Basho, Robert Aitken and Haiku 6

Continuing with my personal reflections on the book I am referring to in this series (see post 1),

I find Robert Aitken dealing (implicitly) with the question what is a pilgrimage outside of that version of Catholicism that creates holy places for this, that and another reason. Elsewhere I remember Aitken saying life is too short for metaphysics and not being all that patient with so-called poems that chase characteristics of satori and such like.

And he has a dialogue between two ancient Chinese masters answer the question what is a pilgrimage: Where did you go? First I followed the blossoms, then I returned following the falling blossoms.

Going and coming, never astray.

That is Basho’s way of pilgrimage.

Let my name be traveler – first rains.

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~ by Barbara S on May 2, 2022.