Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Widdershins!


WIDDERSHINS!
What a wondrous word is Widdershins!
It makes it very clear
That it means 'going the wrong way';
Onamatapoea!
It once meant 'anticlockwise'
Or going 'against the sun',
But I associate it with wind
When it's having a bit of fun.
It can widdershin the scudding clouds
Across a blustery sky
It can widdershin the breeze-blown trees
When their branches scrape the sky.
It can widdershin our neat-combed hair
Till it blows across our faces,
And none of our careful coiffured 'bits'
Are staying in their places!
It can whip stray hairs into our eyes!
Then, when we think it's easing,
It can suddenly blow the other way
To prove that it was teasing!
It's good to follow a well-worn path
And to be neat and obey.
But oh the joy of Widdershins
When we get blown away!
*
----------------------------------------------------------------


WHAT A SHAME!


The pretty galah's feeling small!
It's beauty does no good at all!
The thing that has mattered
And made him feel shattered
Is driving him right up the wall!
*
Of all of the bright birds in Australia
And many have brilliant regalia
This poor bird is named
And horribly shamed
By the fact that he represents failure!
*
If I have a slight prang in my car
Or I step in a mess of wet tar
Any Aussie who's near
Will shout out loud and clear
'Well! Aren't you a proper galah!'
*
To be called a galah is not nice
(I've been called one myself once or twice!)
But this parrot, I think,
With its feathers of pink
Should certainly not pay the price!
*

* 'Galah' is pronounced 'gullar' with the emphasis on the second syllable

15 comments:

SparkleFarkel said...

Well thanks for that clarification! I've been going widdershins all afternoon, but just didn't know what to call it. LOL!

photowannabe said...

This is a new word for me. Perfect original poem to explain it. Its always an adventure to drop by your blog.

Sylvia K said...

Interesting choice for the W day and great words as always! Hope your week is going well!

Sylvia

Beverley Baird said...

Got a real chuckle! Thanks for that!
Love the word and your poems.
Take care.

Roger Owen Green said...

great word; is it widder, like widow, shins, as in your legs?

ROG, ABC Wednesday team

Tumblewords: said...

Reminds me of Mary Poppins, the widdershins, you know. It is indeed a wondrous word.

Gattina said...

That's too complicated for my English, lol !
Gattina from ABC Team

Carol said...

What a fun word! Love the poem too! I'll have to remember widdershins!

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

WIDDERSHINS! is that What Robert Frost is saying, two roads meet and I took the one less travelled by.

So often, when you are navigating, you tell the driver, turn left, and he chooses to turn right WIDDERSHINS?

Now, I am supposed to go out and have some exercise, I choose to sit indoor and keep my computer company, WIDDERSHINS

Gayle said...

I remember the first time I heard 'galah' years ago and wondering ..what??? Fortunately, it wasn't aimed at me. Typically my Aussie friends would use it when one of them had a "not so smart moment". And there were many of those!

Ramesh Sood said...

Well, as ever, I learnt new things on your page.. I am so happy.. Thanks, Brenda! ....You are an amazing creator..

Sherri B. said...

I had never heard of "widdershin" before...and how did such a pretty bird become a symbol for failure? Regardless, as always, I loved your clever poems! :~)

The Write Girl said...

Your rhyme and wit is spot on! I was not familiar with widdershins either so thanks for sharing.

Jim said...

Hi Brenda ~~ Well, I too learned. Thank you. :)

I can find withershins and widdershins (always ends in and "s") in my dictionary. They are only portrayed to be an ADVERB telling where (against the wind, etc).
I see you use it as a verb also, It (the wind) can widdershin our neat-combed hair, in a playful bit of poetry. This is poetic license?
..

eyeography said...

Lovely pictures
and equally beautiful poems...
I loved reading them :)

I didn't know about the words...
"widdershin" and "onamatapoea"..
Thanks :)