Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 2 of 2 1 2
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
T
veteran
Offline
veteran
T
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
“Rosebud”
A deathbed whisper of Orson Wells as Citizen Kane that
we moviegoers eventually understood to be an encapsulated
word symbol representing a childhood trauma which sublimated into a compelling edee force that directed the strange driven life of Orson Wells or Citizen Kane.

Thank you, Branshea, but for you my whispered word on my
death bed might have been “buttercup”.
Let me tell you why…

Maybe I was five years old, maybe six, but not seven, when I was
abruptly introduced to buttercups.

“Hey, new boy” a boy on the playground shouted.
“Would you like to smell some pretty flowers? They smell good; they
are buttercups.”

I looked at the flowers bunched up in his hand.
They were the most beautiful flowers I had ever seen.

“Come on – smell - they won’t hurt you” he said, coming over and positioning
the buttercups just below my face. As I bent to smell he slammed the bouquet
with his fist into my face.

“Ha, ha,” he laughed, pointing at me, “ Hey, everybody look at the new boy,
He’s got yellow stuff all over his face”
None of the other kids laughed.

I was humiliated. My nose was bleeding but what I learned hurt even more.
I learned that there are two kinds of people on this Earth –
the good, and the bad. Sure, I had even as a child seen hot anger and even violence, but never had I ever seen a human with a visceral need to intentionally hurt another of his own kind. Maybe because of this I’ve become a better man (I promised that day I would never, ever, hurt another person) but even so I didn’t think much of them damn buttercups.

Until Branshea’s postings.
Today I sit at the computer looking at four buttercups I just picked. These are the Alabama buttercups of my yesteryear. Not at all like the flowers that are called buttercups in the Netherlands or among the Google’s Images. These are more like the crepe paper looking yellow petals of the buttercup that belmarduk posted, but not creped and not yellow, instead smoothly curved with white petals that have a tinge of pink at the top that grades infinitely into a perfect ivory white at the bottom where spreads upwards five golden anthers heavily coated with bright pollen.
These are simply the most beautiful flowers in the World.


Last edited by themilum; 03/29/07 09:03 PM.
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 956
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 956

Thank you for sharing that story with us themilum.

As a youngster we would hold a buttercup under our chins. If the reflection was yellow, you were healthy. If it were bright yellow, you were very healthy. It was only later in life that I associated the tone of skin with the brightness of reflection, darker seemed brighter.

Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
T
veteran
Offline
veteran
T
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
What an interesting and poignant custom, olly, and I'll bet that the Maori think that darker is brighter too.

Last edited by themilum; 03/30/07 07:33 PM.
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 956
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 956
Not quite a custom, more of a childhood frivolity. Children I think find flowers fascinating.

Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
in the U.S., there is a more pedestrian childhood custom..

Like the buttercup a dandelion in bloom held under the chin tells whether you like butter if there is a yellow reflection.

-joe (and a bouquet of dandelions, for mom) friday

Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154
Z
Zed Offline
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
Z
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154
And on the floral note our cherry blossoms are out. Hopefully our colder than usual weather will let them last longer before the pink snowstorms begin.

Zed #167357 04/05/07 08:05 PM
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210
we just got a foot of snow. :¬ (


formerly known as etaoin...
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
T
veteran
Offline
veteran
T
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
Which, I'm sure, etaoin, you so richly deserve.

Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Did wonders for the skiing industry.

Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
We got a dusting o' snow & ice, probly enough to scare away the budding flowers. :¬ (

Page 2 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 302 guests, and 2 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5