I have spent some time today looking at Japanese poetry. I had an email from a Japanese potter I know, who has the lovely trick of adding an image to his emails, and in this case a poem. which just sums up how I am in my yoga class.

Although I try
to hold the single thought
of Buddha’s teaching in my heart,
I cannot help but hear
the many crickets’ voices calling as well

(Izumi Shikibu, Mediaeval Japanese female poet, 978 - ?)

he has a beautiful web site http://anagama.co.uk/index.htm

and some beautiful pots; I like this one very much
funnily enough I think it is the only one of his not sold on the website.

here is a haiku I found.

Karite nemu
kakashi no sode ya
yowa no shimo

I would sleep,
borrowing the sleeve of the scarecrow.
Midnight frost.

o Basho
I’ll think of this next time I can’t sleep.