As a child, I always hoped to find a four-leaf clover, considered a good luck charm in my youth. Notwithstanding many hours devoted to searching clover patches for long-stems to braid clover chains, I never recall finding one. After all, four-leaf clovers do not occur often. One source estimates the odds at ten thousand to one. (Four-leaf clover, wikopedia.org) With such odds, no wonder I had never found one.

According to tradition each leaf of the four-leaf clover represents something. For example, the first leaf, for faith; the second, for hope; the third, for love; and the fourth, for luck. But I recall a different take in the familiar lyrics of a popular song, written by Mort Dixon (1892—1956), with music by Harry M. Woods (1896—1970). It became a hit song in 1927, and revived in 1948, topping the charts for 18 weeks (wikopedia.org):

“I’m looking over, a four-leaf clover
That I overlooked before
One leaf is sunshine, the second is rain
Third is the roses, that bloom in the lane
No need explaining, the one remaining
Is somebody I adore.”

To be sure, sunshine, rain and roses are nice, but love brought by the fourth leaf brings a refreshing thought, and keeps a keen eye watching. The love leaf is appropriately sandwiched between sunshine and roses, being diametrically opposed to rain in the distance.

In addition to love, the Irish associate a four leaf clover with luck and frequently wear a shamrock for that purpose, particularly on St Patrick’s Day. “The shamrock is recognized the world over as the badge of Ireland.” (irish-genealogy-toolkit.com), and is protected under the Irish Trademark Act of 1996 by restricting the three clover leaf emblem to goods or services of Irish origin.

Botanically, the shamrock is categorized as a “ vigorous, rhizomatous, stem-rooting perennial with trifoliate leaves.” (History of the Shamrock, by Michelle Gervais finegardening.com), and sometimes called an Oxalis or Shamrock Plant.

So there you have it! A four-leaf clover symbolizes love, luck, or lucky in love, all good reasons for looking over clover.

What constitutes a look? Depending on its purpose, a look may be quick, long, pleasant, or nasty, among others.

Definition: as a verb, “to direct one’s gaze toward someone or something, or in a specified direction;” as a noun, “an act of directing one’s gaze in order to see someone or something.” (Google .com.) A look, therefore, is an act intended to focus attention on the object of the look. A simple gaze, however, may reveal more than desired; such as disclosing the gazer’s state without expressing a word. Lets look at some “look” alternatives:

Sneaky: A peek, peer, or peep suggest an unobserved look; such as peeking, peering, peeping through a keyhole, like a Peeping Tom hoping for an eye popping look.

Lengthly: To examine, witness, study, inspect, observe, or scrutinize suggest a more intense look with a fully focused mind to evaluate the subject matter.

Quickly: A blink, glance, glimpse, scan, or browse suggest a cursory look, without much focus on mental attention.

Emotional: To glare, glower, or gloat express emotion, as anger, annoyance or triumph in the eyes of the beholder.

Intense: To fixate, stare, gape or gawk suggest an intense, lengthly look, with gape adding an open mouth in disbelief or wonderment.

Lustful: To ogle (desire) or to leer (lecherous) suggests a prurient interest in the subject matter. I suppose one could ogle or leer with a gape, depending on the lollapalooza of interest.

At least one look word, “peruse”, expresses diametrically opposed meanings; i.e., to scan quickly or study intently, as “a. to examine or consider with attention and in detail; study; b, to look over or through in a casual or cursory manner.” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) I suppose, the nature of a peruse depends on how you look at it.

In addition to the above, a look may also be: amorous, askance, beaming, bewildered, compassionate, impertinent, mischievous, provocative, defiant, roguish, ferocious, piercing, fearful, contemptuous, scornful, sheepish, knowing, lingering, incredulous, indignant, vindictive, grateful, icy, to name a few.

Accordingly, when taking a look at someone or something, you have a full palate of colors at your disposal either to reveal your mood, or conceal it with controlled deception. The look is yours.