Triumph of the Sparrow

“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 ).   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