by William Dotani
Member since:
October 27, 2006

Avoiding Sharp Arrows: Tuesday Writing Essentials (life changes)

July 13, 2011 01:19 AM UTC
views: 0 | 13 people recommend this | comments: 41

Lustily chirping changes cloud patched sky
Songs of forever, hello in goodbye
Leafy branches swaying, hushed lullabies
Designing the universe, smile by smile
As Sun says to shadow, ‘a gift, living’
Within the touching eyes, love finds giving

Busily building a honeycomb sweet
Flower vacancy signs, visiting bees
Harmony in corners, willful donors
A sudden gust, happy expected must
Tough lazy days seem to toil without fuss
Ever fleeting forever into us

Serenely the shadows fall where they may
Nourishing memories by gentle rain
There became here, fortunate yesteryear
Crossroads and avenues kept in repair
Ying and Yang have profiles, finding the same
Caring, knowing, reading moments rephrased

Colorful rainbows, fading horizons
Aspects are changing colors on the trees
Tending comforts, avoiding sharp arrows
 


 

Comments: 41

Elsie Duggan Jul 13, 2011, 2:27am UTC
How very beautiful William, thank you for this lovely poem and for the patience to post it up, I don't see a TWE tag, and hope it is posted to Gather Writing Essentials, as I so want to feature it, I can't find them if the tags are not there in the GWE groups, love you, goodnight , Elsie
William Dotani Jul 13, 2011, 2:32am UTC
I posted to Gather Writing Essentials and put TWE is my title. I could care less to be feautured. I wrote this for you and my friends.
Elsie Duggan Jul 13, 2011, 3:17am UTC
Thank you William, I just love the poem, it is beautiful, love, and goodnight, Elsie
William Dotani Jul 14, 2011, 1:07am UTC
I hope you dig into to it because it has hidden messages I believe you'll enjoy. Sweet dreams.
Ms Lee P. Jul 13, 2011, 2:39am UTC
Lovely. I think you are in a very pensive mood tonight William. All my flowers are putting up vacancy signs right about now hoping a few raindrops will want to spend a night or two with them. I water them twice a day but they sure would like a drink of cooling rain water (my trees are also suffering in this heat). I think I'm going to start summering in the northern states. This Texas heat is bad this summer.
William Dotani Jul 14, 2011, 1:11am UTC
Part of my T'ai Chi exercise program includes simply awareness. I stood at attention, closed my eyes and listened to the beauty of nature. I incorporated this experience in with Elsie's TWE theme.
Thank you.
JOHN BECK Jul 13, 2011, 6:14am UTC
To me this was written with the warmth of a summer evening. There is a comfort in life changes.
William Dotani Jul 14, 2011, 1:11am UTC
Part of my T'ai Chi exercise program includes simply awareness. I stood at attention, closed my eyes and listened to the beauty of nature. I incorporated this experience in with Elsie's TWE theme.
Thank you.
JOHN BECK Jul 14, 2011, 6:03am UTC
It's amazing what we can hear if we actually listen and pay attention without distraction.
William Dotani Jul 15, 2011, 1:57am UTC
Take time to smell the roses. TY.
Beautiful, William and though I don't think for myself, that there's a comfort in life changes, as John said; still, we have to go with them.
William Dotani Jul 14, 2011, 1:17am UTC
Having had a serious near death experience with a stroke that progressively got worse and the medical staff could not find the clot took away much of me physically and some mentally (some say a lot), but opened other doors. Change happens to all and we must realize we are a part of the universe's plan on our road. I am thankful for this very moment of life because it is my path and that meant to be.
Thank you.
Marge H. Jul 13, 2011, 12:36pm UTC
Beautiful images parading in your mind and now in ours. This line made me smile "Flower vacancy signs, visiting bees."

I don't know if we can avoid the sharp arrows but we can certainly dull their points by focusing on what is good about life.
William Dotani Jul 14, 2011, 1:18am UTC
Yes we can. I appreciate your careful reading.
Tracy Fabre Jul 13, 2011, 3:35pm UTC
A beautiful stroll through a glorious day.
William Dotani Jul 14, 2011, 1:19am UTC
That it was. Thank you.
CL Mareydt Jul 13, 2011, 4:28pm UTC
Thank you for sharing at
Surreal Circus

♫ ..•* ★¨`*•â™«.•´*.¸.•´ ♫ Have a great day! ♫ ..•* ★¨`*•â™«.•´*.¸.•´ ♫
William Dotani Jul 14, 2011, 1:19am UTC
Your welcome.
Kay M Jul 13, 2011, 8:09pm UTC
Comforting. Made me feel like I was sitting in a porch swing on a lovely evening.
William Dotani Jul 14, 2011, 1:23am UTC
It was quite a lovely time outdoors that inspired this. I like your props.
Thank you.
Back to read again....you know and I don't know if anyone else thought this, this would make a wonderful song, if one put the musical notes to it. Many songs are also poems...this would be exceptional.
William Dotani Jul 14, 2011, 1:30am UTC
Most friends have said I'm a better songwriter than poet, but I seldom play guitar anymore. My left hand is still smooth, but my right hand can just pick at strings with thumb and index finger. I cannot strum. I just feel rather disappointed when I play. I used to be able to pick Bluegrass, but that day is over. I appreciate your view. TY.
Marge H. Jul 14, 2011, 9:31am UTC
I'm sorry you can no longer play as you once did. I hope you have recorded some of your music so you can still share it with others.
William Dotani Jul 15, 2011, 1:56am UTC
I have several recordings, but that was long ago. TY.
Peter Joseph Swanson Jul 14, 2011, 9:23am UTC
So beautiful!
William Dotani Jul 15, 2011, 1:54am UTC
Thank you.
Shira C. Jul 14, 2011, 10:38am UTC
The gentle, rocking rhythm seems to carry me along Featured at The Surreal Circus!
William Dotani Jul 15, 2011, 1:54am UTC
Tis beautiful to stand outside feeling the warm breeze. Thank you.
Chris Brockman Jul 14, 2011, 4:20pm UTC
The interconnectedness and elegant evolution of Nature are what I get from this and what encompasses me so pleasantly.
William Dotani Jul 15, 2011, 1:52am UTC
Nature blended beautifully as a metaphor for Elsie's TWE theme.
Thank you.
Marge H. Jul 15, 2011, 11:50am UTC
Came back to enjoy this again and catch up on comments.
William Dotani Jul 15, 2011, 12:17pm UTC
Thank you.
All of the upgrades have driven a lot of people away from Gather. Having comments eaten is driving me away. I used to get on a lot, but frankly I don't think the top people of Gather care anymore about writers.

I have an ear infection and I have chores to do. Sometimes I just want to scream, but I realize I need not be so primal. Take care and I hope you're ready for the coming heat wave.
t b. Jul 15, 2011, 9:51pm UTC
Hello William. I enjoyed this piece. You've always written with so much more gusto than me. It was good reading you again.
William Dotani Jul 16, 2011, 12:26am UTC
Cool word is gusto. Thank you.
Karen E. Jul 16, 2011, 1:17pm UTC
I feel like an uneasy blend of the comfort and the arrows. I admit to being in a bit of a cross mood lately and probably closer to arrows. Your poem actually reminded me that I am a complete and there is not one without the other....not that I am going to linger with the arrows but they are a part of the package. Thanks William, bet you didn't think it would inspire that...
William Dotani Jul 17, 2011, 11:15pm UTC
I read your comment yesterday and today and I did not know a Cliff Notes version of my poem existed: You are spot on. It's good finding someone understands me verse so exactly. Lovely comment. Thank you.
C.F. Stewart Jul 18, 2011, 12:02am UTC
Bill, I find your splendid write to be one of perspective. Awareness of said arrows and having the wisdom and will to shape them, as it were, to that which is considerably more positive.
I might add that this piece has a significant melodic undertone which renders it even that much more appealing. Splendid, my friend. Beyond question!!
William Dotani Jul 18, 2011, 12:47am UTC
I appreciate you catching the melody. I listen to lots of different styles of music whenever I drink and Lately I've been drinking 4~5 beers most nights and listening on my headphones to Turkish, Japanese Folk & Rock, Cat Stevens (great poet) and my daily fix of Bluegrass with Flatt & Scruggs' 'Southbound.' It's a train song. The metaphor in the first line knocks me out: It goes, 'Southbound she's burning the ground and I don't mean maybe.' Just a perfect set up for the story of a man having to work up North feeling homesick for the South and his girlfriend. I also like Bing Crosby's 'Sacramento Valley' and not just for his voice, but for the back-up musicians he let strut their stuff in a nice mid song interlude. I have a feeling Bing loved the Coronet. I'm sure this has influenced my subconscious.
Thank you for the kind words.
Svetlana Goryacheva Jul 23, 2011, 7:23am UTC
Yes, I can hear the music in your lines, dear Bill... sweet, a little bit mischievous and comforting, even despite the aforesaid arrows... definitely in your very best style I love so much. Bravissimo! :-))))

Blessings and best wishes in great abundance - S.
William Dotani Jul 24, 2011, 2:40am UTC
I'm glad to see you again and appreciate your lovely comment.
Things have been rather hectic. Our huge pear tree in our backyard was destroyed by lightening and then wind almost a month ago and I'm still cleaning it. Hard work, but I like good physical work and 39 C temperatures.
Sheila Deeth Jul 27, 2011, 8:35pm UTC
Lovely poem. I love the flow of the words, repeated sounds like a warm summer evening.

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