When I Was A Lad

Taigu RyokanTaigu Ryokan

1 min read · 12.4K reads

When I was a lad,
I sauntered about town as a gay blade,
Sporting a cloak of the softest down,
And mounted on a splendid chestnut-coloured horse.
During the day, I galloped to the city;
At night, I got drunk on peach blossoms by the river.
I never cared about returning home,
Usually ending up, with a big smile on my face,
at a pleasure pavilion!
Taigu Ryokan
About the poet

Taigu Ryokan

1758-1831/JapaneseRyōkan was born in the village of Izumozaki in Echigo Province (now Niigata Prefecture) in Japan to the village headman. He renounced the world at an early age to train at nearby Sōtō Zen temple Kōshōji, refusing to meet with or accept chari…

View profile & all 45 Poems / Stories

More Poetry & Stories You May Like