Japanese Death Poetry

In Japan there is a wonderful form of poetry I have always loved called Haiku.  I love Japanese art of all kinds...it is so beautiful, so graceful from the woodblock prints of Hiroshige to wonderful glazes of raku pottery there is little Japanese that I do not like.  Tonight as I was looking at art form that touch on suffering I discovered the Japanese Death Poetry.  I am including a few examples for you to read.  Death and suffering touch all humans no matter our culture or country.  How we view death and dying may vary, but we will experience it in our time on Earth. 


Japanese Death Poetry

google image

Arimaru
Running shallow                                 Kawa no se ni
with a year's end sound:                      shiwasu no oto noriver rapids.                                        nagarekeri


Asei
Flowers of the grass:                           Nora ni sakuscarcely shown, and withered               na wa kore made zo
name and all.                                       kusa no hana


Atsujin
Earth and metal...                                Tsuchi kane ya
although my breathing ceases               iki wa taste mo
time and tide go on.                             tsukihi ari


Baiko
Plum petals falling                               Chiru ume ni
I look up...the sky,                              miaguru sora noa clear crisp moon.                              tsuki kiyoshi


Baisei
Island of Eternity:                                Horai yea 
turtle dries its shell out                       kame mo ko hosuin the rays of a new sun.                      hatsu-hinata

U-kyio -e                                      Hiroshige                        from google image

Banzan
Farewell...                                           Mame de iyo
I pass as all things do                          mi wa narawashi nodew on the grass.                                kusa no tsuyu


Basho
On a journey, ill:                                 Tabi ni yande
my dream goes wandering                   yume wa kareno oover withered fields.                           kakemeguru


Bokusui
A parting word?                                 Jisei nado
The melting snow                               zansetsu ni ka mois odorless.                                        nakarikeri