The Strength of the Lonely

Category: Poetry
(What the Mendicant Said)


The moon's a monk, unmated,
Who walks his cell, the sky.
His strength is that of heaven-vowed men
Who all life's flames defy.

They turn to stars or shadows,
They go like snow or dew -
Leaving behind no sorrow -
Only the arching blue.

Available translations:

English (Original)