Four poems from my Merriam-Webster Word of the Day project. For more information, look here.
invective : insulting or abusive language : VITUPERATION
Dawn at the bus stop
pelted by the invective
of a rain-soaked crow
haiku 1032: 9/12/22
interlocutor : one who takes part in dialogue or conversation
The middle crow said
Go-between since we were eggs.
Interlocutor
of our threesome. That’s me. Now
I quit. You two work it out.
tanka 348 : 10/20/22
catercorner : in a diagonal or oblique position
Draw the line
on the map. The crow
flies a straight
quick connect
our two catercorner homes.
We walk. Our road twists.
shadorma 470 : 11/4/22
ascetic : austere in appearance, manner, or attitude
the crow as human
(if he’d ever stoop to it)
judge in courtroom robes
his scornful ascetic gaze
doubting our testimony
tanka 381 : 1/8/23
Attributions:
“Invective.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/invective. Accessed 12 Sept. 2022.
“Interlocutor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interlocutor. Accessed 20 Oct. 2022.
“Catercorner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catercorner. Accessed 4 Nov. 2022.
“Ascetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ascetic. Accessed 8 Jan. 2023.
Claudia McGill Writes Poetry, Did You Know That? 
I am fond of crows so I especially enjoyed them being the subject of your poems. “Invective” is the perfect word for the crow’s call.
Thank you. For the time being I think I will post these word poems according to a common theme and right away crows was on my list. I think the word “invective” almost sounds like the sounds crows do make.
Well done, Claudia! All three delight!
Thank you!
Nice! Very creative! Plus I learned new words!
Thank you. Yes, I have been learning a lot of them this past 7 months I have been doing the project so far. There are some real doozies out there all right.
My crows have returned after some months away. Invective is the perfect word for them. (K)
I love the thread of the crow flying through these poems!!
Thank you. I like crows a lot and I sometimes think I would like to be a bird in my next life, either a crow or a blue jay.