Schnorchel

And I have favourite words too
bumble-bee and bubble are my top two
and now this new one
I came across the other day
you never know when you will
stumble upon unexpected treasure

I am learning German
just a little bit
hopefully enough to help things along
between my sister and her husband
who has no-one to converse with
in the language of his youth
and so I try

anyway

it is this word
schnorchel
no
not snorkel
but schnorchel
try it out

I will henceforth
go forth
in my fins
and schnorchel

the word
schnorchelling
has me
chortling

are you smiling yet?

some words have power

it is easy to think
only in terms of
words that move you
to tears
to painful recollection
to empathy

but here
well

schnorchel
does not move me
perhaps though
there is a particular power
in smiley words.

4 comments:

  1. Unctuous, pamplemousse, reverie. Just three of my favorites. Of course two have to relate to food and thus, provoking a reverie here. And yes, the power of words is infinite if you learn it. For good and for bad, just like we are. I mean, as human beings. I love words. One of my favorite things? to read dictionaries in foreign languages.
    I know, weird. But oh, so entertaining!

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  2. Oh, the power of words.

    Once I sat all small in the shoulder at a table in a pub. There was a deep throated man with wide wrists playing a guitar and singing along songs that were old but that all sounded new. He was English. I was smitten. And then when a patron bought him a gift of a beer he raised the mug and said, Oh, what a magnanomous gesture. I think I spelt it right. Ha! What a lovely word. I softened into my temporary love for him for the use of the word.

    Yours is fun, indeed. But what is very serious is your drive to not let people alone, but to learn a language and keep company with words. Such a tender heart.

    xo
    erin

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  3. I love unctuous too Allegra! Pamplemousse ... ah now there's a satisfying word ... so much more alluring than grapefuit. Very much like aubergine is more exotic than eggplant. Words are funny like that. And I love food words in particular, my bedside book pile always contains at least one recipe book. I read them and salivate, plan dinner parties, lunches, snacks. OK ... I live to eat. Hence I am no slim jim. Foreign words facinate me ... they hold secrets that I just want to unlock.

    Ah Erin, you see the throw away phrases and re-construct the reality. My brother in law has failed to persuade my sis of the value in learning a second language ... and to speak it with the boys. I think it's such a valuable opportunity! Although I probably wouldn't choose German as it sounds a bit harsh on the tongue. So I am taking classes. I daren't practise on a "real German" just yet! The learning emphasis is on words and grammar constructs that we already know ... hence schnorchel. Which still makes me smile.

    xx Jos

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  4. Oh I love this! Like really really love it. I have a weird thing about words... a few of them make me feel all giddy and wonderful. Not words that mean anything, they simply do something to me when I say them. Weird eh?! Totally cool! xo

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