Thursday, December 3, 2009

Death Poem of Kozan Ichikyo


Empty-handed I entered the world

Barefoot I leave it.

My coming, my going --

Two simple happenings

That got entangled.



I have always liked this death poem of Kozan Ichikyo. He died Feb 12, 1360. He was 77.


Hands palm to palm.




poem found at salon.com


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4 comments:

  1. Ta-WanDecember 4, 2009 at 1:02 AM

    Certain poems like that have this quality where it is not just reading them, but the moment just after.

    I can't explain it but perhaps you recognised it too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. David "Shinzen" NelsonDecember 4, 2009 at 7:03 AM

    Yes...I agree. It is the moment just after reading it. Wonderful observation.
    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  3. ZenHGDecember 5, 2009 at 12:40 AM

    No words.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The trials and tribulations of QPRDecember 6, 2009 at 7:13 AM

    Simply the truth :)

    ReplyDelete

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