it floats you

 

The vast flood

Rolls onward

But yield yourself,

And it floats you upon it.

~ Ikkyu

from Zen and Zen Classics 

by R. H. Blyth

with thanks to Poetry-Chaikhana.com

today's stupidity

.

.

Natural, reckless, correct skill;

Yesterday's clarity is today's stupidity

The universe has dark and light, entrust oneself to change

One time, shade the eyes and gaze afar at the road of heaven.

~ Ikkyu

from Ikkyū and The Crazy Cloud Anthology : A Zen Poet of Medieval Japan 

by Sonja Arntzen

with thanks to crow with no mouth

any road

its logical; if you're not going anywhere

any road is the right one 

~ Ikkyu Sojun (1394 -1481)

.

he was known his teaching and for his erotic poems and revolutionary shakuhachi music. 

he founded what became known as the "Red Thread," or erotic school of Zen.

Love letters

.

.

Every day, priests minutely examine the Law

And endlessly chant complicated sutras.

Before doing that, though, they should learn

How to read the love letters sent by the wind

and rain, the snow and moon.

.

~ Ikkyu

(Ikkyu and the Crazy Cloud Anthology,

 trans. by Sonya Arutzen)

.