Triumph of the Sparrow: Zen Poems of Shinkichi Takahashi [Paperback]

Shinkichi Takahashi (Author), Takashi Ikemoto (Author), Lucien Stryk (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 30, 2000

Shinkichi Takahashi is one of the truly great figures in world poetry. In the classic Zen tradition of economy, disciplined attention, and subtlety, Takahashi lucidly captures that which is contemporary in its problems and experiences, yet classic in its quest for unity with the Absolute. Lucien Stryk, Takahashi's fellow poet and close friend, here presents Takahashi's complete body of Zen poems in an English translation that conveys the grace and power of Takahashi's superb art. "A first-rate poet . . . [Takahashi] springs out of some crack between ordinary worlds: that is, there is some genuine madness of the sort striven for in Zen." -- Robert Bly; "We visit places in Takahashi that we once may have visited in a dream, or in a moment too startling to record the perception. . . . You need know nothing of Zen to become immersed in his work. You will inevitably know something of Zen when you emerge." -- Jim Harrison, American Poetry Review

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Takahashi considers himself a Zennist first, a poet second: he claims his philosophy is more important to him than anything he writes. His poems are essentially the expression of his Zen, and many of them read like koans , full of seeming paradox (``I need nothing, not even life'') and may be difficult even for the reader versed in Zen. Yet, obscurity is more than compensated for by Takahashi's strong imagery (``Sunbeams, spokes of a stopped wheel,/ Blaze through the leaves of a branch''), and his ability to identify with nature and precisely render the experience of a particular bird, beast, or flower. The nature poems have a universal appeal, and Stryk's excellent introduction and interview with the poet make this a valuable addition to larger collections. David Sowd, Stark Cty. District Lib., Canton, Ohio
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Language Notes

Text: English, Japanese (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Grove Press (October 30, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802137369
• ISBN-13: 978-0802137364
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #612,388 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Japanese Dadaist and Zen monk is worth reading, June 28, 2001

By 

Algernon D'Ammassa (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Triumph of the Sparrow: Zen Poems of Shinkichi Takahashi (Paperback)

Shinkichi Takahashi's stormy life and spiritual journey are documented in his poetry without a single reference to "I." In early life, he was infected with the spirit of the european dada movement, and his poems reflect that wild spontaneity with surprising images and anti-linear leaps. Some poems also reflect a self-conscious Zen, trying to hit with a Rinzai Zen Master's directness but ringing almost a little preachy. Fascinating poetry thanks to Lucien Stryk, his first translator.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kapow!!!, January 26, 2005

By 

Hortensia Anderson "Hortensia Anderson" (nyc, ny, usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Triumph of the Sparrow: Zen Poems of Shinkichi Takahashi (Paperback)

In the interview between Takahashi and his translator, Lucien Stryk, Takahashi responds to Stryk's inquiry about kensho (satori) creating a "great shift" in his poetry with "As if I'd been shot to another planet - one I've lived on ever since." And of course, such an experience informs his poetry - not your ordinary poetry by any means!

The best poem is saved for last:

Absence

Just say, "He's out" --
back in
five billion years!

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this, die fulfilled., February 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: TRIUMPH OF SPARROW (Paperback)

This book has affected my life in the most profound yet subtle way-however cheesy that sounds, I don't care. Es muy verdad. Besides, what else do you have to do...play on the computer?