LIVING IN TERRA INCOGNITA

Seeing a list of Latin words, I was intrigued by the possibility of writing a tale. The words follow the poem, and a translation follows them. I added 2 phrases to the original list. Enjoy. Give yourself bonus points if you know the Latin words. I only knew the meanings of some.

 

LIVING IN TERRA INCOGNITA

 

HABEAS CORPUS? No…
ERGO…AD HOC,
I hide my meaning, but in plain sight…
PER SE, an undistinguished group
CIRCA the time they were assembled
We found ourselves in TERRA INCOGNITA
IPSO FACTO of who they are…
CARPE DIEM…we must
The STATUS QUO can’t remain
DE FACTO…their dishonesty
Caught IN FLAGRANTE DELICTO
From the ringleader, ET CETERA
Expect no MEA CULPA pleading…
VOX POPULI will be heard
It will be PRO BONO, of course
You must remember…E PLURIBUS UNUM
Our union must be saved

 

© 2018 Robert Mihaly

 

AD HOC

For this purpose only

 

CARPE DIEM

Seize the day

 

CIRCA

Around, approximately

 

DE FACTO

From the fact

 

ERGO

Therefore

 

ET CETERA

And the others

 

IN FLAGRANTE DELICTO

In the act of committing a crime

 

IPSO FACTO

By that very fact

 

MEA CULPA

My fault

 

PER SE

Through itself

 

PRO BONO

Done without charge

 

STATUS QUO

Existing state of affairs

 

TERRA INCOGNITA

Unknown land

 

VOX POPULI

The voice of the people

 

HABEAS CORPUS

You have the body

 

E PLURIBUS UNUM

Out of many, one

 

 

LIVING IN UNKNOWN LAND

 

You have the body? No…

Therefore…for this purpose only, 

I hide my meaning, but in plain sight…

Through itself, an undistinguished group

Around the time they were assembled

We found ourselves in unknown land

By that very fact of who they are

Seize the day…we must

The existing state of affairs can’t remain

From the fact…their dishonesty

Caught in the act of committing a crime

From the ringleader and the others

Expect no “My fault” pleading…

The voice of the people will be heard

It will be done without charge, of course

You must remember…out of many, one

Our union must be saved

 

© 2018 Robert Mihaly

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