Quote by Kobayashi Issa: “Caterpillar, your struggle is not in vain, for someday you will fly.”

This offers a hopeful message about transformation and the hidden purpose behind current struggles. It suggests that present efforts, no matter how difficult, contribute to a future state of liberation or achievement, encouraging perseverance through challenges.

Issa often used natural imagery to convey deeper philosophical or spiritual messages, reflecting on cycles of life and change, particularly relevant in a period of personal and societal flux in Japan.

Late eighteenth and early nineteenth-century Japanese haiku poet known for his deeply personal, compassionate verse and his affinity for small, overlooked creatures. He suffered significant personal tragedy throughout his life, including the loss of his mother, multiple children, and his first wife. His collection Oraga Haru (The Year of My Life) is a masterpiece of haiku prose.