Ryokan Taigu (1758-1831) was a monk of the Sôtô school of Zen. He smoked and drank alcohol, lived as a hermit for a long time, and subsisted on what nature and his begging rounds provided. He is known for his self-forgetful play with children, but especially for his calligraphy, which was influenced by the abstract cursive "grass style." Ryokan's life was marked by poverty. Although his verses are primarily dedicated to observations of nature and Buddhist metaphors, there are also love poems addressed to the nun Teishin and socially critical verses. Less well-known are lines in which the carefree Ryokan expressed self-doubt and acknowledged his fears. With this translation, we aim to focus on his Chinese poems, which read like atmospheric literary miniatures from his hermit life. Occasionally.