Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

AFTER IKKYU: 18 by JAMES HARRISON

Poet Analysis

First Line: MY ZABUTON DOUBLES AS A DOG BED. ROSE SLEEP
Last Line: OF MY OWN WARM WATER DANCE, MY SITTING TOO LONG AT THE FIRE.
Subject(s): ZEN BUDDHISM;
My @3zabuton@1 doubles as a dog bed. Rose sleeps
there, full to the fur with @3mu.@1 Glanced in
on a moonlit night; her slight white figure coiled
on the green cushion, shaking with quail dreams.
Sensing me, an eye opens, single tail-wag. Back to sleep.
When she's awake, she's so awake I'm ashamed
of my own warm water dance, my sitting too long at the fire.



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