Hello Spark Zen readers! I hope you’re doing well today. Below is a selection of haiku from the book Japanese Death Poems: Written by Zen Monks and Haiku Poets on the Verge of Death. It’s a beautiful reminder that no matter who we are & where we live, we’ll return to the ineffable source. And, we never know when our time will come, so let’s do our utmost to be a source of loving and compassionate presence to all beings. Bowing from San Francisco.
Lightning flickers
only in the north:
the moon is overcast.
—Amano Hachiro, died on the fifth day of the eleventh month, 1868 at the age of thirty-eight
Running shallow
with a year’s end sound:
river rapids.
—Arimaru, died in the twelfth month, 1703
Flowers of the grass:
scarcely shown, and withered
name and all.
—Asei, died in 1752
Earth and metal . . .
although my breathing ceases
time and tide go on.
—Atsujin, died on the thirtieth day of the fourth month, 1836 at the age of seventy-nine
Island of Eternity:
a turtle dries its shell out
in the first sun rays of the year.
—Baisei, died on the first day of the first month, 1745
The longest winter night:
plum petals fall and finally
the western moon.
—Bankoku, died on the third day of the eleventh month, 1748 at the age of seventy
On a journey, ill:
my dream goes wandering
over withered fields.
—Basho, died on the twelfth day of the tenth month, 1694 at the age of fifty-one
A parting word?
The melting snow
is odorless.
—Bokusui, died on the twenty-ninth day of November, 1914at the age of forty
While I walk on
the moon keeps pace beside me:
friend in the water.
—Masahide, died on the third day of the eighth month, 1723 at the age of sixty-seven
At night my sleep
embraces the summer shadows
of my life.
—Oto, died on the thirty-first day of May, 1935 at the age of sixty-seven
Hello Heather thank you for sharing I liked the 10th the best I wrote it down to remember I also found the phone that Laura shared wonderful I loved it take care Heather
Thank you for sharing this!