This sublime poem by Ryōkan, written toward the end of his life, sees all of life in the falling maple leaf. Just like the leaf shows both front and back, life is filled with good times and challenging times, moments of happiness and unhappiness, ups and downs. We can learn from Ryōkan who simply observes the naturalness of what’s happening, without adding “it’s sad the leaf is dying. It’s sad it is falling down.”  The existence of the leaf is a series of transformations and it will turn into soil, to support new life.

Showing its front

Showing its back

The maple leaf falls

Ryōkan, 1758 – 1831, Buddhist monk and hermit