Tag Archives: samurai

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Musashi Maxim #1: Accept

“1. Accept everything just the way it is.” ~Miyamoto Musashi, Samurai

Musashi Maxim #1: Accept

Even if you think things shouldn’t be the way things are
Even if you think someone’s behavior’s too bizarre
Even if you think someone else could trying more
Even if you’re sick and tired of being so sore

Even if you miss them so much that it causes pain
Even if some selfish person’s driving you insane
Even if you want just one thing but just cannot reach
Even if you’re lead by those who don’t do what they preach

Accept it just the way it is instead of how it should
Be and for your own code be certain that ground is stood
Accept that others won’t expect as much from their own selves
As someone like a warrior who ponders and who delves

Who thinks deeper and tries harder and knows that “good enough”
Is consolation for all those who aren’t quite as tough
As Warriors who save their strength to fight the battles in
Themselves and just accept others battles they cannot win

                                                         ~Miro

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21 Maxims of a Wandering Samurai

1. Accept everything just the way it is.
2. Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.
3. Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling.
4. Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.
5. Be detached from desire your whole life long.
6. Do not regret what you have done.
7. Never be jealous.
8. Never let yourself be saddened by a separation.
9. Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself nor others.
10. Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love.
11. In all things have no preferences.
12. Be indifferent to where you live.
13. Do not pursue the taste of good food.
14. Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.
15. Do not act following customary beliefs.
16. Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful.
17. Do not fear death.
18. Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age.
19. Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help.
20. You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honour.
21. Never stray from the Way.

~Miyamoto Musashi, Samurai

21 Maxims of a Wandering Samurai

In fifteen-hundred eighty-four a Samurai was born
Who would become a Ronin and thereby received much scorn
A Ronin is a Samurai who’s masterless, you see
It was quite frowned upon for these Warriors to be free

But Miyamoto knew these twenty-one things to be true
And didn’t need a master to adhere, follow, pursue
He followed his own inner truth and went where the wind blew
And now his maxims have blown your way to inspire you

You do not need to follow them because I told you so
You’ll follow ‘cause they are all truths that you already know
Twenty-one maxims which plainly state truths we may not
Want to follow, some might be resisted, even fought

Because they fly in the face of comfort and luxury
But these are truths that no one can dispute or disagree
Twenty-one steps to let go, to accept and have peace
To understand, to be selfless and make your anguish cease

Twenty-one steps followed by a Ronin Samurai
Who knew the truth was within him and declared, “I won’t die
As many of my brothers did when they had lost their master”
Musashi would not accept anything as a disaster

In and out all things did flow and just one thing was held
And that was twenty-one maxims that Musashi compelled
Himself to follow and now you can follow them as well
It’s not on problems but on truths that all of us should dwell

                                                                    ~Miro

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Code of Bushidō: Honor (Meiyo)

Code of Bushidō: Honor (Meiyo)

Honor is integrity
Adherence to a code
Unimpaired and unwavered when
Others choose to goad

Honor’s not a part-time thing
No momentary lapses
In integrity when someone
Else’s peace collapses

Warrior’s will hold fast and
Honor the code they follow
With poise and grace through difficult
Times while others will wallow

Honor is a self-respect
That’s earned and can’t be bought
It cannot be stolen and to
The selfish can’t be taught

It is the courage and resolve
To make the right decision
Even when you’re not under
Anyone’s supervision

Honor is not sacrificed
To lie or cheat or steal
To take a shortcut that will make
An easier ordeal

The Warrior-Knights earned themselves
The reputation of
Being men of honor ‘cause
They held themselves above

Basic human desires
Like comfort, ease and pleasure
They knew pursuing just those things
Made men of little measure

Honor’s held in high regard
‘Cause it’s a selfless act
To sacrifice your own yearning
So that your code is backed

And it’s a virtue that lairs
And thieves cannot deny
They say “There goes a warrior
Who’s much stronger than I”

                            ~Miro

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Code of Bushidō: Honesty (Makoto)

Code of Bushidō: Honesty (Makoto)

Lying is the act of cowards
Gutless, craven sneaks
A warrior only recites
Truth when he or she speaks

A warrior does not need to
Embellish the details
They recognize compared to truth
That chicanery pales

They relish in accuracy
Precision, fact and care
To disgrace themselves with a lie
A warrior won’t dare

And being masters of the truth
A warrior knows lies
Whenever they do rear their heads
And can see through their guise

A warrior has faith that truth
Will never lead astray
They do not feel the need to taint
With different shades of grey

They know the truth will not always
Be what some want to hear
But causing others discomfort
Is not something they fear

Through all their constant training of
Conveying honesty
A warrior becomes something
Impressive: a trustee

For trust is faith and trust is hope
And trust is confidence
Optimism, certainty
Within your common sense

The warrior does not tell lies
And will not stretch the facts
Because their honesty is one
Of their virtuous acts

                         ~Miro

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Code of Bushidō: Respect (Rei)

Code of Bushidō: Respect (Rei)

Virtue four of Bushidō:
The ethic of respect
A concept that has long since died
But now we’ll resurrect

To show regard for other folks
To see what they have done
To pay respect for all the work
And miles that they run

To take notice of efforts made
And make efforts as well
To not just think of compliments
But to speak up and tell

To make the little gestures that
Show others our esteem
A bow, a nod, a handshake or
A smile where we beam

Waiting ‘till one’s finished speaking
To give our two cents
Cutting someone off is a
Disrespect so immense

Letting others say their peace
And though we disagree
Having respect for their view
And saying “Let it be”

Keeping promises and taking
The time to respond
Warriors and respect are
An unbreakable bond

Paying back or paying forward
Good deeds paid to us
Action that is second nature
No need to discuss

The key to respect is that others
All come before you
Respect is something that selfish
People cannot accrue

Because they’re too busy concerned
With what they want from you
To be able to pay respect
As true warriors do

                         ~Miro

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Code of Bushidō: Benevolence (Jin)

Code of Bushidō: Benevolence (Jin)

The third virtue of Bushidō
Is their benevolence
Although they possessed deadly skill
Their mercy was immense

They didn’t focus solely on
Themselves or their rich kings
They had acuity to notice
All the little things

The sick, the poor, the downtrodden
The broken ones in need
The samurai were never too
Busy for a good deed

Understanding, slow to anger
Full of patience, grace
Tolerance and charity
For those who could not face

Challenges and struggles that
Were too much to endure
Suffering for Bushidō
Acted much like a lure

A sense of duty to assist
To use their heightened state
For the benefit of others
To reduce their weight

Benevolence is a kind act
That needn’t be returned
It isn’t only saved for those
Who have paid or have earned

Benevolence is doing what
You know deep down is right
An integral part of the ancient
Code of Warrior-Knight

                       ~Miro

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Code of Bushidō: Rectitude (Gi)

Code of Bushidō: Rectitude (Gi)

The first virtue of Bushidō
Is Rectitude which means
Justice taken into all
Of your daily routines

“Just what is right?” some folks will ask
“What makes you think you know?”
“Who are you to think you can
Enlighten us and show?”

The answer is I’m just like you
And we all know deep down
The difference between right and wrong
Though some do try to drown

The voice that tells us what is right
The conscience deep within
The truth that keeps us from shortcuts
And leads to our chagrin

Therein lies the key factor
Behind true rectitude:
It’s when choices that are not
Popular are pursued

It’s when everyone else cheats
And scams and lies and steals
And you refuse to go along
And sacrifice ideals

It’s when you decide to stand
Apart from everyone
Be labeled as “pious” as
They all insult and shun

It’s when you don’t think just of
Your own comfort and gain
It’s when you don’t focus on
All that you can attain

It’s when balance, fairness and
Equality are more
Important than all of the nice
Trinkets that you can score

Without it, all your talent and
Learning will do no good
Unless the virtue of justice
Is fully understood

Making the decision that
Is not the easy one
The one that is not popular
The one that is not fun

It may elicit much unrest
And grievance from the crowd
But warriors can’t hear them ‘cause
Combined they’re not as loud

As the voice that’s deep within
Demanding rectitude
A warrior cannot ignore
That voice and can’t elude

A warrior is confident
And never loses face
As long as rectitude is something
They fully embrace

                                 ~Miro

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The Code of Bushidō


The Code of Bushidō

Many different warriors
Have walked the face of Earth
From many different areas
But all shared the same worth

One of these was Bushidō:
“Way of the Warrior-Knight”
Although these ancient Japanese
Nobles are gone from sight

The seven virtues that they all
Adhered to still live on
The Warrior-Knight’s way continues
To inspire and spawn

People from all walks of life
To strive for Rectitude
Courage and Benevolence
Respect that they imbued

Honesty and Honor and the
Final virtue of
Loyalty all formed the code
Which set them all above

Other people who did not
Adhere to self-imposed
Laws and regulations that
Would keep their calm composed

Seven virtues that make up
The moral principles
That keep a warrior grounded
Whenever trouble pulls

Virtues that can anchor us
Firmly in peace and grace
Whenever anger, frustration
And setbacks show their face

                                   ~Miro

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The Cowboy Code

“Honesty is not something you should flirt with. You should be married to it.” ~Cowboy Proverb

The Cowboy Code

No matter where on Earth you go
There will always be some
Who stand apart from most because
To fear they won’t succumb

In England they were called “Knights” and
In Japan “Bushido”
The good ole’ USA had their
Own brand that did not show

Fear, weakness and selfishness
They were known as “Cowboys”
They followed ten ethics which helped
Them keep honor and poise

Living every day with courage
Taking pride in work
Finish what you start and do
What must be done, not shirk

Being tough but fair and promises
Not being broken
Riding for the brand and saying more
With less words spoken

Remembering that some things aren’t
For sale for any dough
And knowing where to draw the line
And letting backbone show

Ten ethics and principals
For USA’s own brand
Of warrior who for courage
Honor and grace did stand

                              ~Miro

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Code of Bushidō: Honor (Meiyo)

Code of Bushidō: Honor (Meiyo)

Honor is integrity
Adherence to a code
Unimpaired and unwavered when
Others choose to goad

Honor’s not a part-time thing
No momentary lapses
In integrity when someone
Else’s peace collapses

Warrior’s will hold fast and
Honor the code they follow
With poise and grace through difficult
Times while others will wallow

Honor is a self-respect
That’s earned and can’t be bought
It cannot be stolen and to
The selfish can’t be taught

It is the courage and resolve
To make the right decision
Even when you’re not under
Anyone’s supervision

Honor is not sacrificed
To lie or cheat or steal
To take a shortcut that will make
An easier ordeal

The Warrior-Knights earned themselves
The reputation of
Being men of honor ‘cause
They held themselves above

Basic human desires
Like comfort, ease and pleasure
They knew pursuing just those things
Made men of little measure

Honor’s held in high regard
‘Cause it’s a selfless act
To sacrifice your own yearning
So that your code is backed

And it’s a virtue that lairs
And thieves cannot deny
They say “There goes a warrior
Who’s much stronger than I”

                            ~Miro