Roberta Writes – d’Verse: Poetics and Thursday Doors #poetry #photography #Japan

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Merril’s challenge for d’Verse: Poetics is as follows: So, today’s prompt is to write about that thin line between triumph and defeat, or if you’d like, you may focus on one or the other. You may respond to the poetic examples or the painting, as well.

You can other contributions here: https://dversepoets.com/2025/06/17/poetics-triumph-and-defeat/

Because I’m late posting this poem, I’m including it for open link night here: https://dversepoets.com/2025/06/19/greetings-from-boston-and-an-invitation-to-join-us-live/

I have written a double haiku for this challenge.

Undefeated

mirage of defeat

merely easy illusion

excuse to give up

***

opportunities

manifest from painful learnings

hardship a teacher

Thursday Doors

You can join in Thursday Doors here: https://nofacilities.com/2025/06/19/doors-for-sale/

Today, I am sharing a few pictures from our visit to Kaminarimon Gate (Thunder Gate) in Tokyo. Kaminarimon Gate, which stands at the entrance to the processional road leading to Senso-ji, is Asakusa’s most famous landmark. Inside the gate, standing on either side are enormous wooden statues of the protective Buddhist deities Fujin (wind god) and Raijin (thunder god) after which the gate is named.

Picture caption: Thunder Gate
Picture caption: Dragon image underneath the large lantern beneath the gate
Picture caption: Side view of Thunder Gate
Picture caption: Thunder god
Picture caption: Wind god
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Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

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95 thoughts on “Roberta Writes – d’Verse: Poetics and Thursday Doors #poetry #photography #Japan”

        1. I’ve been mulling over it for awhile! We use similar mesh here for the birds, but if there is any gap then they’ll wriggle in a build a nest… so three sides would be no good… hmmm… stray fingers are probably the real reason as you suggest. curious! xx

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      2. I actually think relying on a God and his rules (of any religion) to tell you what to do rather than thinking for yourself is the lazy way out. I hate it when people say “It’s God’s will” like that explains everything.

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  19. Yes, when things go wrong and you feel defeated, it is very difficult to view it as anything but a defeat. However, like your poems says it could be painful learnings. Wise words in your poem! The photos from Japan are amazing.

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    1. Thank you, Thomas. I don’t believe I have ever felt defeated in my life and it certainly hasn’t been a bowl of cherries. I have always found a way to carry on and make the best of things. I think it’s an attitude and mindset. Perhaps expectations have a lot to do with it too.

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  23. Robbie, the two haiku are totally complimentary: two choices we have. Love that last one most especially. It is a statement of affirmation. And yes….that old saying, we learn from our mistakes. Hope to see you in a while at dVerse LIVE!

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  24. Thanks a lot for your pictures of the Thunder Gate.
    That hardship is a teacher is a concept of Romanticism, we don’t believe. It seems to us that hardship quite often has a negative effect.
    You are highly knowledgable about dystopic literature. Do people learn from the decline?
    We wish you a wonderful weekend
    The Fab Four of Cley
    🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

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      1. Dear Roberta

        I wrote my thesis about interpretation of poetry (Brechts political poetry). I don’t think that poetry is that open to interpretation. You can read poetry with linguistic text analysis like a mathematical equation. Prose is much more open to interpretation.

        Oh dear, today we disagree in everything. Nevertheless, I was impressed about what you wrote not only about dystopic literature but also about your political attitude. So we don’t disagree in what matters.

        Klausbernd 🙂

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  28. I love those images of Thunder Gate, so detailed and full of their beliefs. Giving up is easy, learning from situations and moving on is harder but gives such better results. Nice post, Robbie.

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