Though frosts come down

night after night,

what does it matter?

they melt in the morning sun.

Though the snow falls

each passing year,

what does it matter?

with spring days it thaws.

Yet once let them settle

on a man's head,

fall and pile up,

go on piling up—

then the new year

may come and go,

but never you'll see them fade away


- Ryokan

Photo of the Buddha's statue in Kamakura, illustration of Yuki Neko,
and composite image by DLO.

Last | Next
Home | List | Titles | Links

Copyright © 2001 - 2009 The Poets' Tree: A Celebration of Poetry. All rights reserved.

Spider Map Index