A Rollicking Series of Adjectival Lamentations

An extremely unfortunate blunder.
A dreadfully one-sided report.
A rumor that rumbles like thunder.
A largely uncalled-for retort.

An offensive response to an invite.
A comment that feels like abuse.
A dastardly error of insight.
An absurd, unenforceable truce.

A distressing decision to render.
An unforeseen tangle in plot.
A nasty surprise in your blender.
An unsightly trickle of snot.

A truly disturbing reflection.
A worrisome change in the weather.
A plan that will not pass inspection.
A consortium of birds of a feather.

A precipitous fall from a ladder.
A honking disturbance of geese.
An untimely failure of bladder.
An intractable blemish of grease.

A motley collection of kittens.
An effluvium of unpleasant gas.
A basket of mis-matching mittens.
A slither of snakes in the grass.

—Luci Shaw

Copyright © 2014 by the author or Christianity Today/Books & Culture magazine. Click here for reprint information on Books & Culture.

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Books & Culture was a bimonthly review that engaged the contemporary world from a Christian perspective. Every issue of Books & Culture contained in-depth reviews of books that merit critical attention, as well as shorter notices of significant new titles. It was published six times a year by Christianity Today from 1995 to 2016.

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