In this concise collection of essays, Shodo Harada Roshi brings zen to life. Reflecting on current events and the state of society, he applies zen's direct and simple teachings to the benefit of the reader.

Dew is a Drop of Rain. He enjoys being Rain. Until he meets him. HIM...a different Drop from all the rest. He claims he can fly, and worse, claims Dew can as well. So begins the adventure of Dew and the mysterious colorful Drop named Bowe. The pair forge a new path in our hearts and minds, whereby they show that a life of success, riches and fame, is not a life well lived without Significance. Damon White is a Fortune Teller. Instead of reading your future by examining the creases and callouses of your palms, interpreting images and numbers on Tarot Cards, or gazing deeply into the starry murk of a crystal ball, he tells a story which finds a certain fortune within you. Dew Drop's fortune is Significance.

The Japanese poet-recluse Ryokan (1758–1831) is one of the most beloved figures of Asian literature, renowned for his beautiful verse, exquisite calligraphy, and eccentric character. Deceptively simple, Ryokan's poems transcend artifice, presenting spontaneous expressions of pure Zen spirit. Like his contemporary Thoreau, Ryokan celebrates nature and the natural life, but his poems touch the whole range of human experience: joy and sadness, pleasure and pain, enlightenment and illusion, love and loneliness. This collection of translations reflects the full spectrum of Ryokan's spiritual and poetic vision, including Japanese haiku, longer folk songs, and Chinese-style verse. Fifteen ink paintings by Koshi no Sengai (1895–1958) complement these translations and beautifully depict the spirit of this famous poet.