11/12/2010

Fallen leaves under the water


Mizu soko no
Iwa ni ochitsuku
Kono ha kana.
Under the water,
On the rock resting,
The fallen leaves.

This is by Joso (1661 - 1704), one of the chief disciples of Basho. Superficially and ordinarily, most of us are liable to think nothing of the fallen leaves of autumn finding their final resting place on the rocks in the stream.  The poet does not venture to think of anything beyond. He just sees them there and gives no intimation as to what he has in his mind. It is this very silence of the poet that makes the verse all the more eloquent.  ~from Zen and Japanese Culture by D.T. Suzuki

8 comments:

Magpie said...

The haiku is beautiful and the picture fits it perfectly. I have loved haiku since my fifth grade teacher introduced it to me eons ago.

tom sullivan said...

I echo what Magpie said, except that my 5th grade teacher called us 'despicable' and 'atrocious' - so I learned a couple of big words.

Diane AZ said...

I don't remember my fifth grade teacher too well, but I'm pretty sure I learned the word "despicable" from Daffy Duck.

EG CameraGirl said...

I love it that so much can be said in so few words.

Cherry said...

refreshing!

betchai said...

oh wow, the picture is so beautiful, and the poem is just as inspiring.

Unknown said...

pretty

DIGITAL WORLD PAGES ARCHIVE said...

Beautiful post...