1. a poem in which the poet retracts something said in an earlier poem. 2. a recantation.
He writes albas for both sexes, and in the Sonnets repents of his love poetry, writing his palinode, in true medieval fashion. — C. S. Lewis, “Donne and Love Poetry,” Selected Literary Essays, 1969
“I shall trim their jackets for them, Mrs. Dods, if you can but bring tight evidence of the facts — I will soon bring them to fine and palinode — I will make them repent meddling with your good name.” — Sir Walter Scott, St. Ronan’s Well, 1823
Palinode entered English in the 1600s, and comes from the Greek palinoidia meaning “poetic retraction.” It shares the root palin with the word palindrome.
Jun 15
PALINODE
"My melancholy is the most faithful sweetheart I have had."
"Find meaning. Distinguish melancholy from sadness. Go out for a walk. It doesn’t have to be a romantic walk in the park, spring at its most spectacular moment, flowers and smells and outstanding poetical imagery smoothly transferring you into another world. It doesn’t have to be a walk during which you’ll have multiple life epiphanies and discover meanings no other brain ever managed to encounter. Do not be afraid of spending quality time by yourself. Find meaning or don’t find meaning but “steal” some time and give it freely and exclusively to your own self. Opt for privacy and solitude. That doesn’t make you antisocial or cause you to reject the rest of the world. But you need to breathe. And you need to be."
They were flown to Lebanon to ski the unlikely snow, sail the Mediterranean, spelunk the Jeita cave. — Kim Barnes, In the Kingdom of Men. 2012
The pair of young German professors spelunking with their electric torches in the rafters of the Old-New Synagogue, or Altneuschul, had, as it happened, gone away disappointed; for the attic under the stair-stepped gables of the old Gothic synagogue was a cenotaph. — Michael Chabon, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, 2000
Spelunk entered English in the 1300s from the Latin spelunca meaning “cave” or “cavern.”
Jun 12
SPELUNK
prosaic
PRONUNCIATION:
(pro-ZAY-ik)
MEANING:
adjective: 1. Dull; unimaginative. 2. Everyday; straightforward; ordinary. 3. Having the character of prose as compared to the feeling of poetry.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin prosa (prose), from prosa oratio (straightforward speech), from provertere (to turn forward). Ultimately from the Indo-European root wer- (to turn or bend), also the source of wring, weird, writhe, revert, universe, wroth, verso , conversazione, versicolor, and animadvert. Earliest documented use: 1589.
USAGE:
“On a throne ornate to the point of gaudiness, the queen reads out the legislative agenda of ‘her’ government, written on goatskin vellum. The content of that speech is usually more prosaic.” Britain: The Vision Thing; The Economist (London, UK); Nov 10, 2007.
Be sure to look out for the Moon these next few months as it approaches Perigee, because the full moons during these times will appear exceptionally large. The Moon will be at its Perigee, or closest approach, in June 23 and it will reach full moon only a few minutes after it passes this point in its orbit.
These ‘super moons’ not only appear larger because they are physically closer but, combined with a full moon, the mind can play tricks on you to think they are much larger. This phenomena is called the Moon Illusion. Try to catch these full moons as they rise/set because the illusion works when there is an object in the foreground, like a tree, building or mountains.
And to clear some things up. Yes, the top image is exaggerated and the moon won’t be a menacing object in the sky on the 23rd. No, it’s not going to come out of nowhere and dominate the sky and create destructive tides, though the tides will be affected but it’s nothing to worry about. The moon will appear large as it approaches full moon and even next months full moon will still appear large, however it will be a few percents smaller. The best time to see it will be between the afternoon of the 22nd and before sunrise on the 23rd (it reaches full moon on the morning of the 23rd technically).
The Smartphone Film Scanner brings your 35mm into the digital world. Simply mount your smartphone, slide in your film, use a free app to invert the colors and snap a pic! It works with iPhones, Androids and any 35mm negatives.
Go from film to masterful tumblr post in a matter of seconds. It’s even easier than pie.
He’ll find one of those joints and be there, evening after evening, talking to the bartender confidentially but loud enough. It won’t be long before they get used to him. An old codger with money, stooped but still pretty big. — Louis Begley, Schmidt Delivered, 2000
One of the lesser Shadows whom we shall call Baron A. had a father-in-law called Baron B., a harmless old codger long retired from the civil service and quite incapable of understanding certain Renaissance aspects of the new regime. — Vladimir Nabokov, Pale Fire, 1962
Codger is likely related to the word cadge meaning “to beg.” Its etymology is uncertain.
Jun 10
CODGER
canorous
PRONUNCIATION:
(kuh-NOR-uhs, KAN-uhr-uhs)
MEANING:
adjective: Melodious; musical.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin canere (to sing). Ultimately from the Indo-European root kan- (to sing) which also gave us hen, canto, cantor, recant, accent, chant, enchant, and incentive. Earliest documented use: 1646.
USAGE:
“The canorous sounds … provided a cheery moment.” Corrie Perkin; Off to an Opening in Earnest; The Australian (Sydney); Oct 13, 2008.
