As I Journey East Premiere Contest Winner

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Come along with me as I journey East
where fragile cherry blossoms flutter
before raining down from cloudless skies.
Let's climb majestic mountains whose crests 
are always laced with crowns of snow.

Here, the scent of jasmine is caught in a breeze.
Bonsai forests hold ancient secrets of long past civilizations.
We will see dragons who seem to soar beyond the moon,
then take the shape of koi with the rising sun.

Listen as bamboo chimes sing in windswept percussion.
Their hollow voices reach across Tokachi River.
Legend says it was etched by the flowing tears 
of a young Geisha who cried all night
when she saw her red-budded lips mirrored in a lake.

It's now a sacred place where lovers often meet 
when the hint of a sanguine sunset fills the sky. 
Their whispered words of passion's promises 
are drowned in roars of towering waterfalls.

Say you'll come and we'll fly amid flocks of crane, 
across paddies and valleys of lush green,
then feast upon crispy roasted duck 
before we lick our fingers clean of Hoisin. 

Sleep will find us beneath a blanket of willows,
and we'll gaze in awed wonder when we wake, 
at the most exotic land of splendors we've ever seen.
We'll surrender promises that one day we will return, 
for this is where our hearts now wish to dwell.

Give us brushes and canvas; paints of boldest oils
to capture the Oriental beauty, naked before our eyes.



July 1st, 2017
Exotic Places 
by Debbie Guzzi

Copyright © | Year Posted 2017



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Date: 7/25/2017 6:04:00 PM
Outstanding work, LIn. I am proud to have such a poetic friend as you who can deliver such gorgeous lines of poetry. Congrats on your number one win.
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Date: 7/24/2017 3:05:00 AM
The beauty in this poem is stunning Lin! I see why it garnered First place! Congratulations my friend! : )
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Lin Lane
Date: 7/24/2017 5:15:00 AM
Thank you for finding beauty in my descriptive write, Connie. I always love your visits.
Date: 7/23/2017 4:53:00 PM
I ADORE this, Lin, and I adore everything about Oriental Culture, especially Japan ... it is number two on my Bucket List, and I have a couple of friends there. This is an exquisite poem and focuses on all about the Far East that I love, and does so exquisitely! Adding this to my favs - congrats on a well-earned Firt Place, my friend! :-) <3
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Lin Lane
Date: 7/23/2017 6:38:00 PM
Thanks ever so much, Greg, for your many compliments. It so happens that if I had a bucket list of places to visit it would be my 2nd choice, after Scotland.
Date: 7/23/2017 10:41:00 AM
Beautifully done, as if I am there myself.. Congratulations on your win !! :)
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Lin Lane
Date: 7/23/2017 10:50:00 AM
Thank you for such a wonderful comment, Glen. It's one of the best for a poet to know that she's taken a reader on the journey with her.
Date: 7/22/2017 8:37:00 PM
Thanks so much for treating me to this verse. I too love the east. Please do enter my next contest & if you would like editing assistance & advice about where to send your work to be published just soup mail me. Congrad's Light & Love Debbie
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Lin Lane
Date: 7/23/2017 6:23:00 AM
It's I who thank you for the honor of 1st place, Debbie. I appreciate your hosting a contest that frees the minds of poets who seek to travel through the land of their imagination. With gratitude ~ Lin
Date: 7/22/2017 6:18:00 PM
Way to go Lin, I KNEW this would do well for you - to place at number one in Debbie's contest REALLY means something she is an excellent judge and I am truly delighted for you:-) hugs jan xx
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Lin Lane
Date: 7/23/2017 6:21:00 AM
I'm going to make you a cheerleader outfit, my dear, Jan. lol Thanks so much for all of your encouragement.
Date: 7/22/2017 5:03:00 PM
Congrats on your win , Lin!
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Lin Lane
Date: 7/23/2017 6:20:00 AM
Thank you very much, Dale. ;-)
Date: 7/7/2017 10:30:00 AM
Excellent write. Nice imagery. The last 3 stanzas are fantastic. Enjoyed it immensely.
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Lin Lane
Date: 7/7/2017 10:56:00 AM
Thank you so very much, Frank. I appreciate that you pointed out something you particularly like. ;-)
Date: 7/2/2017 1:44:00 PM
Is that painting for sale? Masterfully written, Peaches. If you were there, they would never notice their surroundings, nor would they care:)
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Lin Lane
Date: 7/2/2017 6:53:00 PM
Thank you.
Date: 7/2/2017 8:54:00 AM
How beautifully you describe such a pretty place in all its exotic detail, Lin! Hope I can join you some day in your tour to Japan:) for now, I'm satisfied with your lovely poem:)
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Lin Lane
Date: 7/2/2017 11:04:00 AM
Pack a bag and come along, Jo. We're all going together. Thank you so very much for your great thoughts.
Date: 7/2/2017 4:14:00 AM
This is lovely, Lin! Best of luck to you
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Lin Lane
Date: 7/2/2017 11:03:00 AM
Your comments are always so welcome. Thank you.
Date: 7/2/2017 3:34:00 AM
Excellent. Well penned and great imagery write. Thanks for sharing it.
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Lin Lane
Date: 7/2/2017 11:02:00 AM
Thanks very much, Ravi.
Date: 7/1/2017 6:05:00 PM
I WANT TO GO. Who'll give me the traveler's checks? Several thou should do it.
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Lin Lane
Date: 7/1/2017 6:12:00 PM
It appears that we're starting a travel group. lol Group rates will be cheaper so let's make plans. Thanks for the mail, Dale.
Date: 7/1/2017 5:31:00 PM
WOW you took me to paradise with your incredible imagery Lin! I hope this does well for you in the contest!!!:-) hugs Jan xx
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Lin Lane
Date: 7/1/2017 6:11:00 PM
You're a most welcome travel companion, Jan. Let's go. Thank you.
Date: 7/1/2017 5:26:00 PM
She wanted exotic and you delivered big time Lin! I sense a winner here, hard to top this one!
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Lin Lane
Date: 7/1/2017 6:11:00 PM
Thank you, John. I've always wanted to spend time in Japan, so this was the first place I thought of as being exotic. Maybe in time indefinite I'll make it there.
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