Make up a new word today

Graffitina:   an admirable work of wild, unsanctioned public art

Scalia:   a hideous work of public defacement of common space





As I was walking up the Mississippi River I came upon a helpful map, posted permanently and durably on an agreeably designed kiosk standing politely to the side of the trail. Being familiar with the area I had no particular need to take note of the map, but I could see, at a glance, that someone had scrawled an ugly, artless blue graffiti tag, with poor spray paint technique, across the map. This was what I think of as European Graffiti, the virtueless urban garbage so different than the wonderful and daring art work so readily available on the culverts, drains, bridges and cliff retaining walls along my walk.

So there it is; the ugly defacing of public property by addled truants, and brave acts of art, both going by the same name: graffiti.

They need two names.

What if good and evil had to share a name?

What if "temperature" could not be divided into hot and cold?

What if there was only the world, but no earth and sky?

I want more words. Nothing is as exact as it could be. We stumble blind to the confused music of a universe 99 percent unnamed. 

There will never be enough words.