All words are defined in terms of other words. Everyone has looked up a word only to find a synonym we also don't understand. So we look up word #2. And what is the definition? Word #1! The chain of definitions can be longer than that, of course. When you are frustrated, Google images can save the day.
I've finished the book "Metaphors We Live By" which deals with "conceptual metaphors". This term refers to the understanding of one idea in terms of another. Cambridge.org points out that often this involves mapping between an abstract concept and a more concrete concept.
Well that's often true of poetic metaphors, too, isn't it?
Here's my first attempt at a poem using multi-word verbs metaphorically. It uses the phrasal verbs "bring up" and "take up" and it compares a problem to a very large stone.
To Bring Up a Subject & To Take Up a Problem
Weighing heavy on my mind.
I put it in a canvas sack;
Never left the thing behind.
Heaved it up onto the table.
My friend said, "Glad you brought this up
Since I just wasn't able!"
The boss said, "Take this up right now!
We can't just sit and drift!
All grab onto the edges, tight.
And one, two, three -- we lift!"
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