Poem

About this work

This is a sheet of black ink on light paper, filled with handwritten Japanese characters. The strokes are bold and uneven, some thick and others thin, stacked in columns from top to bottom. Two small red stamps sit in the corners like seals. The writing looks like a poem, but it’s also a kind of puzzle—each character has its own rhythm. The artist’s name is hidden in the mix, almost like a signature. Next, look up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see more works like this.