not quite a goner

Monday...the old year not quite a goner
I Watch and wait
For Poetry Bursting in

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'old year.'

Thank you all for keeping me company in 2012 and for your always much enjoyed and appreciated comments! Wishing you a happy and safe 2013.

a-ha!

Most miraculous of all
was the spontaneous poetry,
the ‘a-ha!’
when we finally understand
the beauty of a woodland garden
covered with thousands of daffodils

the unexpected
grace and infinity of nature,
every vista a cathedral, every bough a revelation
All God,
laid open,
in Wonder

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The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'revelation.'

Happy solstice, winter or summer, depending on your hemispherical location! And happy holidays to all, as I take a quick break to be with family & without computer.

folklore

tales or folk-lore,
You and I
start from the idea
of a soul secretly hidden

the shadowy, blended with the light,
the Moments the poet prefers,
fiercely true to experience

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'Marchen,' a fairy tale in the Germanic tradition.

journey

A journey made
in search of good
is better than traveling
to crowded beaches

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'surfari.'

travel

enthusiasts who devote their time
to Independent travel,
over every inch of anything,
like putting on mileage

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'gricer,' a kind of trainspotter.

The message spelled out in this Buenos Aires sketch done last week is "Silence is not health." It appears across from where "Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo" still have a presence. More BA sketches are here.

grace

Grace …
Instructions on how to
quietly progress
to Freedom 

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'presidentship.'

the edge

the edge of peace —
walking the tightrope of hope
in high winds

. . . . . . .

The Seattle Urban Sketchers met today at Seattle Center. Some young people were singing as part of Winterfest; it's always nice to have music when you're sketching.

secrets

The Secrets of
one thousand and one flowers
exhaled Through wide-open windows—
June 

. . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem is 'millefleurs.'

agog

bursting with excitement,
agog over the implications of it…
heat in November

. . . . . .

The very personally appropriate OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'adither.'

Today's image is digital, as my paints are packed. This blog will be on hiatus while I'm traveling, but a sketchbook will follow!

relevant

the young search
for the future

A place which has not changed
is no longer relevant

November Night

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The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'time warp.'

joy juice

kickapoo joy juice...
working on an innovative project

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'skunk works.'

progress

The sacred progress of age 
is the building

. . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'naology,' which is the study of sacred buildings. Another day, another new word for our vocabulary from the lads in Oxford.

spare me

November

attempts to play on our fears
and exploit our differences…

Spare me
. . . . . .

Being an equal opportunity dictionary, the OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'blue state.'

captivate

the color you have going...
how does it reach out
to captivate

. . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'red state.' The Oxford lads inform us that its current usage only dates to a Matt Lauer reference to a color-coded map on the Today show during the 2000 election; in previous elections the use of red and blue had been switched. This helps me feel less idiotic when I am momentarily discombobulated about which is which.

Larger image on Flickr, where I note how strangely comforting I find it, as if this window seat were at grandmother's house.

power

today is unknown

a vacuum of Free Power

in a pattern

. . . . . .

The Oxford lads had a good laugh today: the OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'chad.' Strangely, the word 'hanging' did not appear in the citations.

fire

the delight in making
is a primitive source of Fire
and might rekindle individuals

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'pyromania.'

playing

playing
is
essential
in
art

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'ludology,' the study of games and game playing.

I couldn't resist googling "ludology + government grant" -- about 26K hits :)

hunger

True history
that can be seen and touched 
reveals the world's spiritual hunger,
its need for emotional and spiritual comfort

Walk on the Wild Side, Sugar,
Look for Beauty

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The  OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is
'soul food,' which dates back to 13th century Old English, i.e., waaay before grits were part of the conversation!

paved

The Emerald City
is paved with streets of gold —

leaves, that is

. . . . . . .

The unused OED word of the day is 'souling,' which was the 7th century (!) great-great great-great... grandaddy of trick or treating. 

Halloween

Halloween —
greeting kids at the door with
chocolate on my lips

. . . . . . .

FYI, the OED word of the day was 'Bloody Bones.' Yuck.

After debating the outdoor options (wet), Peggy and I hunkered down in Ivars on Pier 54. Kudos to our waiter who left us totally undisturbed to paint the view

travel

Travel, She said,
was quietly making decisions  
To dance

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'loco.'

attitude

Used in an interesting way
color implied attitude

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'ostrobogulous,' which typically means indecent

history

History underscores
the bonds of friendship
forged by winter

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is
'earth lodge.'

dreams

Dreams 
preserve
the memory
of the past

& add
interesting matter
to the original,
making it complete

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'reliquary.'

remaindered

late october —
the memory of summer sun
remaindered

. . . . . . .

In case you want to take it up, the unused OED word of the day is 'morology,' the study of fools and folly.

incongruous beauty

Life
is complex and exquisite,
fused into an incongruous beauty
connecting all:

plug in

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'hybrid.'

connection

An animal that is comfortable is rare…
the majesty of the
extraordinary connection
with each other

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'arctician.' Even though Google thinks I've made a typo and meant tactician, I think you can imagine what this word means... even if you can't imagine using it in a sentence.

This collage ("Katsura with Poem") is inspired botanically by the Japanese tree (several planted at the Arboretum),  whose autumn leaves smell exactly like cotton candy, and artistically by the Japanese art that places calligraphy down the right-hand side, with a description or poem.

Larger image on Flickr.

kissing

kissing you

an Adventure of soft, warm love,
surely the best /last thing he dreams of

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'osculation.'

tranquility

Let the spirit
while it can
find comfort in
humble tranquility
. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'orgulous.'

The collage is an homage to Mary Delany, the subject of Molly Peacock's "The Paper Garden: An Artist Begins Her Life's Work at 72."

tulips

tulips bend & open
so gracefully you barely notice
that they’re dying

. . . . .

For the record, the unused OED word of the day is 'optant.'

victory

victory was insolent,
and savored so much,
that criticisms must
sit and listen to confidence

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary | poem is 'gasconade,' which means extravagant boasting.

The image is a new art form from my beginning study of the Sogetsu school of ikebana.

fierce

fierce criticism
with lavish expenditure
rather than taste

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for today's 'Jeopardy' clue is
"Grimthorpe," the English Lord whose restoration of St. Alban's Cathedral wasn't received well - more money than skill, apparently.

The correct response to the 'Jeopardy' answer is, of course: "What is a political campaign?"

faint hope

I have
on occasion
confirmed
the faint hope
that I’ve evolved
rather More
than one must

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'Bunbury,' familiar to readers of Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" as a fictitious excuse to avoid doing something.

incurable

Strange
Incurable
Love
&
Life—that's what you'll have,

(What ninnyhammer wrote that, I wonder?

rare foolish,
ridiculous
Life and Love

. . . . . . .

The delightful OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is, of course, 'ninnyhammer.'

saturated

October —
the trees now saturated
with rain not color
. . . . . .

The unused OED word of the day is 'Fach,' a person's line of work or expertise.

I was definitely absent the day THAT one got taught.

understanding

Understanding & controlling
are not sufficient
to change the character
of an adult male

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'adultoid.'

Sorry, guys, but it's not like there was a lot to work with... and who wants to 'change the character of a nymph'?

calligrapher

a Calligrapher's 
Companion

The letters

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'historiated,' which refers to the decoration of the initial letter of an illuminated manuscript with depictions of people, animals, or scenes.

classic

Sometimes it's best to just bow to the master.

magic

the forest
tasted of Magic
having roots
in the land
of fairies

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'hotchi-witchi,' which is Gypsy speak for a hedgehog - which, apparently, the Romani like to eat. Okaaaaayy...

The most interesting thing for me is that the word has roots, the lads think, in Middle Persian (wešag forest). 'Tis a tangled web, language...

fun

art
loved and savored
Should
simply
be  
Fun

. . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'histrionics.'

big hair

Big Hair & Plastic Grass…
the false set up
to simulate The real

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'astroturfing.'

I wanted to sketch pink fluff underneath the katsura tree - that's what the fallen autumn leaves smell like - but will leave it to your imagination.

a whiff of the past

traveling
An imagined future
All I know is that
it becomes apparent
The most successful
of our days was
undoubtedly
A whiff of the past

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is
'time-traveler.'

Speaking of travel, I highly recommend a trip to the Washington Park Arboretum this month. Not only for the autumn color (and the cotton candy smell of katsura leaves!), but for  Abby Arresty's Music of Trees sound installation. Very cool!

cartwheeling

october wind —
summer memories
cartwheeling
down the street

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day is the nonce word 'requietory,' used by a Mr. Wheeler in 1641 to mean sepulchre.

Talk to the hand, Oxford lads.

October moon

October moon —
a hint of autumn color
as wild fires still burn

. . . . . .

I didn't use the OED word of the day, but if you're curious it's 'arborio.' I always vaguely assumed (and we know what happens then) it had something to do with arbors/gardens/grapes. But it's just the name of the town near where it's cultivated. And, next time you're at an Italian wedding, it will only be arborio rice thrown at the bride.

bridges

images …
a series of bridges in a
Fortress of Solitude 
. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem is 'scratchiti.'

disgusting things

part of an extended metaphor
art contains Disgusting Things 

So what?

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'germy.' Rather surprised at the Dylan Thomas citation:

"Remember this: each rose is wormy.
And every lovely woman's germy."

Dude.

sweet juice

full of understanding,
quick and lively

to possess such a mind
you must keep it fresh

The Ordinary, I assure you,
can be the sweet juice

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The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary was 'vegete.'  Kudos if you knew that means healthy or active.

live today

enjoy all and
dare to fail

live today ---
in the end,
Time will be
available
for Security
purposes

. . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'mulct,' which means to punish by a fine.

fever

Design --
Now in the autumn of Age
we approach more with variety

Nursing the fever

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The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'aestivo-autumnal.' Thought it was just a seasonal adjective, but it refers to a type of malaria that occurs at this time of year.

Fun sketching at Olympic Sculpture Park with a bunch of WSU sophomore interior design students and their profs.

reunion

reunion lunch —
the age in their faces
I miss in the mirror

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The unused OED word of the day, if you are interested, salutes the Ryder Cup but doesn't make for poetry: mashie.