Sennin Poem by Kakuhaku
Sennin Poem by Kakuhaku - meaning Summary
Nature, Transcendence, Isolation
This poem sketches a lush, uncanny landscape where vivid bird and plant imagery surrounds a solitary figure who sings, plays, and seeks union with immortal figures (sennin). His ecstatic gestures—sending his heart skyward and drawing a fountain—suggest spiritual striving or poetic creation. The closing address to a "dam'd crowd of gnats" undercuts transcendence with scorn for petty onlookers, contrasting sublime aspiration with small-mindedness.
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