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Japanese Death Poems
Topic Started: May 26 2011, 10:18 PM (517 Views)
Mercurius of Cappadocia
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This site has a pretty good explanation of the tradition:
Quote:
 
The first Japanese history, set down around 712 AD in the Kojiki, cite the first examples of lyric poetry in Japanese culture. Japanese poetry had its early beginnings in the style known as tanka, or "short form".  This poetry (31 syllables, arranged 5-7-5-7-7) was an early form native to Japan. Up until the 16th century, nearly all poetry was composed in this form. The development from tanka to haiku, or "opening phrase", is bridged by another style, the renga, or "linked poem" (31 syllables, 5-7-5 three lines, 7-7 two lines).  Two or more poets usually composed the renga. First a poet would compose the opening, followed by a second poet who would close the poem. Over time it became popular for poets to write only the first part. This eventually developed into haiku.  Haiku poetry depicts a single image, is almost always naturous in theme, and usually contains 17 syllables (5-7-5).The only formal rule is the fixed number of syllables, and even this is sometimes violated. This page started out with only poetry written by haiku poets on the verge of death, but I have since expanded the contents.
http://174.132.129.219/~jisei/

Quote:
 

Yet it is possible for humans to die both fully conscious and in composure of soul -- as "Japanese Death Poems," edited by Yoel Hoffman, attests. The poems collected by Hoffman are part of a centuries-old Japanese tradition in which Zen monks, samurai and others compose poems at the moment of death.

Herewith, some of those remarkable documents.

Gesshu Soko, died January 10, 1696, at age 79

    Inhale, exhale

    Forward, back

    Living, dying:

    Arrows, let flown each to each

    Meet midway and slice

    The void in aimless flight --

    Thus I return to the source.

Goku Kyonen, died October 8, 1272, at age 56

    The truth embodied in the Buddhas

    Of the future, present, past;

    The teaching we received from the

    Fathers of our faith

    Can be found at the tip of my stick.

When Goku felt his death was near, he ordered all his monk-disciples to gather around him. He sat at the pulpit, raised his stick, gave the floor a single tap with it, and said the poem above. When he finished, he raised the stick again, tapped the floor once more, and cried, "See! See!" Then, sitting upright, he died.

Hosshin, 13th century

    Coming, all is clear, no doubt about it. Going, all is clear, without a doubt.

    What, then, is all?

Hosshin's last word was "Katsu!" (a word signifying the attainment of enlightenment.)

Shoro, died April 1894, at age 80

    Pampas grass, now dry,

    once bent this way

    and that.

Sunao, died in 1926 at 39

    Spitting blood

    clears up reality

    and dream alike.

Senryu, died September 23, 1790, at 73

    Bitter winds of winter --

    but later, river willow,

    open up your buds.

Kozan Ichikyo, died February 12, 1360, at 77

    Empty-handed I entered the world

    Barefoot I leave it.

    My coming, my going --

    Two simple happenings

    That got entangled.

A few days before his death, Kozan called his pupils together, ordered them to bury him without ceremony, and forbade them to hold services in his memory. He wrote this poem on the morning of his death, laid down his brush and died sitting upright.

Senryu, died June 2, 1827

    Like dew drops

    on a lotus leaf

    I vanish.

Shinsui, died September 9, 1769, at 49

    O

During his last moment, Shisui's followers requested that he write a death poem. He grasped his brush, painted a circle, cast the brush aside, and died.

The circle is one of the most important symbols of Zen Buddhism. It indicates void -- the essence of all things -- and enlightenment.
http://www.salon.com/weekly/zen960805.html



Quote:
 
Tokugawa Ieyasu7
1542-1616

Whether one passes on or remains is all the same.
That you can take no one with you is the only difference.
Ah, how pleasant! Two awakenings and one sleep.
This dream of a fleeing world! The roseate hues of early dawn!

Toko (1795)

Jisei to wa
sunawachi mayoi
tada shinan

Death poems
are mere delusion-
death is death.


Minamoto Yorimasa2
1104-1180

Like a rotten log
half buried in the ground -
my life, which
has not flowered, comes
to this sad end.

Ota Dokan3
1432-1486

Had I not known
that I was dead
already
I would have mourned
my loss of life.
Takemata Hideshige6
(After being defeated by Shibata Katsuie)

Shall Ashura
subdue a man like me?
I shall be born again
and then I'll cut the head
off Katsuie...

Tokugawa Ieyasu7
1542-1616

Whether one passes on or remains is all the same.
That you can take no one with you is the only difference.
Ah, how pleasant! Two awakenings and one sleep.
This dream of a fleeing world! The roseate hues of early dawn!

Uesugi Kenshin9
1530-1578

Even a life-long prosperity is but one cup of sake;
A life of forty-nine years is passed in a dream;
I know not what life is, nor death.
Year in year out-all but a dream.
Both Heaven and Hell are left behind;
I stand in the moonlit dawn,
Free from clouds of attachment.



Quote:
 
Bokusui
A parting word?                                 Jisei nado
The melting snow                               zansetsu ni ka mo
is odorless.                                        nakarikeri


Chogo
I long for people...                              Hito koishi
then again I loathe them:                      hito mutsukashishi
end of autumn.                                   aki no kure

Dohaku
Cargoless,                                          Tsumimono ya
bound heavenward,                             nakute jodo e
ship of the moon                                 tsuki no fune


Gokei
Fields dying off:                                Kiete yuku
the underside of grasses frozen          no mo uragare no
hour of my death.                              hotoke kana

Isan
The autumn hues                                 Sakazuki ni
of knotweed seem                               nite inutade no
like cups of wine.                                momiji kana

Kanna
Autumn breeze;                                   Nagaregi no
driftwood                                             yoru kata yasashi
landing lightly on the bank.                   aki no kaze

Kanshu
Although the autumn moon                 Meigetsu no                       
has set, its light                                   ato ni mo mune no
lingers on my chest.                            hikari kana

Minteisengan
Fall, plum pedals,                               Ka no aru o
fall...and leave behind the memory     omoide ni shite
of scent.                                             koboreume

Nandai
Since time began                                 Kanete naki
the dead alone know peace.                mi koso yasukere
Life is but melting snow.                      yuki no michi

Zaishiki
Frost on grass:                                   Kusa no shimo
a fleeting form                                    toza bakari zo
that is, and is not.                               shiraururi


http://174.132.129.219/~jisei/


Love this poetry.....
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Mercurius of Cappadocia
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A winter of war,
harvest of blossoms in snow,
blooms falling year round.

--Mercurius of Cappadocia, 2011 :)
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tehReal~ChaZZZy
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Indeed Japanese culture is so rich.
Nice post Merc... :mtwcheers:
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Dinadan of Logris
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How about just staying alive for a bit longer, Merc? :P
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Drowningpool
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Mercurius of Cappadocia,May 26 2011
04:25 PM
A winter of war,
harvest of blossoms in snow,
blooms falling year round.

--Mercurius of Cappadocia, 2011 :)

Emogay
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tehReal~ChaZZZy
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Dinadan of Logris,May 26 2011
07:01 PM
How about just staying alive for a bit longer, Merc? :P

No need to worry about that.
Merc loves himself way too much to do himself any harm whatsoever... :D
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Mercurius of Cappadocia
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Dinadan of Logris,May 27 2011
02:01 AM
How about just staying alive for a bit longer, Merc?  :P

Well, if you insist, but at least I have a jingle... in 5-7-5. :)


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Tigrov of Uzhgorod
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Awesome... i only hope I can come up with something anywhere near as good when my time comes....

:santa:
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Dagonet of Rus
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this blade my path
twixt life and wife's wrath
syllable echo-oh

I am pretentious
even at deaths macabre call
math morbidity
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