Gentle visitors, it occurred to us recently that we had not offered one of our noted "A Word On...." commentaries in nearly two years -- a shameful omission when you consider the many patient visitors who had waited, day in and day out, full of anticipation, for the next such post -- like little children awaiting St. Nick or a Sufi awaiting Illumination, enduring the daily disappointment, which, in time, descended to disillusionment and even disconsolation, at failing to see that Word of Wisdom dripping from these pages as golden drops of honey.
We cannot describe the guilt and shame we feel at this negligence. And, yet, there it is: staring at us like an enraged rooster of Italian derivation.
Then, as we hurried to correct this remissness, we noted that, in composing "A Words On 
Words", we could not possibly convey such a word without using words. Oh, the horror and conundrum of it! Like the hand drawing the hand, we were suddenly caught in a world of topsy-turvy solipsism -- or, more precisely, in world of raging circularity. "Words, words, words ...." like the song of Italian derivation says.
But, therein lies the trouble -- the derivation that is. Those of our visitors who are less etymologically challenged know that the word "word" derives from the Latin (hence Italian) word "verbum". But, imagine a world with all verbs and no nouns -- a raging torrent without ceasing -- all action without subject or object. That is, like much of our contemporary entertainment.
Ah, those Italians are seductive -- we'll grant you that -- but what a monstrous conspiracy of words, words, words!
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