culture, community Tomosumi culture, community Tomosumi

from us to you

What’s the most important thing you need to do today?

dirt field

elementary kids play

soccer at recess

after the morning dew

is giving the gift

of our attention and time

for the benefit

of others waiting in line

who seek our replies

before the sunsets

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culture, community Tomosumi culture, community Tomosumi

petal placement

What cultural practices do you partake in?

the yellow bride

ma’o hau hele

ma’o hau hele

in hawaiian culture

wearing flowers

behind our right ear

signals to others

we our single

but when worn on our left ear

it means we’re taken

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community, creativity, culture Tomosumi community, creativity, culture Tomosumi

someone

Who believes in you?

toasted bagel

no crumbs left

on the napkin

we don’t need

to attract everyone

all we need

is to find someone

who believes in

our passion, ideas

and what we do

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culture, community Tomosumi culture, community Tomosumi

stumps

What are you leaving behind?

the maple tree

scatters the trail with

branches and leaves

we may not like it

but if we leave

our tree stumps

in the ground

they could be prone

to attracting pests

fungi and diseases

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culture, creativity, community Tomosumi culture, creativity, community Tomosumi

original

How does your environment influence you?

japanese maple

the bakery sells

momiji manju

we can claim

our work is one-of-a-kind

to the masses

but we all know

our creations

are the product

of our environments

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culture, community Tomosumi culture, community Tomosumi

411

When do you stop searching for answers?

google search bar

the cursor awaits

our actions

having more holes

in our knowledge

than swiss cheese

doesn’t mean

we should scour

for more information

to find all of the answers

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culture, community Tomosumi culture, community Tomosumi

tourist

How do you plan trips?

ferry terminal

the waves embrace

sunglasses and shorts

perhaps as short-term visitors

we should consider

meeting and seeing

people and places

that truly spark our curiosity

instead of just visiting

the best attractions

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culture, community, creativity Tomosumi culture, community, creativity Tomosumi

break time

Do you take time for your hobbies?

boot footprints

rest at the shores

of lake valhalla

our schedules

of ongoing activities

and to-do lists

must make room

for us to sit back

relax and enjoy

our hobbies and interests

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culture, community Tomosumi culture, community Tomosumi

alert

How does filtering impact you?

water pitcher

filtering light

filtering sand

we see it again

the blinking light

to take out and replace

old filtration systems

before bacteria

infiltrates areas where

we consume content

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culture, community Tomosumi culture, community Tomosumi

cat and mouse

What are you really chasing?

under the couch

wrestling paws attempt

to catch the moose

we spend so much

of our focus and energy

towards acquiring

a skill, art, or craft

to only realize our endeavors

have led us down

the never-ending path to perfection

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culture, community Tomosumi culture, community Tomosumi

no ifs ands or buts

What will you do today?

rubber plants

bending toward

the sunlight

that the sun rises

every morning

and sets in the evening

but what we choose

to do during that time

is almost entirely

up to us

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culture, community, creativity Tomosumi culture, community, creativity Tomosumi

tag

What does your style say about you?

white t-shirt

hemmed on the sleeve

long pine needles

applying our brand

to a piece of fabric

does more than

make a statement

it galvanizes others

to find out more

about who we are

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culture, community, creativity Tomosumi culture, community, creativity Tomosumi

the end

Do you read the last page of a book first?

tea ceremony

specs of green

on tatami mats

of a book

should conclude

most of the events

that took place

and also leave space

for us to wonder

what comes next

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culture, community Tomosumi culture, community Tomosumi

scars

What do they say about you?

mulberry line

running down the side

of my ankle

form as a reminder

that time will continue

to move along

but our memories

of yesterday’s events

will forever be engrained

on ourselves

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culture, community, creativity Tomosumi culture, community, creativity Tomosumi

champagne

What traditions do you value?

hot air balloon

toasting champagne

by the mountain

has a long-standing

tradition and

sublime reputation for

always finding itself

at the center

for celebrations

and special occasions

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culture, community Tomosumi culture, community Tomosumi

reply all

How can you communicate with others better?

flock of pigeons

gathering around

bread crumbs

notifying a group

via text message

may spread information

to our recipients

in real-time

but might not convey

our true feelings

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culture, community Tomosumi culture, community Tomosumi

manners

What did your parents and grandparents teach you?

on the playground

little fingers reach

for the balloon

when it’s time

to teach our children

valuable life lessons

our behavior stems

from our parents

whose etiquette was taught

by our grandparents

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culture, community Tomosumi culture, community Tomosumi

durian

How do you know your likes and dislikes?

the fruit stand

thorn-covered rinds

on display

some may love it

some may hate it

but we can’t deny

the fact that

the “king of fruits”

is indescribably

one of a kind

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culture, community, creativity Tomosumi culture, community, creativity Tomosumi

line in the sand

Are there limits to your imagination?

the guitar stand

collecting dust

in the studio

when we approach

the limits of our realities

it doesn’t mean

we should give up

and stop trying

but explore new angles

of our imaginations

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culture, community Tomosumi culture, community Tomosumi

walking through

What do you think of maps?

wisteria bloom

under the bridge

a deer walks on

the garden

with a map

may get us

to places faster

but we should value

the surprises and joys

along the way

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