Wordbirds, 20

This new series—“Wordbirds”—arises from a journey I am taking through my Webster’s 3rd Dictionary. What I’m doing: I 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 …

tabella noun

a medicinal lozenge or tablet

He popped a small tabella, for

His throat was raw and very sore.

Another one soon followed next

Because he got an angry text.

And then he took another since

He was a fellow somewhat dense.

But soon tabellae all were gone,

And he had none to suck upon.

And on that sad and fateful day

He sat and grieved—then passed away.

“Tabella fella”—that’s the name

They gave him: Oh, such lasting fame!