while
The hill was explored, evaginated
Nero’s palace came back to life

Before being eaten again by its tomb

Wednesday 14 September 2016

Fettle

FETTLE

-verb (trans.)
1. to remove (excess moulding material and casting irregularities) from a cast component
2. to line or repair (the walls of a furnace)
3. British dialect
a. to prepare or arrange (a thing, oneself, etc.), especially to put a finishing touch to
b. to repair or mend (something)
-noun
4. state of health, spirits, etc.
5. another name for fettling





















After a few years of fettling

The fountain is in fine fettles

Tuesday 13 September 2016

Fulcrum

FULCRUM

-noun
1. the pivot about which a lever turns
2. something that supports or sustains; prop
3. a spine-like scale occurring in rows along the anterior edge of the fins in primitive bony fishes such as the sturgeon

























Importance of a detail
Fulcrum against which all revolves

Turquoise green gem

Monday 12 September 2016

Weft

WEFT

-noun
the yarn woven across the width of the fabric through the lengthwise warp yarn. Also called: filling, woof

















Dusk builds up
One weft at a time

Across the loom of night

Sunday 11 September 2016

Shuck

SHUCK

-noun
1. the outer covering of something, such as the husk of a grain of maize, a pea pod, or an oyster shell
-verb (trans.)
2. to remove the shucks from
3. (informal) (mainly US and Canadian) to throw off or remove (clothes, etc.)

























Just a glance
Inside a shuck
Reveals a whole world

Ready to happen

Saturday 10 September 2016

Quantum

QUANTUM

-noun
1. physics
a. the smallest quantity of some physical property, such as energy, that a system can possess according to the quantum theory
b. a particle with such a unit of energy
2. amount or quantity, especially a specific amount
3. (often used with a negative) the least possible amount that can suffice
4. something that can be quantified or measured
5. (modifier) loosely, sudden, spectacular, or vitally important

























In the dirt
Quantum cuteness
Begging for food

And cuddles

Friday 9 September 2016

Lumbar

LUMBAR

-adj.
of, near, or relating to the part of the body between the lowest ribs and the hipbones

























Oh, the pleasure

Of the lower lumbar view!

Thursday 8 September 2016

Wail

WAIL

-verb
1. (intr.) to utter a prolonged high-pitched cry, as of grief or misery
2. (intr.) to make a sound resembling such a cry
3. (trans.) to lament, especially with mournful sounds
-noun
4. a prolonged high-pitched mournful cry or sound

























In the dark of the night
Wailing ghosts argue
Swearing and cursing
Until someone calls the cops

Finally silencing the neighbours



Whitewash street art by Borondo

Wednesday 7 September 2016

Overt

OVERT

-adj.
1. open to view; observable
2. (law) open; deliberate.

























Not just sweet scents
Floating evanescent temptation

But overt seduction

Tuesday 6 September 2016

Trumpery

TRUMPERY

-noun
1. foolish talk or actions
2. a useless or worthless article; trinket
-adj.
3. useless or worthless



The name says it all and
While people want to be lied to

Please resist the tawdry call of trumpery

Monday 5 September 2016

Nub

NUB

-noun
1. a small lump or protuberance
2. a small piece or chunk
3. the point or gist
4. a small fibrous knot in yarn

























She loses herself in the prose
Looking for a nub

An answer to all questions

Sunday 4 September 2016

Pasty

PASTY

-adj.
1. of or like the colour, texture, etc., of paste
2. (especially of the complexion) pale or unhealthy-looking
-noun
3. either one of a pair of small round coverings for the nipples used by striptease dancers

-noun
1. a round of pastry folded over a filling of meat, vegetables, etc.

























Making tiny pasties
For a summer picnic
A Sunday at the park

Saturday 3 September 2016

Jocular

JOCULAR

-adj.
1. characterized by joking and good humour

2. meant lightly or humorously; facetious

























On a good day
She entertains jocular moods
For a short while
Then sleeps it off

Friday 2 September 2016

Dispossess

DISPOSSESS

-verb

(trans.) to take away possession of something from (someone), especially property; expel

























Time moved in
Stripping the flesh from their bones
Dispossessing them of their lives
Leaving ruins in its wake

Thursday 1 September 2016

Nubble

NUBBLE

-noun
a small lump

























Playing against the incoming storm
A pebble, a mere nubble

Awaits for rain