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Japanese Death Poems
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Topic Started: May 26 2011, 10:18 PM (517 Views)
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Mercurius of Cappadocia
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May 26 2011, 10:18 PM
Post #1
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King of the Round Table Knights
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This site has a pretty good explanation of the tradition:
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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/
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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
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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.
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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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May 26 2011, 10:25 PM
Post #2
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King of the Round Table Knights
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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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May 26 2011, 11:07 PM
Post #3
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Indeed Japanese culture is so rich. Nice post Merc...
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Dinadan of Logris
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May 27 2011, 02:01 AM
Post #4
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Master of Spam
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How about just staying alive for a bit longer, Merc?
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Drowningpool
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May 27 2011, 07:41 PM
Post #5
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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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May 27 2011, 08:22 PM
Post #6
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- Dinadan of Logris,May 26 2011
- 07:01 PM
How about just staying alive for a bit longer, Merc?
No need to worry about that. Merc loves himself way too much to do himself any harm whatsoever...
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Mercurius of Cappadocia
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May 28 2011, 02:40 AM
Post #7
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King of the Round Table Knights
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- Dinadan of Logris,May 27 2011
- 02:01 AM
How about just staying alive for a bit longer, Merc?
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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May 28 2011, 04:10 AM
Post #8
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Retired Knight of the Round Table
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Awesome... i only hope I can come up with something anywhere near as good when my time comes....
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Dagonet of Rus
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May 28 2011, 05:18 AM
Post #9
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Retired Knight of the Round Table
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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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