language, myth

Blarney

the following is from my Dictionary.com WOTD – Word Of The Day message and appropriate for St. Patrick’s Day

BLARNEY (Noun)

Pronunciation: [‘blahr-nee]

Definition 1: (1) The gift of eloquent speech; (2) empty words, double-talk, fabrication, nonsense.

Usage 1: The first meaning of today’s word has all but faded. To express this sentiment it is better to say that someone is ‘blessed with the gift of the Blarney Stone.’ “Blarney” is used today most often to refer to deceptive flattery or exaggerated fabrication.

Suggested usage: The migration of the meaning of today’s word illustrates our skepticism of eloquent language; however, if you make it clear you are referring to articulate speech, the original meaning emerges: “Fiona got her gift of blarney from her subscription to yourDictionary’s word of the day and not from kissing a rock.” However, if you omit that qualifier ‘gift,’ the word takes on a radically different meaning, “That story of how he completed his PhD at Harvard in 2 years is pure blarney.”

Etymology: Today’s word is an eponym from Blarney Village just outside the city of Cork, Ireland. The world famous Blarney Stone is perched high up in the battlements of Blarney Castle there. The stone was given to Cormac McCarthy by Robert the Bruce in 1314 in recognition of his support in the Battle of Bannockburn, depicted at the very end of Mel Gibson’s ‘Braveheart.’ Legend would have it be half the Stone of Scone over which Scottish Kings were crowned.

myth, nature, weather

Sweet September

There is this little house on the corner
where an old couple lives.
They tend to a rather beautiful garden
with fountains and a pond and flowerbeds
and lilac brush and such.
They sit there at a tiny card table
with a plastic flower drapecloth over it
and a cold sweaty iced-tea pitcher between them.
He reads the paper and glances up occasionally
while she watches the people
and the cars with people in them go by.
They look like old but hopeful Kool-Aid salesmen
of long ago summers.

hot and fluttery summertime
well – you can leave now
and so can your crashing storms
that bring the trees down
and light up my room at night
when i am dreaming of crunching leaves
beneath my boots . . .

i am SUCH a sweater grrrrl of gray and black and red and brown and tawny and earthy personable colors and depth. I cannot wait for Autumn and leaves and hot donuts and cider and pumpkins and cocoa and yes those boots especially that scrunch into the earth. Warm clothes and cool breeze.

i feel the shift and the cycle and the time for reflection and transformation, though i try to busy myself in the colors and the wonder of this change. i write better, i think deeper, i feel warmer, i concentrate on goals, i see things clearer.

September is my favorite. 9th month. 9 the number of completion in a cycle. 9 like magic and like cat tails and incantations. SEPT- for seven and -EMBER for fire. September used to be the 7th month in the old calendric cycle. And September has the 23rd, the first day of the Fall Equinox. Yummy — my spirit says bring it on. I am washing sweaters already.

who wants to rake leaves?
tsh –
i want to bed down in them
and wear them in my hair.

health, myth, nature

darkness

light elvin things
often retreat to dark places.
damp caves and mossy quiet.
seems i am exploring that side just now.

because i cannot see
a breadth of light
i am submerging instead
so i will better appreciate it.

i hope i come out
with some thoughtful gifts.