Recorded Reading (5:19): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/p03g6qn00on0nmlllbfvc/Cooperative.mp3?rlkey=1wvj6k4vf1jo8wwd1ompgdvl3&st=qulum7s2&dl=0

*****

Having described her outrageously energy draining working conditions to those within reach of her words ~ and presently unable to do anything about any of them, except to request the encouragement of individual financial contributions of any size for her presently unpaid seven days’ weekly labors on behalf of her society ~ the poet has also assured them that such will enable the appearance of an actual poem on this poetry site!

A contribution to this cause has indeed come today, all the way from Japan…

In publishing poetry in celebration of kindness, the poet has, now, more than only herself and her readers at large to consider. She finds she wishes also to celebrate the spirit, the essence, the uniquenesses of the giver, as well.

In the past she has sometimes meditated on that person, then opened her files, scrolled rapidly through the thousands of original titles listed there (with some of which, having been penned at the rate of two to a dozen per day, she herself is still woefully unfamiliar), and set her thumb down at random ~ to find, as she has learned long ago to trust will happen more often than not, a very appropriate work for the purpose.

This contributor is of the culture of Japan ~ one of the shining characteristics of which is reverence for simplicity. To we Westerners, “better” almost universally means bigger, newer, shinier, more exactly like all the others plus a little (or a lot) more expensive. Not so the Japanese perspective, which routinely reverse the simple, the humble, the “ordinary”, the well-used, the unique.

And, in this case, as well, no randomly moving thumb was necessary ~ having been notified to look for this correspondence, the poet knew instantly which one, of all of those poems (some of them several hundred lines in length), she would choose to represent the fresh, clean, refreshing spirit of this giver.

Her WP site, ‘ikityo‘, has just the effect of the proverbial “breath of fresh air” ~ no more than a breath, each day, just that ~ but as Hitomi ‘s name comes up in her reading queue sthe poet finds she already has a little smile on her face.

Each breath celebrates another seemingly “ordinary” of the many moments of our existence.

Before each, she writes, “I’m alive!”

And after:

“I’m alive!”

… And suddenly, we realize that our own ordinary moments aren’t really so ordinary after all.

That each and every one of us is living out personal challenges, tragedies, glories and dramas which, given skillfull stage direction, would actually make GREAT MOVIES!!…

… And all of that from a simple little paragraph, mentioning her happiness and contentment ~ and continuing pursuit of same ~ with each and every little moment of her own life.

How very Japanese… 🙏

“You have recently given me some good advice,” Hitomi has written to this poet. “I know your advice is worth much more… Please accept it.”

The synchronistic confirmation otherwise furnished by that randomly moving thumb did indeed come, through Hitomi’s request as to the subject matter of the poem which would be published in her name:

“I would like it to have the theme ‘A Peaceful Earth.’“

Couldn’t have been a request more synchronistic to the selection already in the poet’s mind, which appears below.

One further note:

The poet notes that this, of all her online poetic works, was the very first to appear ~ over seven years ago now.

As her ongoing series of websites records, it’s been seven years of ~ well, there’s no other word to describe it ~ hell.

Perhaps this poem’s appearance here is synchronous to some sort of turning of Fate’s wheel ~ the completion of a cycle.

Hitomi, dear soul, as we say here in the West, “This one’s for you.”

*****

A New Haiku

True intelligence, my
Intellectual friends, is
Cooperative

*****

This poet reminds all within reach of her words that an offering of any amount will put an actual poem back on this poetry site.

She presently lives at a fraction of her nation’s poverty level, and in perpetual terror of a repair on her old vehicle which, unfinanced, will result in the towing of her home and all possessions, and her own ticketing into imprisonment.

Arts patrons may visit http://www.UgiftABLE.com , using code 72D-31S. It will take about two weeks for the poet to be notified of your patronage.

International donors should contact the poet through these comments or the contact page address on this site for special instructions.

Thank you for supporting quality in the fine arts