Mountain Tasting : Zen Haiku by Santoka Taneda

The poet Santoka (1882-1940) continued the tradition of the great Zen eccentrics into the twentieth century. He is admired in Japan for his free-style haiku and pursuit of a pure Zen life. His life parallels those of the earlier Zen poets, Ryokan and Ikkyu, a life of simplicity and honesty, free from material possessions, set concepts and social conventions. MOUNTAIN TASTING offers a representative collection of over 370 of Santoka's haiku to the Western reader for the first time. Santoka's unadorned style and profound Zen spirit shine directly through John Stevens's fresh, clear translations, accompanied by the romanized Japanese originals.