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netsky
Member
since 2005-03-29
Posts 148
Miami

0 posted 2005-04-11 02:16 AM


http://m-w.com/cgi-bin/mwwod.pl

The Word of the Day for April 10 is:

sylph • \SILF\ Audio icon • noun
1 : an elemental being in the theory of Paracelsus that inhabits air
*2 : a slender graceful woman or girl

Example sentence:
The dancer was a graceful, elegant sylph upon the stage.

Did you know?
Paracelsus was a man with a vivid imagination. He concocted an elaborate theory of ruling "elemental spirits": gnomes controlled the earth, salamanders fire, undines water, and sylphs (graceful beings whose name in English is from New Latin "sylphus") the air. You would hardly believe this 16th-century German-Swiss physician had his feet on the ground, but those fantastic ideas were balanced with an impressive array of solid medical discoveries. In fact, many of his scientific contributions are still highly respected, but his sylph idea has long since been discounted as fairy-tale fantasy. The creatures remain only as romantic figures of literature, art, and ballet, where diaphanous woodland sylphs are often depicted enchanting unwary males.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.



========

Here's my humble "sylph" illustration.  I worked by selecting my basic sensings from some the supplied definitions.

  



We imagine countless sylphs
dusted, wafted on by breezes
in the glades in sarabandes;
are the milkweed blooming yet?




Now perhaps you would do one?  Evey day a new word is given by the link above to Merriam Webster.

vers-a-wording places the poet into a new frame of mind; this writing of a short verse centered about a particular word supplied by an outside source.

Build vocabulary and imagination both! Give it a whirl.. a puff? Wellll, something, because this is fun.

cheers,
reid

[This message has been edited by netsky (04-11-2005 09:19 AM).]

© Copyright 2005 Reid Welch - All Rights Reserved
longte
Member
since 2005-04-06
Posts 199
Australia
1 posted 2005-04-11 02:30 AM


Only in forgotten dreams
are Sylphs remembered now it seems
But once their prescence filled the air
With beauty far beyond compare
If we fix this world and make it right
Will then the sylphs come back in sight?

Live It

Juju
Member Elite
since 2003-12-29
Posts 3429
In your dreams
2 posted 2005-04-11 03:27 AM


I Like making poems out of words... The Mods might move this though to poetry chalange.

Juju - 1.) a magic charm or fetish 2.)Magic 3.)A taboo connected woth the use of magic

The dictionary never lies.... I am magical (;

Juju
Member Elite
since 2003-12-29
Posts 3429
In your dreams
3 posted 2005-04-11 03:32 AM


She was breathless
He was her sylph
She was brocken
He was more then her air

I kinda had a prose that was something like it. I meant it to be funny, because I made it real obnoxious... but poeple took it seriously, so I don't joke to much...

-Juju

Juju - 1.) a magic charm or fetish 2.)Magic 3.)A taboo connected woth the use of magic

The dictionary never lies.... I am magical (;

netsky
Member
since 2005-03-29
Posts 148
Miami
4 posted 2005-04-11 09:23 AM


Now thank you guys.

No, this is not such a "challenge" as a suggested exercise.   Little things by which to you are gotten to think along the lines of some relatively strange word.

Three of us now, for sure, will never forget the origin and meaning of "sylph"


so... this is not a challenge category thing.. it's a free-form, wake up to words and make a poem suggestion.  (imo)


Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612
Hurricane Alley
5 posted 2005-04-11 05:57 PM


she,a summer sylph,
shimmering in her satin
dancing upon silken grass
among the fireflies.
he murmured her name
softly to the wind
the rustling leaves
carried it aloft
as an anthem
to her beauty.
she paused, listening
then danced away
a small smile raising
the corners of her mouth

Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
6 posted 2005-04-11 06:19 PM




Paracelsus, mine
Let me float within your air
Desire’s element

vandana
Deputy Moderator 5 Tours
Member Patricius
since 1999-10-22
Posts 10463
USA
7 posted 2005-04-11 07:30 PM


enjoyed
ThisDiamond
Member Rara Avis
since 2002-02-22
Posts 9353
Michigan, USA
8 posted 2005-04-11 08:14 PM



u
L  n      Y
     a  c

sylph Of moon
~l~
P  a
     y     A G I
       s  T      N
    Night's  Affection

Loved this,
TD

Magnus
Deputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Laureate
since 2001-10-10
Posts 14135
South Carolina, USA
9 posted 2005-04-11 09:05 PM


Oh sylph of night beyond the blaze
of golden orb and fiery Mars,  
beneath Venutian eyes agleam
as passions lightly flare the
Sun's heated gaze.

Come sylph,  weave my soul,  strum
the lustful chords of a rampant heart.  
Dance the night till slumber reigns...
lie softly at the edge of my water's
rest as a lyre's tune brings dreams
to weary lids.

Thanx for the inspire...

Ratleader
Deputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Rara Avis
since 2003-01-23
Posts 7026
Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass
10 posted 2005-04-12 12:42 PM


The Price Of Thin

It was slim she was after, three salads a day,
nip and tuck and go jogging, that was her play;
bike racing and yoga  and yogurt for dinner,
slip and eat macaroons, then repent like a sinner.
Yes, thin as a toothpick, a splinter she’d be
but she wasn’t my type: too sylph-centered for me.

~~(¸¸¸¸ºº>   ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº>  ~~(¸¸ ¸¸ºº>    ~~~(¸¸ER¸¸ºº>
______________Ratleader______________

suthern
Deputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Seraphic
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723
Louisiana
11 posted 2005-04-12 08:33 AM


No poems to contribute... just appreciation for those posted! *S*
Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
12 posted 2005-04-12 08:43 AM



at Ratleader...touché!

netsky
Member
since 2005-03-29
Posts 148
Miami
13 posted 2005-04-12 05:51 PM


hooray! for all the neat poems from one tiny word. make more, brave poets

if you yourself find a word for us to verse over... submit it.

suggested header:  as per this topic, plus the word in "quote" marks


cheers,
reid

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