My coworkers and I attempted to do the work of our one-man marketing department and come up with a name for our new product. Several suggestions came up, one of which was "shine." A coworker objected, citing the fact that it is a racial slur. This was news to pretty much everyone, but apparently, it refers to blacks, who were stereotypically shoe shiners in the 1920's. Shiner is also another form of the slur.

today a feeling too big for words
something in the spiral of bare branches
against a clear blue sky
or the clusters of red berries in a hedge
that parts to show a stone step
where a ginger cat sleeps and eats food
that strangers bring him, every day, in tinfoil
and owned by no one he grows fat

a film about an insane pianist
blue sky for him too, and music big enough
for feeling but no room for rest
everything gone out of him but him
and walking out of the cinema I was clean
washed bare for the touch of sunlight
naked baby ready to be made into memory

in the morning it rained and the paths were dark
then it was sunny and they steamed
and pigeons waddled over the cobblestones
and when I stopped trying to talk
there was room in the silence for feelings -
the taste of stale bread and ham, lukewarm tea
dripping over my fingers to the ground
I don't want there to be an end or not to be an end

nothing but this


Inspired by the movie Shine

Shine Shining.] [OE. shinen, schinen, AS. scinan; akin to D. schijnen, OFries. skina, OS. & OHG. scinan, G. scheinen, Icel.skina, Sw. skina, Dan. skinne, Goth. skeinan, and perh. to Gr. shadow. &root;157. Cf. Sheer pure, and Shimmer.]

1.

To emit rays of light; to give light; to beam with steady radiance; to exhibit brightness or splendor; as, the sun shines by day; the moon shines by night.

Hyperion's quickening fire doth shine. Shak.

God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Cghrist. 2 Cor. iv. 6.

Let thine eyes shine forth in their full luster. Denham.

2.

To be bright by reflection of light; to gleam; to be glossy; as, to shine like polished silver.

3.

To be effulgent in splendor or beauty.

"So proud she shined in her princely state."

Spenser.

Once brightest shined this child of heat and air. Pope.

4.

To be eminent, conspicuous, or distinguished; to exhibit brilliant intellectual powers; as, to shine in courts; to shine in conversation.

Few are qualified to shine in company; but it in most men's power to be agreeable. Swift.

To make, ∨ cause, the face to shine upon, to be propitious to; to be gracious to.

Num. vi. 25.

 

© Webster 1913.


Shine, v. t.

1.

To cause to shine, as a light.

[Obs.]

He [God] doth not rain wealth, nor shine honor and virtues, upon men equally. Bacon.

2.

To make bright; to cause to shine by reflected light; as, in hunting, to shine the eyes of a deer at night by throwing a light on them.

[U. S.]

Bartlett.

 

© Webster 1913.


Shine, n.

1.

The quality or state of shining; brightness; luster, gloss; polish; sheen.

Now sits not girt with taper's holy shine. Milton.

Fair opening to some court's propitious shine. Pope.

The distant shine of the celestial city. Hawthorne.

2.

Sunshine; fair weather.

Be it fair or foul, or rain or shine. Dryden.

3.

A liking for a person; a fancy.

[Slang, U.S.]

4.

Caper; antic; row.

[Slang]

To cut up shines, to play pranks. [Slang, U.S.]

 

© Webster 1913.


Shine (?), a. [AS. scin. See Shine, v. i.]

Shining; sheen.

[Obs.]

Spenser.

 

© Webster 1913.

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