A centuries-old tradition in Japan is the jisei or death poem, often written in the last moments of life. The death poem is a final salutation to the world in the form of a three line haiku. Wry, elegant, grateful and accepting of the end of life, each one is undoubtedly beautiful.
This book introduces and explains the tradition common among Zen Buddhist monks and poets, from roots among noble samurai to its more satirical edge in later centuries. Gathered here are three hundred and twenty haiku in English translation along with the backstory of each author.
A resonant and humbling experience, a book for the best of shelves.