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The Deep Number Issue
by Michael Sloan '02
The great Zen poets of Japan and China learned to live in complete harmony with all life, but not before bullying their way through adolescence. These early writings arouse admiration for the young poets’ skill, as well as profound pity for their classmates.
The bell of transience rings
and Jing’s lunch money
is mine
- Basho, age 13
One berry must be the last
picked from its vine;
I chose Shen-Fu last
for dodgeball
- Hakuin, age 9
New boy from Kyoto
knows no one here,
will soon fear me
- Shiki, age 10
I copied Wang’s
homework and got an A,
wonder how he did
-Issa, age 12
Math nerds:
rarely seen,
shamed twice today
-Sodo, age 12
The great void
in Li-Jeng’s life:
now filled
with a superwedgie
- Shirao, age 13
Flapping in the storm winds of autumn:
Wen-Ho’s underpants,
a flag of humility
- Tendo-Nyojo, age 10
A sign taped to
Fang’s soul:
"Kick me forever"
- Lady Chigetsu, age 15
Wu is at summer camp
in the western mountains:
I can torment only myself
- Kishu, 12
© 2007 by the Yale Record. All rights reserved.
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