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Bali Verse Time -Spirit of Place

 I am currently staying in Bali, more precisely in Sanur. Sanur is quite tranquil and serene, representing older, more traditional culture. The pace of life in this area is certainly less hectic than other parts of this incredible island. I have visited Bali many times and have stayed in various locations across those visits. The people and the place continue to provide much inspiration for writing. 













I have been trying to capture a spirit of place while in Sanur. I found myself writing a series of tankas. I'm not sure why I chose the tanka form, but I am pleased with what I have been able to capture. I so enjoy surrendering my writing thoughts to my immediate surrounds. Poetry of place is such a pleasurable indulgence.

Hope you enjoy my gatherings...

Sanur Tankas

Reef & Sea

Reef resists the sea
Becalming the shorebound waves
Ocean's roar muffled
Transformed to a constant hum
Heard at  water's edge.

Swallow Flight

Above my beach lounge
Swallows flit erratically
Tiny feathered jets
Snatching food in their flight path
Dipping and diving.

No Squadrons

A helicopter
Cruising by, low in the sky
Then a dragonfly
Momentarily appears
No squadrons today.

Alan j Wright

I also wrote about the frangiani flowers a common sight all across Bali...








Frangipani Flowers 

Ubiquitous frangipani
Flower of fragrance and power
Embedded in ritual and ceremony
Nestled in the worshipper's palm
Worn in the hair
Linked to enlightenment and kindness
Bali's beauty 
Enhanced, when
This unique bloom announces itself
It's rich scent rising in the late afternoon
Radiant
White
Essence, so natural.
Alan j Wright

















It is once again, Poetry Friday and this week our genial host is Karen Edmisten. Karen features a poem by Mcihael Blumenthal focusing on the need for kindness.
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Comments

  1. Linda Mitchell16 December 2022 at 21:54

    There's so much to love in this post! Thank you for sharing the beautiful photos and poetry from Bali. Where I am, Bali is such a impossible place for most of us that we would use Bali in a sentence of hyperbole. Yet, there you are in that beautiful garden with book and pens. Tanka is a perfect form for the delicate word paintings, Those dragonflies...they steal the show for me!

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    1. Alan J Wright17 December 2022 at 15:22

      Thank you Linda. Glad you enjoyed my jottings. Our proximity to Bali certainly is a blessing. The island of the Gods delivers serenity in spades. Tankas are terrific!

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  2. Patricia Franz17 December 2022 at 02:30

    Yes, you have captured the spirit of this beautiful place! I love how your tankas stand alone yet also, woven together, paint a picture - perhaps of a day? Enjoy!

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    1. Alan J Wright17 December 2022 at 15:26

      Thank you Patricia. Yes the tankas emerged across a day of observation seated under the trees aligning the beach.

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  3. Mary Lee17 December 2022 at 23:29

    Thank you for the photographic and poetic travelogue! What a glorious place to visit!!

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    1. Alan J Wright18 December 2022 at 19:25

      Thank you Mary Lee. It is indeed a glorious place to visit. The Balinese people are gracious hosts and the island oozes charm. Always inspires me to write when I'm fortunate enough to visit.

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  4. Karen Edmisten 18 December 2022 at 00:19

    Lovely — you've evoked the sense of place and I especially enjoyed hearing the constant hum, seeing the swallows ("Tiny feathered jets"), being in on your dragonfly spotting. I can almost smell the frangipani, too.

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  5. Alan J Wright18 December 2022 at 19:31

    Thank you Karen. So much to tap into in this tropical location. Glad you picked up on so much.

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