Whisper My Name
You run your words along my spine
when you whisper my name.
Husky voice of passionate embrace
bringing me to heights of want,
surfing your waves of need,
yielding to wafted passion
cushioned deeply in my ear.
You tenderly wrap my name
in gossamer tissues of love
opening to my name
chiseled in granite
for all eternity,
murmured flames
of my identity.
Name resonates
through floating echoes
and is absorbed
through my skin.
The Proof of You
A name has power, a belief that is shared by many culture throughout the globe.
A name identifies you.
holds you accountable.
defines who you are.
It is the representation of you, the essence of you being put into words. Your past, your present, your very being.
From your parents, it is a gift, one they bestow upon you when you came into this world.
Your nickname, a form of affection from those around you.
An insult, proof that your antagonist notices you enough to hate you.
Epithets represent your accomplishments - be it for good or evil.
Pseudo names, the masks - personas - you choose to hide behind.
A name, your name, is your blessing, your curse, your bond, your liberation - it is your brand in life.
Without a name you are but a blank slate.
Without a name, you have no history.
Without a name, you will not be remembered.
Without a name, you do not exist.
Nothing comes out of nothing.
None that exist is nameless.
Now, is that disagreement I sense? So tell me friend:
without a name, what are you?
Ford
Prefect, not Harrison.
Not to keep you guessing,
I'm an alien who saves
Arthur Dent from the dying
Earth, being demolished
for a freeway vying
intergalacticly.
If it wasn't for me
there would be no
Guide to the Galaxy.
There would also be
no introduction to
Vogon poetry.
Smabash trigonmy
Slob du nashtiy poo.
Hope that's agreeable
to you but Vogans
have a knack
with a vowel or two.
By the way,
don't bother
saving the dolphins
they're smarter than you.
Son
Be careful what you name your children! Make sure their names mean calm or gift or joyful because I was tricked into naming my first born a Native American name that I thought was sweet.
OH HELL NO! His name means little warrior!
And he is!
Nykeao Mecoma
NICK-EYE-OH MEE-CO-MAH
His white name
Is Justin. I call him
SON.
Said your name was dog
so you
spent five years
sniffing and begging.
Said your name is dog
so you
tipped over trashcans and
ate scraps from fine diners.
Said your name is dog
so you were
stray and
mangy. You
were alone and gray.
Said your name was dog.
Said you ain't got no name.
Said dog don't define you.
But it do, don't it, boy?
People is mirrors, see?
They know things by
what they call them.
When they ain't got a word
for what it is you are?
You don't exist.
Said your name was dog.
Said your name was cunt.
Said your name was dickhead.
People spoke you outside your name.
So you were outside yourself.
But I said, "Your name is William.
You is free."
Stuck
It
could be
anything-
Bark or
Felt.
Plentiful
Johns
old and
young
bowler-hatted
or
t-shirted
proliferate
as
Sons of man,
Anonymous
dead
or
Slut seeking
Nobodies.
Thriving
too,
throngs
of
indiscriminate
Debbies
viciously
frolicking
everywhere
from
PTAs to
phone books
to the
snack aisle.
Our
Logo-
preternaturally unique,
bestowed
upon Us
by
hormonal humans
worshipping
their golden calf
and
imprinting their quarry.
Name Game
Her first name is Mary Sue
Prepping for a job interview
Another soul emails her resume
Best of luck to you Sha-nay-nay
Mary Sue reached her goal; got the work
Born with a suitable name; she don't twerk
Black Sha-nay-nay; (ya'll knew she was)
Named for past slaves and her 2nd cous'
Marked for life with assumptions made
Attorney at Law; still don't make the grade
Tick-tac-toe where does she go
Make her own NAME fools not forsake it
Let those fuckers eat crow
What’s the Word?
Nowadays, many slang terms derive from existing words used in novel ways. One such word is “word.” In many different contexts, “word” can mean many different things; more specifically, it is used to agree with someone, to show you understand, to express shock, to convey empathy, and to declare that something is awesome or impressive. It is rarely used to convey disapproval or disagreement consequently making the spirit of the word encouraging, appreciative, and approving. Basically, “word” is synonymous with the phrase “speak the truth.” “Word,” however, can rarely be understood through literary language or out of context as the definition is implied through vernacular language. When used in common day language, “word” is understood through body language, tone of voice, and pronunciation. For example, when “word” is pronounced with an elongated “r,” it expresses extreme support and endorsement. When someone questioningly says “oh word?,” they are often expressing approving shock. Moreover, when someone states “word to everything,” they are usually in an extremely elated state. Lastly, when someone asks, “what’s the word?,” they are asking what about is going on.
The etymology of “word:”
cognate(s) with Old Frisian word (West Frisian wurd ), Old Dutch wort (Middle Dutch wort , word , Dutch woord ), Old Saxon word (Middle Low German wort ), Old High German wort (Middle High German wort , German Wort ), Old Icelandic orð , Old Swedish orþ (Swedish ord ), Old Danish orth (Danish ord ), Gothic waurd , all denoting both ‘an utterance’ and ‘an element or unit of speech, a word’ (Oxford English Dictionary)
It is derives from:
the same Indo-European base as Lithuanian vardas name, forename, title, Latvian vārds word, forename, promise, classical Latin verbum word, showing an extended form of the Indo-European base of ancient Greek ῥήτωρ (earlier ϝρήτωρ ) speaker, (Epic and Ionic) ἐρέω (earlier ϝερέω ; Attic ἐρῶ ) I shall say, and perhaps also Sanskrit vrata behest, command (OED)
The foundations of the word “word,” as stated above, have helped shape and form how it is used today. In different areas, “word” was used to generally represent the same notion of a component of language. In the Oxford English Dictionary, these definitions are then supported with a timeline of examples of the usage of “word.” These timelines vary from length from definition to definition showing how some applications have disappeared quickly or after some time as the utility of “word” changed. With each related definition of “word,” it has taken on different meanings at various points in history.
For instance, “word” is defined as “speech, utterance, (or) verbal expression” and sub-defined as “something that is or has been said,” “in apposition, with the text of utterance or statement as complement,” “in negative contexts (or with negative implied),” “a watchword; a password,” “a (short or slight) utterance, statement, or remark,” or as “something said on behalf of another” (OED). The first three sub-definitions stated above are denoted as “Now rare” and their timelines have confirmed this statement as they are shortened and outdated. A more closely related definition of “word” as it is commonly used today is “an act of speaking or uttering something, usually in contrast with writing, or with action, gesture, thought, etc” (OED). As explained above, the slang definition of “word” is usually expressed through vernacular language rather than literary language. This definition correlates as writing is not the chief way of using this slang term. This is further illustrated by J. Erksine in Inst. Law Scotl. II.III.iii (1771) who said, “this contract cannot be perfected till the mandatory has undertaken to execute the mandate; which he may do, either by word, by writing, or by any deed which sufficiently discovers his resolution” illustrating the distinction between word and written language (OED). The definition of “word” can also be described as “report, information, news, (or) tidings” (OED). This definition differs from previous definitions stated as it is more specific and certain with it’s definition. When “word” is examined in a broader sense, it is less understood and less clear as to what the function and utility is of the word. As time progresses, it becomes clear that words lose their general meanings and gradually come to represent a single, more precise and explicit idea. To put it differently, analyzing words suggests that the factors that shape language arise from people discovering what words more accurately describe over time. In this case, “word” has progressed from a verbal expression to a verbal expression of specific approval. In it’s former, general definition, “word” could be used in many different ways while now it is used with less ambiguity.
In the broader picture, the nature of definition is never a definite one, as the word implies. With changing times, changing definitions are necessary to words functional in current society. Dialect and language have progressed as unfit words continue to disappear. Just as sciences advance everyday and previously accepted hypotheses are disbanded, languages change everyday and previously used terms become inappropriate, inadequate, and improper in context. As definitions are constantly changing, the nature of definition can best be described as deceiving and constantly transforming as time continues and society transitions.
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