BENNOSUKE

Events in the life of Miyamoto Musashi...an undefeated Samurai of legend...

Kensei,
battles yet to wield
to bring honor to the name,
and to death I do not yield
I am the enlightened one
blessed is the art of ceremonial teas
as I kneel before Lotus blossom fields
in it's splendor and zen like chi
I was born year of the monkey
to the feudal ways
I have been given many names
by Buddha's praise Niten Dōraku
in my birthplace of Banshu
Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke
sipping the teas to honor my father
and masters of my teachings
my blade drawing blood
while my enemy is reaching
in Buddhist incantations and tones
to moans of flesh and discarded bones,
thirteen to the year of my warriors trail
Dorin Temple would begin my tale
Arima, unrefined and frail
was destined to fail,
his body limp and pale
in his final exhale,
I was underestimated,
in strategy and my will to prevail
travels to Kyoto
one brother wounded but Two I disarmed,
escaping I create the dance of two arms
on northern sands, the first stance
with swords drawn in both hands
I have found my calling
I have done battle with
"The Demon Of The Western Provinces"
tutelage of the Nodachi consciousness
as of yesterday the Demon is no more
defeated by a Bokken carved out of a wooden oar
 
 

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you for the amazing story. Now I must do some research thank to reading Kailer's comment. I like history. If we read to learn. Can fix the problems of today. Thank you for the outstanding poem.
Coyote

[Kaylor Mason]

This is AWESOME--especially so because I know of every single specific event you've described here in this poem (I researched Musashi's life as a passionate hobby when I was younger). You got it dead-on here. The Demon of the Western Provinces--Sasaki Kojiro. I always wondered--after he lost that duel and lost his life, whatever became of his famous sword? Historians always seem to feel the sword was defeated and forgotten along with the man, but I can't imagine such a valuable weapon being thrown away. I always thought Musashi took it as a trophy of his kill. Who knows . . .

[Larry Dyson]

tells a great story and is very cool.

[November Gold]

OUTSTANDING WORK!!!

[Thomas Fitzgerald]

Well now, this blows me away, I find myself questioning my own affairs of the mind, well done, a thought provoking piece, well done, great read.

[DONALD EISSLER]

WOW !! I HAVE SPEND TWO YEARS IN JAPAN A LONG TIME AGO .. TO BAD I WAS TO YOUNG TO EXPLORE THE MYSTERIES OF THE EAST BUT YOU HAVE BROUGHT FORTH THE WANT TO EXPLORE EVEN MORE THOUGHS MYSTERIES THANKS FOR SUCH GOOD MIND OPENING WORDS
T.K.

[Aidz]

Rene your writes are trully astounding, spun as tales of wonderment that do keep me enthralled throughout... it seems wrong to just write brilliant write, but it is...

[Elijah Gleaves]

Now I want to watch Samurai Champloo lol. The poem was great and captures the honor and dedication of ancient warriors

[ivizarx]

ABSOLUTELY LOVE this poem. always been big into eastern cultures, and you go through the meaning of honor very well. You also greatly tribute the samurai who inspired you to write this well-structured poem.
only constructive criticism I could probably add is that samurai were known to lean in passion more towards the plum, pine, bonsai, and sakura (cherry-blossom), and martial artists and monks were more lenient towards the Lotus flower, least that's always what I thought, more indepth research could prove me wrong. also "zen" in line 8 kinda confuses me with its use in describing chi. Zen is the practice of developing your chi I thought, it's also a common modern term for the practice of minimalistic structure. Again, I not googling at the moment so can be proven wrong. also, more indepth descriptive imagery could be used in future poems, though this poem is perfect as is, no need for edits.
great work from great talent. thnx for sharing bro.

[Maya Storm]

I was not familiar with the word 'Kensei' so I looked it up on wiki "an honorary title given to a warrior of legendary skill in swordsmanship."

This poem was more of a lesson in honour and showed me a different side of you the writer. Rene this piece was very unexpected. Thanks for sharing and thanks for the lesson.