Issa - This dewdrop world, is a dewdrop world, and yet in Japanese Calligraphy

露の世は露の世ながらさりながら (tsuyu no yo wa tsuyu no yo nagara sari nagara)

This dewdrop world, is a dewdrop world, and yet	tsuyu no yo wa tsuyu no yo nagara sari nagara	露の世は露の世ながらさりながら
Issa	issa	一茶

This is one of Kobayashi Issa's most well known poems. Written upon the death of his young daughter this poem speaks to the Buddhist teachings that one must not cling to this dewdrop (fleeting) world. And yet Issa does with his feelings of pain and loss.

David G. Lanoue, author of Laughing Buddha has a website Kobayashi Issa Archive with some 9000 Issa poems including many insightful commentaries and is one of the most complete and informative on the Internet. He offers the translation " this world, is a dewdrop world yes .. but ...". He comments, "According to Buddhist teaching, life is as fleeting as a dewdrop and so one should not grow attached to the things of this world. However, in both poems Issa adds the phrase, 'and yet...' His human heart clings to his lost children."

Issa - This dewdrop world, is a dewdrop world, and yet (露の世は露の世ながらさりながら) in Block style Japanese calligraphy by Eri Takase

Issa - This dewdrop world, is a dewdrop world, and yet 露の世は露の世ながらさりながら tsuyu no yo wa tsuyu no yo nagara sari nagara Block Vertical VB5C

Issa - This dewdrop world, is a dewdrop world, and yet (露の世は露の世ながらさりながら) in Cursive style Japanese calligraphy by Eri Takase

Issa - This dewdrop world, is a dewdrop world, and yet 露の世は露の世ながらさりながら tsuyu no yo wa tsuyu no yo nagara sari nagara Cursive Vertical VC6B

Issa - This dewdrop world, is a dewdrop world, and yet (露の世は露の世ながらさりながら) in Design style Japanese calligraphy by Eri Takase

Issa - This dewdrop world, is a dewdrop world, and yet 露の世は露の世ながらさりながら tsuyu no yo wa tsuyu no yo nagara sari nagara Design Vertical VD3B

Issa - This dewdrop world, is a dewdrop world, and yet 露の世は露の世ながらさりながら tsuyu no yo wa tsuyu no yo nagara sari nagara Design Vertical VD6B

Issa - This dewdrop world, is a dewdrop world, and yet 露の世は露の世ながらさりながら tsuyu no yo wa tsuyu no yo nagara sari nagara Design Vertical VD6C

Issa - This dewdrop world, is a dewdrop world, and yet (露の世は露の世ながらさりながら) in Semi-Cursive style Japanese calligraphy by Eri Takase

Issa - This dewdrop world, is a dewdrop world, and yet 露の世は露の世ながらさりながら tsuyu no yo wa tsuyu no yo nagara sari nagara Semi-Cursive Vertical VS5C

Issa - This dewdrop world, is a dewdrop world, and yet

露の世は露の世ながらさりながら (tsuyu no yo wa tsuyu no yo nagara sari nagara)

Also available as a hand-brushed Japanese scroll