A mountain bright then shadow-flipped as sun traverse the sky.
With nimbos clouds and lightning bolts, the lines begin to blur.
Ten thousand things in motion is the way of things, yet why?
A death white hot is beating down upon the red, cracked earth
where each still living thing yearns for its long parch to be quenched.
When nimbos cloud and lightning bolts, our thanks begin to stir.
When rivered air cascades for weeks and every dry thing’s drenched,
our goddess has returned, perturbed, visits drowning vengeance.
Our mem’ries float of when we yearned for long parch to be quenched.
When nature led us through each day, faith was in attendance;
we understood the to and fro was all part of design.
Our heedlessness has twisted, she wreaks her drowning vengeance.
Ask how undo this bumble; to this path we must unbind!
Step on to simple, symbiotic, balanced path to walk.
We understand now to and fro is all part of design.
As darkness edges out the light, there is no time to balk!
Step on to simple, symbiotic, balanced path to walk.
A mountain dark, then sunlight flipped as sun traverse the sky.
Ten thousand things in motion stay in balance or we die.
Terzanelle form
Top image is my photo of Long Island Buddha by Zhang Huan
Punam is today’s host for dVerse’ Poetics. Punam says:
So, for today’s challenge shall we write about good and evil! Let’s not make it good vs evil or black vs white, let’s write about mere mortals and about the good in the evil or the evil in the good. You need not write about the triumph of good as it seems like a fable in these times. The form, the meter, the rhyme scheme and the length is up to you. May the good triumph over evil.
Tao Talk 
A beautifully written poem Li. Flows gently and delivers its message of balance
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Sadje, thank you ❤
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My pleasure Li.
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Balance is everything!
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Yes it is, Sarah.
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I’m surprised that that statue isn’t a super shiny bronze on one side. Its textures are calling me to touch it. It could just be me though. 🤓
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It’s a magnificent work of art. Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, MI is full of beautiful sculpture!
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I love that. I saw a couple of beautiful pieces when I was in San Francisco in Golden Gate Park. I enjoy the look and feel of sculptures when they’re surrounded by tamed nature.
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A stunning terzanelle, Lisa! You really went to town on this prompt, and I love where it took you. I especially love the ‘shadow-flipped’ mountain and the way it becomes sunlight flipped in the final stanza.
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Kim, thank you! It’s been awhile since taking on a form like that. Your feedback is much appreciated.
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What a beautiful terzanelle, Li and I love the shift in the last stanza. Balance is the key. ❤️
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Thanks much, Punam, and thank you for the inspiring prompt. ❤
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You are so welcome on both counts. ❤️
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❤
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“Ten thousand things in motion stay in balance or we die.”
Yes, the 10,000 things Lisa. Loved this poem my friend. So deep, rich, wisdom filled — beautiful! 👍🏼🙂✌🏼❤️
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Rob, I always feel better after reading your comments. Thank you, my friend ❤
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Beautiful poem!
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Veera, thank you very much.
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Balance, yes! Especially when the dance is complicated by our self-serving desires. The richness of your imagery just takes my breath away, Lisa. Just like taking gulps of pure mountain air.
~ Dora
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Dora, thank you. I see this as applicable to macro (global) and micro (personal) so appreciate you saying that.
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very wise words and such a creative poem Lisa!
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Kate, thank you. It still feels rough around the edges but I hope I got my message across.
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the message was clear, and I didn’t notice any roughness at all Lisa … you hid it well!
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❤ Looking forward to reading poems of your travels…
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somewhat doubtful Lisa, I’m trying to withdraw from WP … but am just paying another years fees to keep their horrid ads off my blog!
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Sorry to hear it, Kate, but I remain hopeful that once in awhile I’ll see you (now that you’re paying the fees) 🙂
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lol bribery will get you everywhere … wish to share a photographic record of my recent trip so quite a few posts scheduled 🙂
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YAY!!!!!
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Well done, Lisa. A difficult form and you nailed it. 🙂
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Thank you, Bill!
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That balanced path can be elusive…(k)
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I hear you! As somebody else said, stay away from the edges and you should be fine.
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The edges always call though, don’t they?
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That is a wonderful message in that tricky form. Love the last stanza, wrapping up the theme with: balanced path to walk.
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Grace, thank you. I loved the prompt so much and it had been awhile since I tried a tricky form, and I had the time, so…
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Love how you incorporated a genuine feel for the elements of Buddhsm with this poem of nature and duality, of parch and quench, extremes and balance so hard won. Good to read you again Lisa.
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Joy, thank you very much for your feedback.
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This question at the beginning drew me in immediately, “Ten thousand things in motion is the way of things, yet why?” Then your ending line with the idea of balance needed, is true poetry! I feel that balance in the form. It’s beautiful and magical when things all fall into place, perfectly balanced, and it brings life! 💝
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Tricia, I appreciate your feedback. Thank you, my friend ❤
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Enjoyed! ♥️♥️♥️
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Nice, pleasant discourse, Lisa.
The Bible and Aristotle agree,
“Aristotle’s (mid-3rd century BC) view was somewhat more accurate (than the Bible). He argued in his work Meteorologica:
“Now the earth remains but the moisture surrounding it is made to evaporate by the sun’s rays … and rises. But when the heat which was raising it leaves it, … then the vapour cools because its heat is gone and because the place is cold, and condenses again and turns from air into water. And after the water has formed it falls down again to the earth.”, Meteorology (350 BC), book 1, part 13, transl. Webster, E.W., Internet Classics Archive (classics.mit.edu).” style=”box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(34, 139, 246); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 4px; border-bottom: none; cursor: pointer;”>6
Aristotle nonetheless remained convinced that subterranean water was the main source of stream flow. “
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Interesting, Jim. Aristotle was a sharp cookie.
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Lisa, I forgot this, the source.
https://creation.com/the-bible-and-the-hydrologic-cycle
..
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I love how the form worked so well into the confusion and roundabout way we may approach the road to balance.
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Bjorn thank you very much.
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