Wordbirds, 53

AT LAST—We’ve now commenced our third—and final—journey through Webster’s 3rd. This time, I’m picking a word near the middle of each entry for each letter—a word that interests me for some reason or a word I’d not ever known before—and surrounding it with a frayed coat of doggerel.

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

Ananias [or aninais] noun

Liar

[after Ananias, an early Christian, who, according to Acts 5:1-11, was struck dead for lying to the Apostle Peter]

So Ananias—not too pious—dropped

A lie. And Peter, neater, popped

A cap—he took no crap. The lie

Of Ananais (who did die)

Then found a home—the book called Acts.

And so it is with lies and facts.

Wordbirds, 52

We’ve commenced our journey backward through Webster’s 3rd. I’m picking a word near the end of each entry for each letter—a word that interests me for some reason or a word I’d not ever known before—and surrounding it with a frayed coat of doggerel.

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

azafran noun

saffron

He loved to cook with azafran—

He always did the best he can;

His wife became his biggest fan.

But one day it did not turn out—

And then he sank into a pout

And soon was filled with deepest doubt.

“Oh no,” his wife said (she was Fran).

“Don’t worry ’bout the azafran.

I love you lots, my husband, Dan!”

And Dan was somewhat mollified—

So much, in fact, that he sobbed and cried.

Then cooked some sliced potatoes—fried.

Wordsbirds, 51

We’ve commenced our journey backward through Webster’s 3rd. I’m picking a word near the end of each entry for each letter—a word that interests me for some reason or a word I’d not ever known before—and surrounding it with a frayed coat of doggerel.

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

byzen [or bizen] noun

a disgraceful spectacle or example [from OE bisen] [English dialect term]

That byzen really spoiled his rep—

And now he’d better watch his step:

The women think he’s off the chart;

His boss thinks it is time to part;

The press—both old and very new—

Are filing stories … much ado!

And now that he has sobered up,

He sees that even his new pup

Wants nothing more to do with him.

And so he travels to the rim

Of Arizona’s canyon grand;

He leaps … I wonder where he’ll land?

Perhaps there in the river mud—

Or on the rocks? Oh, such a dud

Our crazy friend turned out to be:

One byzen, then … eternity.

Wordbirds, 50

We’ve commenced our journey backward through Webster’s 3rd. I’m picking a word near the end of each entry for each letter—a word that interests me for some reason or a word I’d not ever known before—and surrounding it with a frayed coat of doggerel.

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

cytozoic adj.

parasitic within a cell

Poor little fellow—Billy Cell.

He didn’t really feel too well.

He went to see old Dr. Zell,

Who had a lot that he could tell.

“It’s cytozoic, Little Bill,

But I have got a wonder pill

That soon should cure your tiny ill”—

And later sent his massive bill.

And Billy thought it was a joke—

A bill that high? A comic stroke?

But Billy paid it—then went broke.

And we all knew that he would croak.

For doctors’ bills can kill you soon—

Yes, morning, evening, afternoon—

Can zap you underneath the moon.

They pierce you with a sharp harpoon.

So keep your health—it’s best for you.

Of course, there’s not much you can do

About ill health—except just rue

Mortality. But that, you knew. 

Wordsbirds, 49

We’ve commenced our journey backward through Webster’s 3rd. I’m picking a word near the end of each entry for each letter—a word that interests me for some reason or a word I’d not ever known before—and surrounding it with a frayed coat of doggerel.

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

dzo noun

a hybrid between the yak and the domestic cow

The yak and cow were lovers, so

They did what lovers do, you know?

And somewhat later, fairly slow,

A child was born—they named it Dzo.

And years would come, and years would go,

But Dzo they loved—and Dzo would grow.

And soon they put him in a show—

And he was handsome, all aglow.

He found a wife—and some tableau

They formed. (Their child was Little Joe.)

He loved the art of mad Van Gogh—

He died while reading H. Thoreau.

Wordbirds, 48

We’ve commenced our journey backward through Webster’s 3rd. I’m picking a word near the end of each entry for each letter—a word that interests me for some reason or a word I’d not ever known before—and surrounding it with a frayed coat of doggerel.

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

eyra n. [EYE-ruh]

a solid-colored reddish wildcat

His eyra dream came to an end

While he camping out someplace:

What could that eerie sound portend?

An eyra bit him in the face.

Wordbirds, 47

We’ve commenced our journey backward through Webster’s 3rd. I’m picking a word near the end of each entry for each letter—a word that interests me for some reason or a word I’d not ever known before—and surrounding it with a frayed coat of doggerel.

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

fyke noun

a long bag net kept open by a series of hoops

Poor Sammy Salmon didn’t like

The tales he’d heard about the fyke. 

Some friends he’d lost—some family, too—

So he’d decided what he’d do

If ever he were caught in one

And feared his future would be done,

He’d stay right near the opening—

And when the fish guy dragged the thing

Up to the rocks upon the shore,

He’d leap right out—avoid the gore

He’d heard about. But when it came—

And he was caught—he learned how lame

His plan had been. For he was snared,

And, sadly, no fish really cared.

They all swam by, their dreams secured

By ignorance. And Sammy toured

The plant where salmon, sliced and cleaned,

Are readied for the market. “Fiend!”

Was Sammy’s final salmon thought—

And wished that he had not been caught.

Oh, so it is with all of us.

We learn we’re cooked, and then we cuss.