Pictures and Poems

howler monkey

2012-01-31T15:09:00.000-08:00

Depression in January/
the Emotion of
a howler monkey

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is
'Aegyptopithecus,' an extinct primate with an unpronounceable name.

Instead of sketching today, spent the time uploading sketches done in Cuba. If you're interested, you can find them here.

I like this place

2012-01-30T15:33:00.000-08:00

‘I like this place,’ she said,
‘it is just an ordinary life,

If you will take advice, Consider

Style, without doubt, is good;
but a beautiful soul really is Special

This truth is always delicious

. . . . . . . .

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

a raw breathing in

2012-01-29T13:48:00.000-08:00

The Triumph
of spirit In art is,
time after time,
A raw breathing in,
a good deal of trouble,
and a kind of curious
blooming
. . . . . . . .

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

architecture

2012-01-28T20:32:00.000-08:00

I make Architecture
the usual subject

A certain building
is but a painted puzzle

The window Reflections
sometimes enchanted

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The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary was 'rebus.'

at war with cold

2012-01-27T16:17:00.000-08:00

Walking to a standstill,
at War with cold all day
(i Long for a chimney)

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The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'Euroclydon,' a stormy wind.

It's strange to switch back to a cool NW palette after saturated Caribbean colors. The forty degree temperature change certainly found its way into today's erasure!

if I err

2012-01-15T10:10:00.000-08:00

If I err,
I beg indulgence
of the Poets,

as I ‘illumine’
a comparatively
simple idea

. . . . . . . .

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

Pictures & Poems will be on a brief hiatus while I am visiting the locale pictured. Gracias por su paciencia.

insubordination

2012-01-14T09:32:00.000-08:00

in a Random Passage of light
the sun Drinks from the flowers,
a Sacred insubordination in January

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

can't sit around waiting

2012-01-13T10:40:00.000-08:00

A future uncertain;
trying to balance
the pressures of today

can't sit around waiting,
and analyze to death
angst-ridden behavior

demanding a Good Weekend
may not be a sign of immaturity at all

. . . . . . . .

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

peculiar ideas

2012-01-12T14:25:00.000-08:00

Life & poetical Thinking

peculiar ideas
waking
up
New purpose

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The OED word of the day for the erasure poem|commentary is 'nyctograph,' a device invented by Charles Dodgson (aka Lewis Carrol) to record ideas at night in bed without fully waking up.

Strangely enough, I couldn't find one at Bed Bath & Beyond.

the Ordinaries

2012-01-11T14:31:00.000-08:00

art -
a Staggering
opportunity to prevent
the Ordinaries from
creeping up on a person
unawares

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'obreption.' In case you too were absent the day THAT got explained, it means trying to obtain something by fraud.

worry is a sorry place

2012-01-10T10:01:00.000-08:00

knowing, and ignorant,
Some let themselves down

Life is an adventure
Be Well,
or something of that sort,

as worry is a sorry place
sure to result in hospital

. . . . . . .

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

I don't know how I got through school without hearing of a "certificate that a student is too ill to attend an exam."

spiritual being

2012-01-09T12:54:00.000-08:00

a spiritual being
made up of energy

Should this be
Pleasure or Pain
to imagine?

are we remains
Of Godhead?

Heavens! I can think of nothing more fascinating...
The Original work done of its own accord

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem|commentary is 'automaton.' I would have failed a multiple-choice test on when the word was first used. Would you have guessed 1616?

garden of memory

2012-01-08T11:24:00.000-08:00

January scurried to fill
My Garden of Memory

the Sun,
accompanied by a butterfly

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem is 'froggery.' I admit to being a little surprised that the citations didn't include any French slurs :)

impressions

2012-01-07T10:16:00.000-08:00

Common Places,
a star in the clouded sky;

The wild mutability
I crave that
which is not
expressly indicated,
but only
in paint or in words
the impressions

There is more than what I have in these pages

The most heart-piercing part
is the Real beauty,
however concealed or disguised,
kneeling in the shadow of Choice
the consciousness of something else—
something To add to a picture
that would drink dry
fountains of eloquence

. . . . . . . .

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

the media

2012-01-06T16:18:00.000-08:00

People should be able to get respect or love
but –listen to the media –
humans wreak havoc on each other out of fear

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'brain sucker.' This was never gonna go anywhere good.

frustration

2012-01-05T10:01:00.000-08:00

Will anyone
with the experience
of middle age
deny that there is much
in every-day life
calculated to produce
Frustration

but apathy is
a lingering suicide

dwell on hope

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem|commentary is 'accidie,' which is basically sloth. Not, of course, that I would know anything about that :)

rose-gold

2012-01-04T14:54:00.000-08:00

winter sunrise —
rose-gold splashed across the sky
gone in a heartbeat

. . . . . . . .

The poetically unusable OED word of the day is 'Newtonically.'

imaginary heroes

2012-01-03T10:37:00.000-08:00

imaginary heroes
usually (and quite rightly) help all

hate and anger
one came again to learn
were The trouble

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'orc,' a sort of ogre resurrected from Old English by Tolkien.

Peggy had the good idea to sketch in the Fremont library, the perfect location on a cold rainy January day: big tables AND stamps (unfortunately, I stamped the tiny Piglet upside down in the foreground!) AND stickers (Peggy used a cool thought balloon one).

with a pencil

2012-01-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

search out and draw life

under examination
the present
Will nourish
the soul

Dashes at Life
with a Pencil
influence your mind,
an advantage you may
not have thought of

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem|commentary is 'pabalum,' not to be confused with pablum. In fact, as the Oxford lads point out, the two are so OFTEN confused that the definition for pablum is now an alternate definition for pabulum, even though they border on opposites!

If I've completely boggled your mind, you can always go to the source!

safe

2012-01-01T14:43:00.000-08:00

this groggy head,
unsteady, and—old

Sunday morning
Safe from yesterday

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'babalaas,' South African slang for a hangover.

Hope you aren't needing to add that to your vocabulary today.

change

2011-12-31T10:00:00.000-08:00

wishes one will,
as often as not,
consider an excuse
for shirking —
the New year's
journey to change

. . . . . . .

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

Thank you to all who have visited my blog this year - each "view" is important to me - and an extra special bow of gratitude to those of you who leave comments!

Wishing you all a blessed and happy 2012!

raw

2011-12-30T08:35:00.000-08:00

life is Raw poetry,
piping hot

Now
is the opening

. . . . . . .

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

My fellow crossword puzzle fans have seen that one a thousand times.

hope

2011-12-29T13:32:00.000-08:00

one percent paper
ninety-nine percent hope —
new sketchbook

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The unused OED word of the day is 'tankini.' Its etymology just too brief :) to use -- though the psychorolutes might like one.

To compensate, the collage IS made up of the images, if not the words, of today's Seattle Times.

get (it)

2011-12-28T10:01:00.000-08:00

get (it)

Totally Unofficial
Hype,
fired up Vibe

right,
got it

style is mixed
with the energy of the Observer

an irresistible-hued hook is a no-brainer

. . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem|commentary is 'crunk.' The first citation is from a 1995 rap music dictionary. Enuf said.

be yourself!

2011-12-27T12:36:00.000-08:00

be yourself!

I'm willing
to think that
you are to enjoy,
without
having to
pay dearly for it

. . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'dog in the manger.'

creativity

2011-12-26T14:08:00.000-08:00

creativity and faith --
the Essence
of hope and
deliberate Living

. . . . . . . .

The slackers at OED have made "Kwanzaa" the word of the day, just as they did on 12/26/10. I've been doing this for nearly 800 days now, and it's the first repeat!

Speaking of reruns, the yarn 'sweaters' are back around the Pioneer Square area, some in Seahawks colors, some in holiday green, red and white. They make the 'Do not walk' icons suddenly lool like red mittens to me.

joy

2011-12-25T15:00:00.000-08:00

express joy
and Make merry,
I pray you all

. . . . . . . .

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

Merry Christmas to all!

a path

2011-12-24T10:40:00.000-08:00

I made it through the winter
walked a path
the easiest I found
A groove so smooth that
Sunlight could wait

. . . . . . .

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

Best wishes to all who find themselves on runways or in waiting rooms today!

broad back

2011-12-23T14:20:00.000-08:00

art has a broad back
to bear any Choice

In a crowd
you are a Slave
you get more careful

forget your sighs now
for heaven's sake and
be observant

. . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem| commentary is "P's and Q's."

Peggy and I minded ours, while sketching the largest (35') Christmas tree of any hotel in Seattle at the Fairmont Olympic.

scraping ice

2011-12-22T18:49:00.000-08:00

winter solstice —
scraping ice off the windshield
at 11am

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The OED word of the day was 'owie.' Winter darkness feels like one long owie that we wish Mommy could kiss.

winter solstice

2011-12-21T12:37:00.000-08:00

winter solstice —
the tunnel
if not its end light
now visible

. . . . . . .

The unused OED word of the day is 'psychrolute.' That would be someone who bathes outside regularly throughout the winter. Let's just shorten it to 'psycho' and be done with it.

treat

2011-12-20T09:28:00.000-08:00

a rare Treat -
my woods
& everything that
grows green in winter

. . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure haiku is 'greenhew.'

nimbose

2011-12-19T12:57:00.000-08:00

tempestuous Night
Distilling dew
under a Harvest of Stars

. . . . . . .

The Oxford lads continue in a very London/Seattle climatic frame of mind. The OED word of the day for the erasure haiku is 'nimbose' (cloudy, stormy)

in a dream

2011-12-18T11:47:00.000-08:00

Pictures in a dream
disappear in a flash
lacking the full colors
The moon made visible

Then life! and its Wild Road,
Neon signs in the fog,
inviting sweet Secrets
where change is a spring
to Beauty

your bridge from reality to dream in the morning sun

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'rainbow,' so rich in citations that Google Mail cut it off at 6000 words!

a page from an old volume

2011-12-17T11:08:00.000-08:00

full of clouds,
The wind
is a Page from
an Old Volume of Life

But let us sit awhile /

The moonlight victoriously breaks forth

. . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is another Seattle-friendly one: 'nubiferous.'

Found myself out for coffee with no blank paper, so a Christmas shopping ad was the substitute

drizzling

2011-12-16T14:42:00.000-08:00

Up at seven o'clock
to Another
drizzling day!

melancholy December

. . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure haiku is 'mizzling.' This is one of only a handful of times where the image is illustrative of the WOTD.

To my surprise, the word 'mizzle' was used nearly 200 years earlier than 'drizzle,' dating back to the end of the 15th century.

Except in Seattle, where it was the first written word at the beginning of time :)

journey

2011-12-15T12:51:00.000-08:00

Art / Life
a journey undertaken
with the intention
to seek
a wider
Perspective

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

evening stars

2011-12-14T10:32:00.000-08:00

evening stars
sometimes
hid by lights
still unexplored
gleaming
pale on the horizon

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

patience

2011-12-13T16:03:00.000-08:00

everyone must live
as they do

so Patience,
there's no use
living and fighting
with the many different ways
of reaching the same goal

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'Rome.' I was interested to read that the expression "Rome wasn't built in a day," dates back to 1545 and the "When in Rome..." proverb goes back to the 15th century.

the possible

2011-12-12T15:46:00.000-08:00

a Painting
would seem
to prove
the possible
will somehow
succeed

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem is 'autochthon,' which in my mind proves that 16th century speakers of Middle French should have left Plutarch alone.

The erasure I really preferred from the citations was simply: "some suppose men to be Intelligent Mushrooms."

divine necessity

2011-12-11T17:30:00.001-08:00

I am
very apt
to believe
in a divine
necessity …
a Walk sneers
at December

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

wild

2011-12-10T11:25:00.001-08:00

wild last night

all over
But I can record
another classic

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The OED word of the day is 'radge' and the classic was a total lunar eclipse.

open doors

2011-12-09T16:59:00.001-08:00

talent can achieve success
though You can come a long way if you
open doors,
just By beginning

. . . . . .

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

on the edge

2011-12-07T14:45:00.001-08:00

the Shortest Way
to end A pattern
of gloom is
Love
wavering
on the edge of infinity

. . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'world's end.'

still shorter

2011-12-06T10:31:00.001-08:00

early December —
really? the days can get
even shorter than this?

. . . . . . .

For the record, the OED word of the day is 'mawashi,' the sumo wrestler's silk loincloth. Just not enough 'fabric' there for an erasure poem!

kindred spirits

2011-12-05T16:13:00.001-08:00

those who care
share out-of-proportion affection
for truly kindred spirits
desperate enough to take part

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'Z-list.'

I didn't know lists went lower than comedienne Kathy Griffin's "D-List" status. Some quite amusing citations, though I particularly enjoyed The Guardian's reference to Z-list architects who designed the individual blocks of La Défense in Paris.

so you dance

2011-12-04T10:03:00.001-08:00

In change,
Nothing can be stationary;
So You Dance
instead of waiting.

You'll find it's a lot easier
There's no worrying
and there's no believing
that the Future can breeze through the questions.

You've won, but Security crash helmets must be worn

. . . . . . . .

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

tribute

2011-12-03T10:08:00.001-08:00

Tribute —
life just seems filled
with gold

. . . . . . .

Today's erasure poem | commentary was barely scratched out of "skeezy," the OED word of the day.

flavor of age

2011-12-02T09:13:00.001-08:00

the flavor of age
is sweet and bitter

the most essential
deliciousness
in Nature

, , , , , , ,

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

ordinary

2011-12-01T13:38:00.001-08:00

Ordinary
wrapp'd in frosty breath Days
made for walking
when the sun is
Decemberly pale

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

I returned today, after a month's absence, to find my second most favorite tree in Schmitz Preserve Park draped in yellow tape, like a crime scene. I guess it fell victim to rain and wind and its precarious side-of-the-hill perch. In the ten plus years that I've been walking under it, it had grown to provide a wonderful shady canopy, right where the path split.

Bummer.

RIP, tree.

a cloud

2011-11-30T09:16:00.001-08:00

A mischievous
troublesome
Poem
By the cuff
led along,
And settled
In the night.

Rhyme Was tricky
and fitly described
as a Cloud that tormented her

. . . . . . . .

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

I thought it appropriate to end the set of San Diego sketches where they started, at the iconic Santa Fe Depot.

have fun

2011-11-29T14:53:00.001-08:00

You need to have fun.
If you have fun
you complete drawings
as cute as a little red wagon
and I think real Zen
in Expressing delight …bravo!

. . . . . . .

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

candor

2011-11-28T12:14:00.001-08:00

candor has wings
in the presence of the ordinary/
Light obeying morning

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

Mondays

2011-11-27T16:00:00.001-08:00

an idea on which
people project their
fantasies and aspirations

Mondays

A fusion of ecstasy and the worst mood

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is "Madchester." Admitting you never heard of the word indicates that you, like me, were musically unhip in the 80s.

tradition

2011-11-26T08:44:00.001-08:00

at the heart
of tradition
Memories
promising
everything
to everyone
can only be
individual

. . . . . . .

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

heavenly

2011-11-25T15:58:00.001-08:00

outdoors,
in a Heavenly state

I can taste
the memory of Summer
& more

. . . . . . . .

The appropriate OED word of the day, with leftovers on the menu, for the erasure poem| commentary is "s'more."

Today's factoid from the Balboa Park ranger is that there is only one palm species native to San Diego County. It is not pictured here :)

stuffed

2011-11-24T08:51:00.001-08:00

Cookery
is a November Life Style

The main attraction is
stuffed
into America
on the big day

. . . . . . . .

Not missing a trick, the OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is ‘turducken.’

Happy Thanksgiving to all, with a special shout out to the family runners!

style

2011-11-23T07:27:00.001-08:00

style
marked by sensational
handling

the Star

A quick glance
might make you think
it's far-fetched

. . . . . . .

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

sci-fi

2011-11-22T15:11:00.001-08:00

in a different cosmos
Nothing Is Always Absolute
and everything on the Internet
is really good —

we like sci-fi

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'Sturgeon's Law.'

flamenco

2011-11-21T12:42:00.001-08:00

flamenco
hasn't even had lunch yet
at 2pm

. . . . . .

I should have known better than to attend a flamenco matinee. But Copley Hall (1929), built in Spanish baroque style, is a helluva good show in itself.

travels

2011-11-20T10:49:00.001-08:00

travels can't disappoint

After all
it isn't every day an Adventure may develop

Wanderlust is A Freedom
just one of many

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'round-the-world.'

logic yielding to spirit

2011-11-19T16:05:00.001-08:00

one of the things I like
is interesting new ways
to use a Sketch Book

inventiveness is a Playground,
and the best advantage to produce the richest results

Who knows what power may result
from logic yielding to spirit

. . . . . . . .

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

It's all happening Saturday mornings at Little Italy's mercato, including good live music to sketch by.

love exhales

2011-11-18T11:14:00.001-08:00

the feeling
of being able to touch
a person's best

Love exhales

. . . . . . . .

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

Pictured are some of the 45 foot winged-sail catamarans racing in the America's Cup World Series on San Diego Bay this week.

spare time

2011-11-17T11:41:00.001-08:00

Saturday …
the time needed
4 spare-time

. . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is the communists' icky concept of 'Saturdaying.'

The picture is of the Coronado Boathouse (1887), which becomes much more amusing when you know it was built as a dry run for the Hotel Del. Put together a hotel architect who specialized in trestle bridges and a work crew of 300 Chinese, brought down on the paddlewheeler from SF, with no interpreter, and you can see why they wanted to make sure they could actually DO this. The boathouse contains every architectural feature of the hotel.

the wheels of progress

2011-11-16T07:28:00.001-08:00

The wheels of progress
Turn idly

They like nothing
better than the Sun

I can play that game

. . . . . . . .

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

If you ever happen to be in Coronado, Nancy Cobb's Walking Tour is probably the most amusing & fascinating historical presentation I've ever heard. Afterwards, you can, of course, cotch at the Hotel Del like I did :)

USS Makin Island

2011-11-15T16:01:00.001-08:00

The OED word of the day is 'ointer,' used as a surname for a dealer in lard. Not a lot there.

The sketch was done yesterday, as I witnessed the maiden deployment of the amphibious assault ship Makin Island, the hybrid "Prius of the Navy." Next to me a family was videotaping: "There goes Chris, leaving on his first voyage... it's pretty emotional..."

real or invented

2011-11-14T07:57:00.001-08:00

real or invented design…

There are different
opinions
as to the value
in the end

. . . . . . . .

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

The picture is an invented design of the view from the 18th floor... or a throwback to 60s madras shorts!

locavores

2011-11-13T18:00:00.001-08:00

farmer's market —
locavores hunting and gathering
free samples

feeling wobbly

2011-11-12T10:33:00.001-08:00

Poems are popular
If you are feeling wobbly
in your relationship
with life

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'rose-tinted.'

11.11.11

2011-11-11T07:26:00.001-08:00

while present
and Playing
with the whole of Life,
Time turned
and warmly shook me
by the hand

11.11.11 —Well!

. . . . . . . .

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

a strong desire

2011-11-10T15:50:00.001-08:00

the greatest Verses
depend upon a strong desire
to celebrate this Day

. . . . . . . .

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

The sketch was done in Old Town, where a lot of guys were worshiping at the Church of the Immaculate '57 Chevy. Talk about strong desires...

750 poems

2011-11-09T12:07:00.000-08:00

750 Poems
To loll away the day,
To look at Life and
Listen in the night
and fan the flow,
Day by Day

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for this 750th poem | commentary is 'punkah.'

the first time

2011-11-08T17:08:00.000-08:00

the first time
on a clear day,
a wide expanse of winter is special

. . . . . . . .

Today's bizarre and unusable word of the day was biospelaeology (known only to those who actually do study living things in caves).

So, I have taken the liberty of instead erasing a poem from Wikipedia's Cabrillo National Monument text. Thanks to my cousin Jeannie and Ken for taking me out there today!

haven't a clue

2011-11-07T15:14:00.000-08:00

It's showtime.

We paint a bit,
get a rhythm going,
inspired by a thing—
a collage just came.

We ourselves
haven't a clue
as to why.

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is the verb 'vibe.' For example: Lunch outside on the terrace of the Prado was vibing nicely.

the Dance

2011-11-06T11:50:00.000-08:00

an abstract pattern,
imperfect, fleeting

as our senses grasp
the Dance

. . . . . . . .

After ridiculously brief ones, today's OED word of the day for the erasure poem is 'idea.' About 9,989 words erased!

piece of cake

2011-11-05T14:45:00.000-07:00

color with
brilliant
composition
Simple light and
the best use
of talent
and Innovations

Yah!

If it doesn't
go horribly wrong,
then it's a Piece of Cake

. . . . . . . .

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

If only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun, then only AWOL conventioneers and snowbirds have coffee outside in the morning.

umbrellas

2011-11-04T16:25:00.000-07:00

hot and sunny to
cool and rainy —
same umbrellas
different function

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day is 'misdeedy,' with about four words in two citations, so unusable for a poem, but very usable to describe today: rain in San Diego is misdeedy.

sketching

2011-11-03T18:32:00.000-07:00

sketching alongside
a busking saxophonist —
double the grooves

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day was sabermetrics. There may be poetry in baseball, but a distinct lack of it in this word.

The first of what will probably be many sketches from Balboa Park.

color

2011-11-02T17:01:00.000-07:00

color...
I could hardly
count on both hands

Look at it.
I myself a flutter in delight.

Azure, beautiful
as one would expect,
and Gaudy.

Where's November /
Nothing could depart more outrageously from the norm than
Painting Watercolors in Pink, and a little peacock blue.

It is sweet.

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem|commentary is 'popinjay.' What I would have erased on a rainy day in Seattle would have left a wildly different poem, of that I have no doubt.

the last drop

2011-11-01T18:37:00.000-07:00

in a way,
I squeezed
the last drop
out of the thing

. . . . . . . .

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

From pines to palms: this month's blog comes to you from San Diego.

pumpkins

2011-10-31T11:50:00.000-07:00

the elevation
to divine status
of extravagant
pumpkins --
October

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'pumpkinification." I love everything about this word except trying to spit it out.

I found it fascinating that it was first used nearly 2000 years ago by Seneca, as a title of a satire about the deification of the Roman Emperor Claudius.

I had expected the citations to be of Cinderella. Seeking further info in Wikipedia, it turns out there are thousands of folk tale variations on the Cinderella story, going back to - coincidentally - the ancient Greeks, but it only got really popular when the French author Charles Perrault in 1697 added a few embellishments to the story: the pumpkin, the fairy-godmother and the glass slippers.

The image is one I put on my niece's Halloween card. Happy Great Pumpkin Day to all!

unlikely

2011-10-30T08:15:00.000-07:00

It has been suggested
but seems unlikely….
alien spacecraft…

A Little Laughter

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'foo fighter.' Am I the only one that thought the band just made the name up?

autumn

2011-10-29T12:02:00.000-07:00

woodsmoke spiraling up
leaves fluttering down —-
autumn

. . . . . . . .

The unused OED word of the day is 'nodgecomb,' yet another 16th century synonym for fool. Once again, the citations were too short, so I was left to create a haiku.

In a bit of a 'rut' (if you can use the word for something so glorious) with this autumn color, but it was beyond fashionably late, and now it's brilliant

October's style

2011-10-28T09:10:00.000-07:00

last evening
The smell was fresh
and bitter at the same time.

October's style is complex,
her vocabulary large and the sort
people describe as ‘interesting’
—as if proud of their sophisticated taste.

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem|commentary is recherché, a word with an interesting etymology.

In 1580 it meant "affected or unnatural", but by 1601 it had morphed into "desirable, prized." And then at the end of the 17th century it was "unusual, well-crafted."

So, reading this example in Merriam-Webster -- "a high-end restaurant with a particularly recherché selection of wines" -- I'm not sure if it's a compliment or an insult. Advice? Use with caution!

a question

2011-10-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

a question

is tasted and analyzed
and repeatedly examined …

and the mother of all
Science We now consider
known, unchanging

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem|commentary is 'Scoville' ... for all the chile lovers out there.

the forest

2011-10-26T14:27:00.000-07:00

The forest …
Success
based on
a certain unity
with The oldest

. . . . . . . .

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

snooze button

2011-10-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

october —
morning fog
presses the sun’s
snooze button

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day is ‘heroify,’ cited in a grand total of three 19th century sentences. I’m thinking the Oxford lads need to enact a minimum usage rule. I would heroify them if they only had words of the day that were suitable for erasing into poems!

something wicked

2011-10-24T14:34:00.000-07:00

An umbrella, darling,
once again!
Something Wicked
this Way Comes

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'bumbershoot.' Why there was no citation for Seattle's famous (or maybe not so much) Bumbershoot Festival is a mystery.

This morning that fabulous light where there's a ray of sun but everything else is stormy dark.

cool

2011-10-23T10:50:00.000-07:00

October loves Jazz,
cool and Curiously styled,
a very simple pleasure

take delight
in daily life,
filled
with the desire to become Love

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem|commentary is 'camera,' which has traveled far from its 16th century roots as the papal treasury!

landscape

2011-10-22T13:55:00.000-07:00

Painters Journey
in the landscape

desire
is the poetry
of October

. . . . . . .

The OED word of the day is 'image-maker.'

mush

2011-10-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

self-confident,
yet anxious,
we pick and choose,
sandwiched between
layers of sweet mush,
The Truth

. . . . . . . .

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

plain words

2011-10-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

Plain Words
on a circuitous
journey through
the great whirl of
human imagination,

tantalized
by the impossible
view of a rare Evening
in October,

Poems,
if graceful,
deliver an elegant little
punch
in The hush of the Evening

. . . . . . . .

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

school bus yellow

2011-10-19T10:01:00.000-07:00

School bus yellow leaves
whisper in the maple trees —
harvest moon

. . . . . . .

It turns out that there is an official name for that color that reappears every September: National School Bus Glossy Yellow.

The Eye Center used to be in a windowless area of the UW Medical Center. Now it's on First Hill, with huge windows the length of the waiting room. Every time I'm there I roll my (dilating) eyes at the irony that there is this fabulous view that no one sitting there can see!

walking about not knowing

2011-10-18T17:32:00.000-07:00

Poems, just before going to bed
bring good cheer,
and Walking about
not knowing
is a good place to start
in the morning

. . . . . . . .

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

discovery

2011-10-17T11:54:00.000-07:00

one is in the middle
of a river of
Discovery
living to improve
our understanding of flow

reflection,
Even if curmudgeonly,
is of benefit

. . . . . . . .

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

This bus was in service in 1959 through the early 70s. Yesterday it was one of six in service as part of the yearly vintage bus tour to view autumn color. Best $5 deal around!

the right

2011-10-16T17:08:00.000-07:00

the World clutches at the right.

It is said to
enable errors in a matter of moments,
and to waste time from the beginning.

. . . . . . . .

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

Pictured is the historic fire department, jail and school bell of Black Diamond, Washington

slang

2011-10-15T16:55:00.000-07:00

historical slang —
Zounds!
One would never
hear the word today

. . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure commentary is 'Greenacre.' "Zounds' indeed. Suffice to say, the word does not come from a 60s TV show with Eddie Albert & Eva Gabor.

Today's collage sketch was done with both the Seattle and Portland Urban Sketchers, the latter having taken the train north to sketch with us for the day. We met them at King Street Station (pictured). Excellent fun.

the heart of a place

2011-10-14T14:28:00.000-07:00

The heart
of a place
is a holy thing,
the deep
sacred center
of Art,
a sanctuary
and power of nature

. . . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem|commentary is 'omphalos.' The plural is omphaloi, which seems oxymoronic for THE center (navel) of the earth (originally, a round stone in the temple of Apollo at Delphi). Just how many centers can there be?

Anyway, that's a new one on me. I hope I remember it long enough to use it in a sentence; it's got a nice ring to it.

vagabond

2011-10-13T14:17:00.000-07:00

Walk Vagabond
When the reason
be Poems
coupled with nature

. . . . . . .

The OED word of the day for the erasure poem | commentary is 'facinorous.' Nothing you would want to be called in the 17th century, but just a "huh??" today.

october

2011-10-12T16:40:00.000-07:00

october weather —
multiple personality disorder

. . . . . . . .

Yesterday the OED word of the day was 'wedgie' and today it's 'bad-john.' Both entries too short and with too silly a vocabulary to morph into poems. Will hope not to be left out in the cold by the Oxford lads again tomorrow...