Gobsmacked? You should be

If you say you're gobsmacked,

I really think you should be,

To help you ponder how to use,

Words more elucidatory.

Iconic is a word

I wish I'd never heard.

Iconic this, iconic that,

It really leaves me cross and flat.

If something truly is

Superlatively fab, then

Why not choose a fresher word

So my attention's grabbed?

Coruscating's seen too much,

In film reviews, critiques and such,

Why not chose 'sparkling' instead?

Two less syllables to be read.

A choice of favorite word or two

Was canvassed for this challenge.

I'll try to think of some for you,

I'll have a little scavenge.

I fear, however, I may find

So little inspiration.

When choosing words this poet binds

In verbal constipation.

For choice of words it does occur

To me that invocation

Of lexicographic finesse

Must match storification.

To choose my best word I must ask

For inspiration from above.

I cannot think of better word

Than L - O - V - E - love.

O ~ 0 ~ o

Thanks for reading and I hope I will be forgiven for the casual use of one or two of those words. I would cheekily claim poetic licence in my defence.

For those not familiar with the term 'gobsmacked', it is a UK expression of astonishment, to feel as if one has been punched in the mouth (gob). As in "When they told me I had won a poetry competition I was totally gobsmacked." It is not the kind of expression you are likely to hear from a BBC news reader.

Likewise I always think that those who say they are "gutted" ought to be. Another UK expression, this time meaning thoroughly disappointed.

Let's hope the word gobsmacked does not become iconic...

To be fair to the unnamed boxer in the Pixabay photo above, I believe she is kissing her boxing glove, rather than self-gobsmacking. May the blessing she confers on her glove bring victory in the ring, while sparing injury to her and her opponent.

And finally... on the subject of BBC and its use of language. How about this for a bit of careless usage. In a story about safety concerns on the Scottish West Coast train that features in the Harry Potter films as the Hogwarts Express, the BBC states that the train....

...operates on the iconic West Highland Line from Fort William to Mallaig.

What can be 'iconic' about a railroad line? Sloppy! Just sloppy!

Standards at the iconic BBC have never sunk so low.

Watch this space for details of the forthcoming campaign against careless use of the word iconic CACUWI, or CAC for short.