merely
/ˈmɪəli/
adverb
Just; only.
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Citizens respond to criticism of their current buying habits, “We were merely following the store’s guidance.”
compel
compel
/kəmˈpɛl/
verb compels, compelling, compelled
with object and infinitive
1 Force or oblige (someone) to do something.
1.1 with object Bring about (something) by the use of force or pressure.
1.2 literary with object and adverbial of direction Force to come or go in a particular direction.
Origin
Late Middle English from Latin compellere, from com- ‘together’ + pellere ‘drive’.
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The twins disagreed, but neither compelled Charlene. She made her own decision which way she would go.
Unsolicited Advice
If you think it’s skills you lack,
The rhyming’s hard and your mood gets black
Give yourself a little slack.
Go ahead and don’t hold back!
Learn to listen in your head
Early morn’ or when in bed.
Subvocalize or shout instead.
Push right through that doubting dread.
Do not wait. Please start today.
It won’t matter what you say.
Give yourself a sense of play.
Plan to share your work, okay?
Strange Warmth
Snow cover
Provides strange warmth
For slumbering bulbs
And eager seeds.
Down the Rabbit Hole
Once begun, an Internet search is difficult to end.
Armed with a large, strong cup of coffee, I sit down to begin the day. Since it is earlier than usual, I take my time, reading last night’s email, answering a few.
But before I hit SEND, I check my understanding of my facts…Maybe an hour later, I surface from the Internet Rabbit Hole, edified, but noting that I have forgotten to click send.
I checked the Internet’s understanding of the phrase, of course. One resource: https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/go+down+the+rabbit+hole
Early
A stifled yawn,
Been up since four.
Approaching dawn,
Expecting more.
In a Hurry
Walking along at a very brisk clip,
Take care, my friend, that you do not trip.
‘Cause there’s little worse in this universe
Than being laid up with a damn broken hip.
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No, friends (and casual visitors), I do not have a broken hip.
Drawing a short rhyme from life’s events is typical for me.
Inspiration from life feels natural, I guess, but it is just as common that random thoughts generate a couple of starter words, and the fun of putting something down begins.
National Poetry month is a good excuse for me to think in rhyme, of course.
theologian
theologian
/θɪəˈləʊdʒ(ə)n/ /θɪəˈləʊdʒɪən/
noun
A person who engages or is an expert in theology.
Origin
Late 15th century from French théologien, from théologie or Latin theologia (see theology).
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Bob was never an expert in anything. It didn’t keep him from holding forth, as if he were a theologian.
Awake
Came awake this early morning,
Seemed without enough warning.
No slide up to being awake
But just as if I’d a shoulder shake.
The soft dawn light did not intrude
As it knows better than to be rude.
And so I’ll blame my sense of duty.
“Take out the trash!” my mind says, snooty.
He Who
The afternoon has flown.
I’m tired to the bone.
From bright to dark it creeps
I’ll soon be “he who sleeps”.
