I stayed for a number of days with the master, and composed one 2-person linked verse sequence.
Sankyô wrote: "In Chôfu there is an exceptional haikai poet whose pen name is said to be Kikusha. In the autumn last year I think, she 'took the moon for a travel hat,' and made compassion her walking staff, and thought to make a brief journey, she said, and in total visited 24 places related to the Founder (Shinran), and also asked to learn the Orthodox Style from me, and achieve the wish of many years. Thus, she came here by means of a message appended to a letter from Takeoku of Hagi. Because of the Founder's teaching of reliance on Amida's vow to save all beings out of compassion, and (Bashô's) teaching to trust to the natural state of things, we know that compassion in both teachings are the same, and there are not two grounds of discipline."
continue on
quiet and gentle --
the misty moon
-- Sankyô
和らかに見られてすすめ朧月
傘狂
it is with humility
that I accept your vernal teachings
-- Kikusha
教への春を笠にいただく
you receive
a year's worth
of his customary kindness
- Bunsui
お馴染の義理に一季を貰れて
文水
in love, more than anything
a non-threatening appearance
-- Taigo
恋にあぶなげなしなにより
大悟
is the place
darkened by a frightening shadow
the holy cleansing font?
-- Banri
おそろしい影を移したみたらしか
万裏
chanting "gate, gate"
I think I'll put away the rosary
-- Tojû
ぎゃていぎゃていと念珠おしもむ
兎従
I'll also offer gruel for a feast
if it's a snowy morning
-- Soyô
白粥の馳走も雪の朝なれば
曽葉
mountain flowers set out
for the tea ceremony
that a bird glimpses through a window
-- Tosei
窓から鳥の覗く山茶花
杜静
The eight verses on the right-hand side of the front sheet.
