Saturday 2 June 2012

Zagori Village, Zen Scenes, This Evening



"With monstrous head and sickening cry 
And ears like errant wings, 
The devil's walking parody 
On all four-footed things. 

The tattered outlaw of the earth, 
Of ancient crooked will; 
Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb, 
I keep my secret still. 

Fools! For I also had my hour; 
One far fierce hour and sweet: 
There was a shout about my ears, 
And palms before my feet." 

From “The Donkey”, G. K. Chesterton



"Butterflies flit
In a field of sunlight
That is all"

Basho

"The butterfly,
Even when pursued,
Never appears in a hurry"

Garaku, tr. R.H. Blyth



"Agitatedly
The swallow flies out
Of the golden chamber".

Buson, tr. R.H.Blyth

"The swallow
Turns a somersault;
What has it forgotten?"

Otsuyo, tr. R.H.Blyth


"The frog rises to the surface
By the strength 
Of its non-attachment"

Issa, tr. R.H.Blyth

"When it swims
The frog seems
Helpless"

Joso, tr. R.H. Blyth

"The old pond:
A frog jumps in-
The sound of  water".

Basho, tr. R.H.Blyth

Furu ike ya 
kawazu tobikomu 
mizu no oto

Matsuo Basho, Frog Haiku

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