The pulse moves underground, perhaps goes undetected. Night falls. Everything seems to freeze up, with adrenaline trying its best to pump underneath the surface. In thinking about these next six days a word came to me:
Terse.
As usual, I looked up the etymology to make sure it meant what my gut-brain seemed to think and, lo, I have stumbled upon an obsolete use. Observe:
No frills.
Get to the (dare I say) point.
Also inside the original sense is a word that carries the nuances perfectly: burnish. When I used to avoid finishing my academic papers in grad school, I drove against rush hour traffic to The Crucible to take jewelry-making classes. As I composed my chapter on Paul Wegener’s Golem, I cast a 1 oz. silver golem, carved after the film.
When the silver in my precious metal clay classes sintered, the metal formed microscopic pine trees that absorbed light and appeared white, but when you flattened them with the burnisher, your stack of felled crystalline trees became a mirror finish. You have to have a delicate pressure when you hold the silver and press down to polish. You don’t want to start denting it or causing nicks. You might hold your breath. You might have to remind yourself to breathe.
I always thought The Burnisher would be a good villain name. Now would be a good time to give villains proper names. Keep it concise.
Terse, tense… one stroke on a single letter shifts the meaning into new realms.
Remember to exhale as you methodically fell your microscopic trees.
Become The Burnisher®.
~
See you again on the solstice, June 20, 2024, at 1:51 pm PDT when the action gets more aggressive and, perhaps, verbal.
Ready for more?
I invite you to join a new cohort in Leaps + Bounds, the hyper experimental astrology / art group happening virtually at CAELi. The doors are opening for the solstice. Gather from wherever you are (in the world and in your astrology journey) for bi-weekly meetings on Saturdays, to share in the group’s lived experiences over the bound journey and sharpen your astrological acumen. Learn more here: