And yet, and yet

 The haiku poet Issa represents this beautifully in one of his most famous poems:

The world of dew

Is the world of dew.

And yet, and yet …

He wrote this poem after the funeral of his baby daughter. All three of his children died before they reached their first birthday. What great sadness he had to carry in his heart. He understands that this world is impermanent. The “world of dew” is a world of birth and death. The morning dew is here in the morning and gone once it meets the rays of the sun. All things are subject to change. So Issa’s recognition of “the world of dew” is a statement of his own realization. He understands the way the world is. 

But “and yet, and yet” is a statement of his pain. It is the cry of a human being. It reflects his own humanity as a father. In this very short poem, he expresses both his sadness and his wisdom. In this moment he appears to hold both his pain and the Great Eastern Sun in his tender heart.