Five Words Thread

[anirbas]

megalomania * gravitas * obtuse * omelet * editor

If only our editor had more gravitas
and was less struck with megalomania.
The son of a beast is an arrogant, obtuse ass.
Can you believe it? This morning he commanded
I make him a three egg omelet to go with his coffee!!!!!

engender*commandeer*axiom*lexicon*lavender

[anirbas]

Ha! A toast to me! Me! Me! Me! I did it!!! I flipped the page!!!!!!!!!

[phantasm]

engender*commandeer*axiom*lexicon*lavender


The blood is thick with it-- creative yearning to break free
Our souls are engendered with possibility and wonder, straining against boredom
We'll commandeer a ship and run the blockade arrayed against us,
against all foes, external and internal
We all have a destiny, it is only a matter of removing the obstacles.
Your lexicon provides you with the ammo, the leverage you need to get the job done
Lavender and garlic are the weapons we wield against the enemy,
Silver and mistletoe the means to overcome
Matter, ephemeral yet the basis of existence, is what we use to combat this Enemy:
Rootedness, connectedness, personality, will-- these are outgrowths of the substance of our selves

Existence is the unasailable axiom that combats meaninglessness.



acclimate*acme*nadir*kvetch*portend

[aims]

^{well I finally made it by here, this summer it is not only that my daughter keeps monopolizing my computer it is also that time of year when I use industrial size weed whackers out in the heat in heavy clothing and protective gear in the 90 something degree heat at work a lot so I am wiped when I get home most nights so if I am around a bit less that is why!!!}
_____________________________________________________________

megalomania * gravitas * obtuse * omelet * editor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gravitas is hardly ever the face I show the world. . .
no mine more often smacks of blue collar
to a degree that actually belies the intelligence borne in this vessel.
and if you knew how humble and simple my appearance was,
you could not mistake that comment as an indicator of megalomania!
I am not however, obtuse, however simple I appear.
I am like an omelet. . .
plain yellow on the outside but full of colorful ingredients inside
and I trust that eternity's editor of life stories
will see to it that mine discloses the full Amy, to any, if any, who care to know.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
slight, sight, second, tread, intuit

uh oh, I should have refreshed the page a few days ago!!!!!! so here are phantasms latest words for the next poster just ignore mine . . . sorry!!!!!!

acclimate*acme*nadir*kvetch*portend

[anirbas]

acclimate*acme*nadir*kvetch*portend

I attempt to acclimate myself
to the acme of my emotions
Thinking myself at the nadir
of my control, I did not portend
this latest episode in our shared
familial history could spin
me into a kvetch-fest
from the slough of despond
within myself. I quit. I give up.

tacit*protuberance*inflation*turgid*wasted

[aims]

tacit*protuberance*inflation*turgid*wasted
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He looked like an old lumpy mattress,
the protuberance of turgid organs
stretching his abdomen this way and that
but that didn't bother him so much
he'd long since given up caring how he looked. . .
let's just say, inflation of his ego
was a thing of the past,
as he existed in this body in tacit agreement
not to hope for admirers;
no it was not his continued existence
in this form that worried him, his health,
this worried him gravely.
to live another day beyond the expiration of certain hopes,
this,
mattered far more to him than he'd ever have thought.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
rancid, rove, clever, stove, rife

[phantasm]

rancid, rove, clever, stove, rife



We wander the fields of time and space,
becoming more and more clever as the centuries progress
We pace to and fro, occasionally we stumble,
we even fall into rancid acid like the Joker as he became Batman's enemy
But will we allow the burning, searing vat of witch's brew to harden our hearts?

We can be rife with life indomitable
We can choose the good, like turning on a gas stove
It may take a spark and a few minutes, but the fire always comes on.

laciniate*wayfarer*inertia*satin*succinct

[aims]

laciniate*wayfarer*inertia*satin*succinct
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A laciniate scar carved into his chiseled abs
his threadbare holey clothes
tell a tale of a wayfarer,
not by choice.
Yet,
satin. . .
would not have suited.
He was a stranger to inertia,
succinct in conversation.
Attention and approval
were not on his cosmic shopping list,
no, not at all;
a warm dry sleep,
sustenance replete,
a little traveled path to beat
and labor to strengthen his physique.
A simple life, freedom, nature, contemplation,
not shackled to reputation or possessions, nor obligations.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
crag, stag, mad, stagnant, cry

[phantasm]

crag, stag, mad, stagnant, cry




Standing at the edge of the crag, we find ourselves going stagnant,
Unwilling to trust-fall off the cliff into the abyss illuminated by a single, massive sunbeam.
A little bird on our shoulder asks, "Are you mad?"

Perhaps we should be, in a world stolid and rushed, dressed in their best business suits,
Like zombies chasing grave-robbers in a bad movie about Egyptian curses.
Where did we get the idea it's normal to work as a cog a a big, bureaucratic machine?

Cry "Never!"
Stand on your desk and talk back to the boss
Imagine a new life where you're the boss of you

Like a mountain stag, go climb a mountain, wild and free
Roaming where you will, no need to get money by kissing the boss's ass
Often, what we imagine is possible.




contagious*votive*eschew*acumen*supernova

[anirbas]

contagious*votive*eschew*acumen*supernova


I eschew each new contagious trend.
Planking, in various settings, not for me.
Dumping ice water over my head,
in the name of charity,
isn't upon my acumen, either.

I'd rather light a single
votive candle in the dark
and become a supernova
of inspiration for someone
blind to their own simple beauty...?

*i know. i know. dame pulling up lame...haha*

coagulate*coordinate*straight*trait*beldame

[aims]

coagulate*coordinate*straight*trait*beldame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Her thoughts no longer coagulate
her limbs refuse to coordinate
her path in life
or on foot
is the opposite of straight.
the one truth left to her
a trait within as without
beldame,
born in the wrong century
she could easily have been a true inspiration
for a witch hunt.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
dense, sparse, farce, trick, stick

[anirbas]

(sounds like you were writing about me, Amy! LoL)

dense, sparse, farce, trick, stick

sparse farce this
repetitive throwing
of a stick my master
thinks is a neat trick
never fails it lands
in dense underbrush
as aforementioned
master couldn't hit
the broadside of a barn
next one buddy you're going
in after it there are ants in there
and I am a dog not an aardvark

sepia*lavender*magenta*aquamarine*yellow

[aims]

sepia*lavender*magenta*aquamarine*yellow
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As sepia seeps from the cuttlefish
in the aquamarine sea,
the sun screams yellow overhead.
Nearby, in the fields that lay
between the sea and the hills
a lone child magenta clad
races through rows of lavender
in pursuit of dog.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
solace, price, cram, sarcasm, prime

[phantasm]

solace, price, cram, sarcasm, prime


What price do we pay for the lives that we live?
Is it quantifiable, can you open the cash register and count the legal tender
that flows through your life and the lives of everyone around you?
We take unconscious solace in the movements of the herd,
We see everyone buying and selling unquestioningly.
Advertising primes the pump of desire: "Widgets on sale for only $9.99!"
When the sale price is the price the multinational corporation REALLY wants to sell it at anyway.
This is just asking for mockery and sarcasm from the plebs they're attempting to sell to.
But we are all so inured to the flashy smile from the sexy fox of a chick hawking the goods.
Does anybody care anymore?

All I want is to cram my life full of meaning.




wayfarer, apparition, fathom, convivial, junta

[aims]

wayfarer, apparition, fathom, convivial, junta
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The wayfarer was an apparition,
easy to fathom!
a traveler between realms. . .
life, after life, my dream,
a no-brainer!
Convivial Junta, on the other hand,
an oxymoron
tossed in, no doubt,
by my subconscious
which does seem to have a sense of humor,
as evidenced elswhere,
for instance:
my dream about lobsters from outer space, where,
when the lobster was walking on it's tailfins toward the phone lines,
pincer extended,
the music playing in the background was the supenseful tune from "Jaws"!
and I found myself, even in the dream, incredulous and tickled.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
freak, Djinn, iron, clap, meddle

[anirbas]

freak, Djinn, iron, clap, meddle

You may think me a freak
with a brain leak
because I have a Djinn
on speed dial quickly
at my fingertips.

He could have been yours...
But, he's all mine!

I'm the one that had the meddle
to go Djinn hunting
trick him into letting
me get just close enough
to clap an iron bracelet
about his handsome wrist.

A metal that renders him powerless
and makes me his master forever.
Not just a paltry three wishes...

~*~

covert*cult*craven*kale*penny

[aims]

covert*cult*craven*kale*penny
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the covert meeting of
the cult of the kale worshippers
the first order of business
was the absolute sacrilege
plastering the wall
of the meeting hall
a graven image
spinach!
Bang bang bang went the gavel
then someone shouted:
"lovers of that green are too craven to show their faces here!"
someone else: "yeah, they're too full of fear!"
Then the leader said:
"please Penny sit down. . .
no not there on the ground!
have you got spinach for brains woman?!"
It was then the tide turned
when all turned to see
a child on bended knee
"Please sir, can't we have both?"
Bang bang bang:
"Please take her a way to put in time-out!
and if she says that again. . .
give her a good shout!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
splat, that, mat, hat, pumpernickel

[phantasm]

splat, that, mat, hat, pumpernickel


Splat the cat didn't often land on his feet,
He hit the bookshelf on the way down when he slipped walking up the bannister
and landed on top of the pumpernickel bread left on the mini-table at the bottom of the stairs.
He was always lucky in that unlucky way.

That clumsy cat found himself falling into a hat
or the freshly clean laundry
or a pillow casually tossed into the corner.

He never could quite find his balance.....
The other cats teased him mercilessly for being a klutz.
But Splat would merely curl up in his favorite place--
at the youngest child's place mat on the kitchen table.

Cats aren't always the immortal embodiment of grace, you know..........................


kismet, Mars, flash, flywheel, ceramic

[aims]

kismet, Mars, flash, flywheel, ceramic
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The engine of existence needs a new flywheel
nothing smooth about the ride of late,
ah well,
maybe it's kismet,fate,
run rampant by human will
wont stay great,
will fall apart,
back to the drawing slate
the porcelain to smash
break the ceramic
off to mars in a flash
sleep in a bubble,
in a hammock.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
weak, sneak, creak, rattle, scrape

[phantasm]

weak, sneak, creak, rattle, scrape

The car rattles as it bounces down the road.
There's something loose under the hood.
Granted, the chassis is scraping the road.
But otherwise the ride seems to be all right.
At least we think so, as it creeks under the weight
of all our baggage and passengers.

But the engine is kinda weak.
What it needs is a kick.
I think I'll sneak some bourbon
into the gas tank.

That'll make this baby fly.


character, trident, glass, mutant, chateau

[aims]

character, trident, glass, mutant, chateau
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Far be it from me to impugn the character
of the God of the sea
so majestic with his Trident,
a fancy name for an underwater three pronged pitchfork!
see him there under glass in his sea chateau,
in a mutant make-believe underwater existence,
otherwise known as my aquarium.
he is real,
if not alive!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
complicated, slick, slice, credible, genre

[phantasm]

complicated, slick, slice, credible, genre


What does it mean to have credibility?
In a world full of incredulity
There is widespread apathy and pessimism
Striving for the minimum.

Slick politicians slice off whatever cash they can
Funneling tax dollars away from the public good
and wind up screwing the 'hood with pollution.
What about brotherhood from sea to shining sea?

We express our opinions in many ways and genres
But what do we expect to come of it?
We elect leaders only to discover they're exploiters
We throw the bums out and go over the process again
Some people in power are good people
But there are so many bad apples we're all tempted to cut down the tree.

We asked our parents when we were little,
"Why is there evil in the world?"
And we get back the answer, "It's complicated."
They take the cop-out answer because in our innocence we convict them.
Vote, and you have the impossible chore of discerning who has the better heart
Don't vote, and you protest participation in a mostly corrupt system
But we hand over control of the system to Them.
Then the room falls quiet and you could  hear a termite fart.

It all comes back to wisdom, exercise of power, and credibility.



time, methane, self-determination, cosmos, familiarity

[aims]

time, methane, self-determination, cosmos, familiarity
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Time, . . .
familiarity with it breeds contempt.
Self pity is methane,
much worse than hot air,
it can bring it,
when it meets the aim
of the flame of self-determination,
and the cosmos,
it's something pretty awesome,
that is forever beyond the containment of the finite mind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
olive, agrimony, arsenic, reach, teach

[aims]

olive, agrimony, arsenic, reach, teach
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Agrimony under your pillow and you will sleep!
but will your consciousness ever reach the shores of morning
that is the warning
that is what the old ones teach
someone must impeach
the sachet from it's assignment.
Or you can drink Agrimony tea
it will make you several ailments free
the olive branch to your body's mutiny.
So,
a nap
or a cure for a health mishap!
and if nothing in this living
seems worth having
or giving. . .
there's arsenic
for a permanent dirt nap.
oh snap, what a load of crap!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
single, shingle, mingle, tingle cringle

[phantasm]

single, shingle, mingle, tingle cringle


My body tingles with the thought:
Singular, alone, I can do whatever I want
My mind mingles with thoughts I want to think more often

But then Chris Cringle shows up on my doorstep and drop a bag full of shingles.
I look down at my doorstoop and say, "Huh? What the hell...?"



fork, fire, silver bell, greedy, celestial

[aims]

fork, fire, silver bell, greedy, celestial
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My mind finds
a celestial fork in the road
when the silver bell
calls my greedy heart to feast on
dreams of acquisition
it lights a fire
under my already scorched wallet,
filled with the ashes
of money that was not to burn
but did anyway;
instead of that less traveled path
of the joy of giving. . .
but I usually find my way back there without too much trouble.
Human nature,
hideously beautiful!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
coin, selfless, humor, shrewd, dude

[anirbas]

coin, selfless, humor, shrewd, dude

He name is Shrewd Dude.
Literally. Seems his dad
had a weird sense of humor
when he gifted his son
with this ludicrous
moniker. None
the less,
Shrewd Dude
grew up to be
selfless
and valiant
with a bad assed
sword arm.
He had to.
With the name
he'd been given.
The villagers
loved him!
Never able
to amass
much coin,
though.
He was forever
giving it away.
The villagers
loved him!
Poor Shrewd Dude.
The moral of this story?
To be totally selfless
is a curse
and makes
even the strongest
man a big pushover.

~*~

translucent*gesture*opaque*texture*rhinoceros

[anirbas]

(off topic, I had a blast, Ams and Phant reading through your latest offerings!!!)

[phantasm]

translucent*gesture*opaque*texture*rhinoceros




opaque is his mind
clarity limited, yet the potential still lies within
different kinds of thoughts clutter it,
distractions, however necessary, distort the image on the other side

The will can change the texture of the mind,
assassinate the god of worthy thoughts with the blood of a hind
Does choosing one Good negate another equal Good?

Choice is constrained by wants and resources
The universe of charity is filled with trillions of galaxies of blazing suns
Choice gestures towards a single star and says, "I will add fuel to the fire of this one."
This choice does not make other choices unmade less worthy
Eventually, a choice must be made

We sometimes feel powerful beyond measure
Other times, helpless before our life circumstances
The heart can be a lumbering rhinoceros,
lazily grazing in the fields of familiarity
Yet once it starts stampeding, can anything stop it?

The translucent mind can become clear
once it has an ambitions to drive itself forward with.
The Good can be a distraction, a wild animal that must be
kept in the zoo and managed.

Just because you turn away from one Good, it doesn't mean you're calling it evil.


-----------------

prism: a 3D glassy device that can split light into its constituent spectra
zoanthropy: believing oneself to be an animal
xyst: a garden walk planted with trees
sobriquet: a nickname
afflatus: divine inspiration

(a few of these words are on the obscure side,
thought I'd provide the definitions so the next person can use them properly.)

[aims]

prism: a 3D glassy device that can split light into its constituent spectra
zoanthropy: believing oneself to be an animal
xyst: a garden walk planted with trees
sobriquet: a nickname
afflatus: divine inspiration

prism, zoanthropy, xyst, sobriquet, afflatus
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My mind is an intangible prism
not a prison,
not a xyst.
That I call myself an animal,
not a sobriquet,
not zoanthropy;
no,
more afflatus,
the higher self is a mirror
in which I see
the whole of me,
from my animal toes
to my spirit unfettered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
compliant, reliant, folly, jolly, capitulate