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a stunning woman
one-legged and on crutches
shared strides and told me
the ability to walk
...
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A stunning poem - Tanka, about a stunning woman who knows well enough, how precious life is. And all we need to do is to strive towards making life beautiful. 'The ability to walk is as important as life itself.' So beautifully worded, crafted, and presented. Thank you, MJ........10
Geeta, thank you so much for the wonderful sentiment and the great compliment.
M.J., I am greatly humbled and honoured that my poetry is a source of inspiration for a poet of your stature. Especially since, your poetry is a source of such great inspiration for me. That being said, you've got another winner with this tanka. I'm totally in agreement with Susan's stunning analysis. What an awesome job she did! So much so that I can't think of too much to add. As I was reading it, the image of Paul McCartney's ex kept flashing in my mind. And then I read Susan's comments and realized that that woman totally pales to yours. Yours is a woman bigger than life. She is hauntingly beautiful. She doesn't know the meaning of adversity. Her mind is her greatest weapon. And she belongs in a league of her own. This tanka is indeed a source of great inspiration. Whenever I'm feeling a little down, the words and imagery of this tanka will now come to mind. And watch out, world! Kudos, M.J.! ! !
Richard, words fail. That's all I can say. Thank you so much for this amazing comment.
i don't know tanka from a hole in the ground, but i think this poem is not un-likable. i like the title. was the woman, i wonder, speaking only of her own life and ambulatory ability, or about those of every human, maybe every animal? ? i wonder. to MyPoemList. thanks for Poet's Notes. bri ;)
we will able to see more than just what we have when we are living in two conditions....we will evaluate what is best to life...experience teaches us what it is about...its not we will know life very well but of course we will be better. i love how you use your old days to briefly tell and share with us...not everyone have this, so by sharing gold memory..you teach us as well M.J. Lemon... here cup of tea (with mint) for you hahha
That tea sounds perfect, Soul. It shall pave the way for more memories and rich experiences. Thank you so very much.
yes. what we have, becomes gold when lost. beautiful poem friend
Thank you so very much! You have me thinking about how much that is gold we take for granted.
An invigorating tanka with a strong message to strive to be as fit and independent as possible is achievable in small or big measures for many of us.
Thank you Simone! Yes, this is about the power and drive behind the spirit. Thank you so much.
That tanka brought me to a halt. I don't know why- I should be used to the edge and uniqueness so many of your poems bring to the table..Each line brings forth a word, a thought, an emotion that joins in line-by-line painting a fell portrait of a moment in time and a look deep into the pysche of mankind- - - - - - - - - - - - a stunning woman- - - - -stunning, not pretty, not beautiful, no- STUNNING, such a well-chosen word that brings to my mind a woman walking tall, her hair blowing in the wind, her eyes sparkling with wit and life - - - - - - - - - - - -urch- - tires screeching to a halt one-legged and on crutches- - - -my image of a stunning woman urches to the aforesaid stop and stunning gets a deeper image, this woman has fortitude and bravery- - she's been injured but she is not down and out because she still carries the STUNNING image shared strides and told me- - - - - - -this woman doesn't know the meaning of giving herself a pity-me break... nope, she's in this race to win it, not to be carried, not to be given breaks...... nope she's side-by-side and she is TELLING me, not asking me, not whimpering, whispering, begging, asking, she is TELLING me the ability to walk was as important as life- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -and there we come to the crux of the matter- a statement that is both true and false, to her the ability to walk gives her LIFE in the large-lettered sense, the grab the world by its ears sense yet- - - yet- - those in a wheelchair would claim that the ability to sit and WHEEL is as important as life....... and, then again, isn't LIFe the most important factor- -the big bold inner life as well as the physical life- - -You make the reader pause and think and then think again and again- -you give us chances to examine our thoughts, refine our philosophies, and enjoy the writings of such a penetrating poet- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - STUNNING piece of writing- -the best tanka I have ever read- - - - -a gazillion 10's and a huge respected place on my fav list
Susan, Wow! Thank you so much. You actually deconstructed so many elements of this poem and in almost exactly the same way I was going through it as I was drafting and redrafting it. It really does depend on how you read the first word in the last line (was) and the word strides in the third line. I took strides to have at least several meanings. And yes, I think one can get a very positive message here, but there is an interpretation that is fairly dark. Thanks again. And this poem is based on a real person and incident.
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7/27/2025 12:20:39 AM # 1.0.0
Only a disabled lame person will be able to know the merit of being able to walk without any support! Only the blind knows the value of sight. When we have everything, we complain of the things we do not have! A stunning tanka on a stunning woman! Very inspirational too!
Thank you, Valsa. And so right you are. When we have everything, we do tend to complain that we have nothing!