12 August 2008

Japanese Death Poems


It's being one of those seasons.

Asei

Flowers of the grass:
scarcely shown, and withered
name and all.

Gesshu

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.


Choko

This final scene I'll not see
to the end...my dream
is fraying.

Hosshin

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


Kozan

Empty-handed I entered the world
Barefoot I leave it.
My coming, my going --
Two simple happenings
That got entangled.


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