Wordbirds, 1

This new series--"Wordbirds"--arises from a journey I will take through my Webster's 3rd Dictionary. What I will do: I'll look on the first page for each letter, and the first word that flies up at me (because I don't know it, because I just think it's interesting, etc.) becomes the subject for that day's doggerel. I will move through letter z, then work my way back again, the second time using the last page of each letter's section of Webster's. Let's see what happens ...

Words that flew into my life from Webster’s 3^rd …

1. Aardwolf: noun, plural aard·wolves.

a striped, hyenalike mammal, Proteles cristatus, of southern and eastern Africa, that feeds chiefly on insects.

1825-35; < Afrikaans erdwolf < Dutch aardwolf, equivalent to aarde earth + wolf wolf

The aardwolf felt a craving for

Some insects—really any kind.

And when he stepped outside his door,

He ate the ones that he could find.

But there were far too few, he thought.

He wished there had been many more.

He thought of all the kinds he’d bought

While at his local insect store.

But that small store had disappeared—

Economies get rearranged,

And just as he had so long feared

His buying habits now had changed.

He heard a buzzing in the air

And leaped to nab a morning snack.

But he had heard a drone, I swear,

Which killed him in a sneak attack. 

aardwolf