Friday’s Word of the Day was Cockcrow. I know I am a bit behind, but I have had some technical difficulties of late (it’s a long story, but suffice to say the “apple” went dark yesterday). So back to the word cockcrow. It originated between 1350 and 1400 in Middle English and means “the time at which a cock characteristically crows; daybreak; dawn”.
Characteristically the definition says, but I happen to live nearby a very confused cock who crows at all times of the day. Poor fellow does not seem to know his sun from a street lamp or a full moon. By the time the sun actually does rise in the sky his lusty crow is reduces to a series of raspy, scratchy cackles. I feel sorry for the old bird. Be it dementia or just plain lunacy, I often wish he could find rest, while allowing the rest of us to do the same!
But I digress. What more is there to know about this fine word. Bible readers will be familiar with the story of Peter’s three denials by the cock’s crow, but did you know that there is a debate as to whether said cock truly existed at all, and if it did, some say it was most certainly not roosting just outside the temple to make its point but a symbolic reference to dawn. And then there are some scholars who believe cock crowing did not happen at all based on a close reference between the Hebrew words Gaver (which means rooster or cock) and Gawra (which means man) and their appearance in the ancient text. This theory goes on to explain that in 1st century Israel, there actually was a man who was charged with shouting, like a rooster, “All the priests prepare to sacrifice!”, “All the Levites to their stations!” and “All Israelites come to worship!” from the rooftop of the temple at dawn.
A continued search on google also reveals that there is The Great Cockcrow Railway near Chertsey, Surrey, UK. It is a 7-1/4 track that was built on the grounds of “Greywood: on the Burwood Park estate on Walton on Thames in 1946 by then resident, John Samual. Subsequent generations expanded on the layout and now offer excursions to visitors on Sundays May through October.
Cockcrow is also the name of a “medium bodied black beer that leads with an aroma of deep roastiness, dark chocolate and bright coffee. Also with hints of roasted nuts and dark fruit” this American Stout is produced by Gunwhale Ales. The name, it seems, encourages some stout enthusiasts to have beer for breakfast!
At any rate, cockcrow is a fairly straightforward word. Simply, it means what it seems to mean. Here’s a haiku…Have a great weekend!
there is no sleeping
when a confused cock’s cockcrow
shrieks at 3 am
~kat
So, today is Black Friday in the U.S. I try to avoid going out at the crack of dawn with thousands of crazed shoppers who have been known to fight over the ‘last one left’ of the latest, greatest widget of the day. I don’t need anything that dearly.
Claque is a perfect word for our current alternate reality. The powers that be think we need coaching when we’re told an apple is a banana. And not just any banana, but the most amazing banana in history of bananas. We need a cadre of claqueurs to rally and extol the amazing virtues of bananas from the sidelines. Their job is to convince us that what we’re hearing with our ears but failing to see with our own eyes is not what we think it is. They tell us when to laugh at unfunny jokes. They applaud wildly, standing in ovation to encourage us to do the same. These shills are paid for their loyalty and I learned that the professionals of this shady craft might even resort to extortion should the entertainer fail to pay for their feigned accolades by rousing choruses of boos. What is our world coming to?
As for me I like watching spectacles from the edge, trusting my intuition to come to my own conclusion. For example…It is not a banana. I know bananas. It is an apple of course. Your jokes are not funny and I refuse to reward you with applause for your outrageous claims. Thank you very much!
like mercury colliding... 