Poetry is Written in Words: Thirty-Six

Claudia McGill 10 Comments

Poems from my Merriam-Webster Word of the Day project. For more information, look here.

heterodox : contrary to or different from an acknowledged standard, a traditional form, or an established religion : UNORTHODOX, UNCONVENTIONAL … : holding unorthodox opinions or doctrines

my neighbor
a heterodox
landscaper.
Her front walk
a mat of spiny cacti –
Please! Keep on the grass!

shadorma 511 : 3/16/23

ingratiate : to gain favor or favorable acceptance for by deliberate effort —usually used with with

Platters of cookies
won’t ingratiate you with
neighbors who don’t eat
sweets didn’t ask for them and
would prefer just smiles and waves

tanka 405 : 3/9/23

vapid : lacking flavor, zest, interest, animation, or spirit : FLAT, DULL

She’s a friend of mine
That’s what I’d tell you if asked
But if I’m honest
We just carpool together.
Her vapid chat’s killing me.

tanka 394 : 2/9/23

Attributions:

“Heterodox.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heterodox. Accessed 16 Mar. 2023.

“Ingratiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ingratiate. Accessed 9 Mar. 2023.

“Vapid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vapid. Accessed 9 Feb. 2023.

10 thoughts on “Poetry is Written in Words: Thirty-Six”

  1. The first one made me laugh.

    We put the house you gave me on our table for our family Passover dinner. I’ll have a photo in my musings tomorrow.

  2. I like these, Claiudia!  I love MW word of the day and all of their word games. 

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  3. Hehe! Sort of like when my neighbors (a lovely older couple) decided to make cookies and take to the new neighbors – who were Orthodox Jews. It was the thought that counted but they felt bad that the gift was rejected (kindly and with an explanation too).

    • Yes, it is hard to give gifts if you don’t have an idea of the parameters, if you know what I mean, and thankfully most people really do focus on the thought rather than the actual item.

  4. I really enjoyed the snarky sense of humour in all three of these poems. The last one in particular made me smile because it reminded me of having to commute with someone who was quite possibly the most boring person I have ever spent a quantity of time with. He was a lovely person but the conversation was just mentally fatiguing.

    • Yes, I have had a couple of carpool companions like that myself, or else people I happened to encounter each day in my commute. It is hard to believe just talking to someone can be so fatiguing but it can, certainly. I liked the groups where we just sat quietly and looked out the window or whatever, so much better.

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