# Orchidaceous: Word of the Day **by Greg Zeck** *For Jen, who else?* How do I love thee? Let me count a way. Thou art more orchidaceous than an orchid, which is obvious, which is to say not ghostly, for gods’ sakes, you so vibrantly alive, your flesh opening sesame, quivering or quiet or modest, though you have little cause to be modest, darling, or merely drably interesting. When we met, after all, how many years ago, you came out not a debutante, or flame, or fragrance, though you were all of these, but flower, to be specific, terrestrial or epiphytic plant of the Orchidaceae family, of temperate and tropical regions, having showy flowers, and you’re showing me even now, my lady, how many incredible years later, and I’m telling you here and now, my love, in the blooming moment, my love is pure grateful astonishment.