point / counterpoint / lagniappe

[bronze_ribbons]

Ryokan (translated by Nobuyuki Yuasa):

My house is buried in the deepest recesses of the forest.
Each year, ivy vines grow longer than the year before.
Undisturbed by the affairs of the world I live at ease,
Woodsmen's singing rarely reaching me through the trees.
While the sun stays in the sky, I mend my torn clothes
And facing the moon, I read holy texts to myself.
Let me drop a word of advice for believers of my faith.
To enjoy life's immensity, you do not need many things.

Su Dongpo (translated by Beata Grant):

As long as one dwells beneath this heavenly roof,
No matter where one goes there will be dues to pay.
Even if one lives peacefully with no business affairs,
How can one pass one's life without trouble of some kind!
In mountain groves too there is worry and pain --
Even official robes and carriages are part of the play. . .

Nisi Shawl: "I like the idea of listening to the divine rather than constantly jabbering away to get its attention."

Comments

[qe2.livejournal.com]

Good heavens, Nisi. I haven't thought about her in aeons.