Zen and Poetry

When a Western student first went to Japan to study Zen, he asked his Teacher whether it was all right if he wrote poetry.

The Teacher laughed and answered, "It's alright as long as it genuinely comes out of your true self."

Nevertheless, feeling he needed to be completely serious in his practice of Zen, and uncertain whether poetry was serious enough, the student quit writing almost completely for a number of years.

Just before the Teacher died, the student went to visit him in the hospital.

"So, Teacher," the student asked, still seeking understanding, "Zen is serious and poetry is not serious."

"No," corrected the Teacher. "Poetry is serious. Zen is not serious."

"I've had it all wrong," replied the student.