TOGETHER: Poem 10 of 70 from ANOTHER NEW BEGINNING

10
TOGETHER

LION DANCE IN WAIKIKI

 

If you’ve ever enjoyed a Chinese New Year’s lion dance, you will understand the necessity of working together to accomplish a difficult feat. The task of moving dragon-bodied lions along a parade route is difficult. As the animal’s head is raised and lowered in rapid succession, you wonder where the marcher gets the strength to remain in perpetual motion. After a period of time, the performers switch places. The energy expended is tremendous and such action cannot be safely sustained for long periods of time. 

Along with this coordination of efforts, each performer supporting the lion’s body works in sync with the others to produce an undulating motion. All this occurs while the pageant moves along its route, keeping the character dancing to elicit smiles. The red donation envelopes of good-luck help keep the energy level high. 

A writer’s goal is to offer readers this same level of entertainment. She develops characters that appeal to the reader’s senses and emotions, much like the colorful and expressive New Year’s lion. The writer works in solitude environment, venturing out only for hands-on research or a bit of fellow-human contact. She uses the muscles of her mind, exerting great energy to create setting and characters; tension and excitement; plot and climax. This collaborative effort is meant for the reader’s benefit.

 

Once the hard work leads to “society’s pleasure” the writer stands, mouth agape, waiting for the good-luck dollar!

 

Together

 

Writing is a solitary activity,

sitting alone for hours

at typewriter or computer

with a tablet or notepad.

Inside the author’s head

drumming up ideas

scenarios, settings

a plot slowly forms.

Characters dance and

story line develops.

Everything comes together

to build tension and

create meaning.

To tell an engaging tale

and elicit smiles, or tears.

 A solitary pursuit evolves

Becoming society’s pleasure.