Today I would like to share three of my favorite poems by the legendary Japanese poet Saigyō. Though usually portrayed in a romantic way, Saigyō's life was far from peaceful and carefree. He lived in the 12th century Japan - a turbulent period of time in which numerous civil wars were fought for dominance of the country. Saigyō was born into a warrior clan and spent much of his early life training in martial arts and combat. He was employed as a warrior in the service of the emperor, and was responsible for many civil and political duties. Despite this, in his early 20's, Saigyō made the choice to leave the civilized world and become a reclusive monk. During this period of time he made frequent journeys throughout the country and lived for long periods of times isolated in the mountains and forests. Saigyō saw the transient nature of life and captured this mindset in his poetry. His love of nature and Buddhism made his poems eternal, and he was the inspiration for many of Japan's most famous poets.
Saigyō's poems are mainly written in the Tanka ("short poem") style of the more general Waka form. This style consists of 5-line poems with a syllable count of 5-7-5-7-7. These short poems, in their simplicity and power, were thought to best capture the essence of the Zen mindset.
...
Since the "real world" seems
 |
| My cherry tree in bloom |
why need I suppose
the world of dreams is nothing
other than a world of dreams?
...
An ancient field
and in the sole tree starkly
rising to its side
sits a dove, calling to its mate:
the awesome nightfall.
...
When stung by the world,
man's tears spill drop by drop
like the cherry tree
whose petals scatter down when
whipped by cold winds.
Saigyō
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