When all thoughts
Are exhausted
I slip into the woods
And gather a pile of
Shepherd’s purse.
Like the little stream
Making its way
Through mossy crevices
I, too, quietly
Turn clear and transparent.

Ryōkan Taigu (1758 CE-1831 CE), Ryōkan Taigu (良寛大愚) was a quiet and unconventional Sōtō Zen Buddhist monk who lived much of his life as a hermit. Ryōkan is remembered for his poetry and calligraphy, which present the essence of Zen life.