A Poem AnthologyWhere There Is a Will, There Is a Way

Often hailed as “the people’s poet,” Shinmin Sakamura’s simply written poems are deep with emotion and unlimited passion, have touched the hearts of so many, and are highly praised not only in Japan but also internationally.

The fact that his poems including “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way” are carved on over 737 stone monuments located throughout Japan and across every continent except Antarctica can surely be considered a modern miracle and phenomenon.
This anthology spans 50 years of Shinmin Sakamura’s career, with masterpieces carefully selected from over 10,000 poems including “Where There’s a Will,” “There’s a Way,” “Since We Do Not Live Twice,” and “Birds Must Fly,” making this a highly anticipated, definitive work of 128 poems.

From the table of contents

Dandelion Spirit
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way
Since We Do Not Live Twice
Seriousness
Wish
The Soles of Your Feet Are Blessed
From Here
Enlightenment
To Troubled “Ms. S”
Let’s Do Something

From the editor

It has already been close to 20 years since I first met Mr. Sakamura.
Completely touched and captivated by the world of his poetry, I sent him a letter saying, “Please allow us to publish an anthology of your poetry.”
I paid Mr. Sakamura a visit and spoke with him at his home in Ehime Prefecture, but he declined my offer to publish the book.
However, seemingly due to our persistence he gradually opened up to the idea, and we received a long scroll of Japanese-style paper on which was written, “There has not yet been a compilation of my works published bearing the title of my famous work, ‘Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way.’ I would like you to release it.”
Overwhelmed with joy, when I went back to Mr. Sakamura’s place, tenderstem broccoli was in full bloom on the banks of the nearby Shigenobu River.
Nothing would make me happier than if this book could give even a small amount of courage and strength to people who are struggling and in need of being uplifted.
I would like many people to read this anthology.

Shinmin Sakamura

Shinmin Sakamura was born in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture in 1909.
Being the oldest of 5 siblings, at the age of 8 he starting helping to support his mother after the sudden death of his father.
He graduated from Jingu-Kogakkan (currently Kogakkan University) in 1931.
At the age of 25, Mr. Sakamura crossed over to South Korea and began working as a professor. He moved to Shikoku after the war, worked as a senior high school teacher in Ehime Prefecture from 1946, and eventually retired at age 65. After that, he devoted himself to composing poetry.
Concentrating on Tanka poems since the age of 20, he shifted his focus to long poetry at age 46 and started his own poetry journal, Shi-koku.
In 2004, he reached his long-term goal of releasing 500 issues of Shi-koku, and continued publishing, issuing another journal called Kyu-jyu.
Shinmin Sakamura passed away in 2006.
He has been honored three times, receiving the Bukkyo Dendo Bunka Award in 1991, the Ehime Prefecture Services Award in 1999, and the Kumamoto Prefecture Modern Day Cultural Contributors Award in 2003.
His main works include, Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way— A Poem Anthology, Since We Do Not Live Twice — A Poem Anthology, The Gaze of the Universe — A Poem Anthology, Where There Is a Will, There Is a Way — A Collection of Writings, The Wonder of a Chance Meeting — A Collection of Writings, A Guide To Love — A Collection of Writings (All published by Sunmark), The Complete Poem Anthology of Shinmin Sakamura, and The Poetry of Shinmin Sakamura — Author’s Selection (a Daito Publishing Co., Inc. collaboration).
Shinmin Sakamura, who woke up at midnight and prayed to the earth at the crack of dawn, wrote poetry that was deeply Buddhist in nature and has fans of all ages, male and female.
The title of the masterpiece, “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way,” has also become the favorite quotation and motto of many people.
There are even stone monuments with these famous words carved on them, erected in some 737 sites on all continents of the world except Antarctica.

A Poem AnthologyWhere There Is a Will, There Is a Way

Description

From the table of contents

From the editor

Author

Shinmin Sakamura

Author's Link: