Although zen like in their simplicity the poems aren't presented in the same style as koans, in them Takahashi expresses the essence of zen observations and learning. Ikemoto in his introduction emphasises the importance of the practice of sitting in zen, which is shown in many of the poems 'Life Infinite' for instance where in Zen sitting Takahashi finds that 'I can see, live anywhere, everywhere'. In the poem 'Paper Door' the simple scene of tea drinking takes on a broader dimension, the torn shoji seen flapping in the wind is focused upon, Takahashi with reference to it's fading frame questions the permanence of the universe. In 'Words', taken from a collection from 1949 Takahashi ponders the purpose of communication, where words are not merely words, 'I listen, To what makes you talk - Whatever that is- And me listen'. Many of the poems are located outside time and place, and simple observations of everyday objects and wildlife take on the themes of zen, the impermanence of time and the senses.