The Rabbit in the Moon

I came across this poem during a Buddhism class in college…just came across it now in an old sketchbook having meant to do an illustration for it. Maybe I’ll get around to that someday!

by Ryokan, Zen Monk-Poet of Japan

It took place in a world long long ago they say:
a monkey, a rabbit, and a fox struck up a friendship,
morning frolicking field and hill,
evenings coming home to the forest,
living thus while the years went by,
when Indra, sovereign of the skies,
hearing of this,
curious to know if it was true,
turned himself into an old man,
tottering along,
made his way to where they were.