Seamus Heaney on hermit poets

A little essay by Seamus Heaney in the Guardian on poetry. Entitled “The Pathos of Things” the essay alludes to the hermit poets of Japan such as Basho and to Old Irish hermit poets and describes the attempt of poets ancient and modern to refine a relationship to nature and reality with short verse, whether haiku or Imagism. Originally delivered as the 2000 Lafcadio Hearn lecture.
URL: http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2216007,00.html

103-year old Chinese hermit

Since little news stories like this one tend to disappear from the web soon after appearing, here is the item in full. The article is presented under the as “Odd News” category in the original.

Simple life suits 103-year-old hermit
2007-11-01 10:15:50.0 (China Daily)

A 103-year-old man has been living as a hermit for the past 27 years deep in the mountains of Heyuan, Guangdong Province.

Zhang moved to his solitary home when his previous house was destroyed by wild boars in 1980.

Preferring to lead a simple life, Zhang has turned down the offers of villagers in Dongyuan County who wanted to provide free electricity and a water supply.

Zhang, who is healthy and active, picks up waste materials to raise extra cash and supplement his pension of 100 yuan ($13) a month.

(Guangzhou Daily)

URL: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-11/01/content_6222439.htm