Zen Poems of Ryokan

Sometimes I sit quietly,
Listening to the sound of falling leaves.
Peaceful indeed is the life of a monk,
Cut off from all worldy matters.
Then why do I shed these tears?

I am so aware
That it's all unreal:
One by one, the things
Of this world pass on.
But why do I still grieve?

(trans. John Stevens , Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf,
Shambala, 2004)