Namesake

almond
loveable
almond
from me
god of beginnings
May he expand.
he expands
delivered banished
delivered banished
laurel of bad luck
ill-omened
ill-omened
wiping away breaking fear
Nimble.
nimble
Advice.
guidance instruction
a praise a cry
From the hide.
god of the crafts
a digger
She is my delight.
she is my delight
She is my delight.
Devout.
basis, foundation
ardent
Diminutive of
Diminutive of
vapor
Catches birds.
ideal
ideal aim
rose
diminuitive of rose
thinker
a thinker
Drawing water.
draw water
from the little field
from the little field
tame
a beautiful vision
one who gentles
Demon.
Tenderness;barren.
narrow, tender
sickness of a company of dancers
river of sorrow/woe
lipless
a handsome figure
Real Beauty.
Without fear.
a forgetfulness, he that is forgotten
son of the pure one
son of the heir
son of the champion
son of the conquering people
maker
son of the parson
son of the proud
son of the good man
son of grace
enduring
the end of the path
his multitude, his uproar
an ass clay dirt
indignation
howling for sin
robbery
forsaking sin
White crest of the wave
Famous
Famous
Famous
Famous
ruler of death castle
ever young.
son of an heir
to be charming
My joy.
joy is mine
broken
belly heaping up
mother
From the tower
from the tower
bitter, woman from magdalena
their chamber their bank
a chamber covered the sea
liberty whiteness hole
red start reddish
ruddy colored
love
a peak of the day
the destroyer
gives joy
gives joy
clear distant
made of a stone building
passages passengers
gives joy
father of a multitude
stem
pleasent meeting
born on Thursday
chaste
grandfather of perseus
a hunter dismembered
settlement of oak trees
kills
kills
a valley a depth
to pet her
faithful or roaring streams
pain infirmity
graceful
graceful
graceful
Secret.
beautiful sky
liberty anger
golden girl
a golden egg
he that covers, my fist
timekeeper
timekeeper
timekeeper
timekeeper
happy she was born
announce
stays at home
Stays at home
stays at home
Stays at home
flourishing blooming
i have no child
long awaited child
clearness oil
jewel
broken in pieces descending
be happy
hyacinth
life existence
neck of a horse
life
the rosy meadow
my hour or time
that increases or sends
increased, nourished
perfumer
From the heath covered me
heath near the wasteland
from the heath
dark
dark

Notes on selected poems

This selection is an excerpt from a larger ongoing project titled Namesake. Each line is the meaning of a different first name, found at www.meaning-of-names.com. The site lists names and their meanings alphabetically. My selection process is guided by an interest in the tension between momentum and stagnation, and how that relates to a generic hope attached to birth.

*~

Adrienne Herr is a poet and textile artist based in New York City. She wonders how commodity and poetry are involved. You may read most of her poetry online at adriennes.site