forky

She had a forky tongue and a willful way.

Jane of the forky tongue cried.

Do thy broad hands the forky lightnings lance?

Not half so swift the rattling thunder flies, Or forky lightnings flash along the skies.

Janine spat with her forky tongue.

Sheet lightning shimmered, and then a forky bolt flashed near at hand, as if descending into the accursed glen itself.

Moving they fight; with oars and forky prows The froth is gather'd, and the water glows.

They jeered and defamed her, and she came back with her forky tongue and harangued them all.

She held her breath as the snake drew near, and watched it throw up its head again as if it was smelling something nice, while its forky tongue darted out greedily.

Salmoneus, suff'ring cruel pains, I found, For emulating Jove; the rattling sound Of mimic thunder, and the glitt'ring blaze Of pointed lightnings, and their forky rays.

But his bright mother, from a breaking cloud, To cheer her issue, thunder'd thrice aloud; Thrice forky lightning flash'd along the sky, And Tyrrhene trumpets thrice were heard on high.

The "forky forests of silverware" in his dishwasher delight him, as do his wife and two young children, his big old house and his pet duck, whose obscure, uncomplaining life in the backyard serves him as an existential touchstone.