water-lily
in full bloom but for a day
then gone
© Gsk ‘16
For my Mother
April 30, 1933 – June 7, 2016
Water-Lily – Jisei – June 8, 2016
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Category Archives: Jisei
Jisei for a Willow – Tanka/Jisei – September 26, 2015
fallen – sweet willow
felled by impetuous winds
September tempest
her sisters weep on the shore
and I write her jisei
tall subtle willow
protected young and old
fell – angry winds
© G.s.k. ‘15
This was is what remains of the largest willow in the lake front parks at Riva Del Garda. I rarely could photograph her … she was just way too big – she often was just a few leaves filling in the space around her sister willow.
From last March:
Linked to: Carpe Diem On The Trail With Basho Encore #14 “falling willow leaves”
Autumn Moon – Jisei – September 25, 2015
the autumn moon shines
illuminating gently
this darkened pathway
fading autumn day
in the wind blow falling leaves
– dark shadows gather
© G.s.k. ’15
Linked to: dVerse – Jisei – Japanese Death Poem
Morning Haiku and Waka – September 16, 2015
Jisei thoughts at dawn
imagining that walk
through deserts, woods and towns
a last poem
this grey dawn
the cock crows thrice
not even a crow caws
walking a Silk Road
into a new adventure
through the desert
summer sunshine wans
in the woods – trees turn bright red
the sparrows are gone
as the fall rains begin
my thoughts turn to winter
© G.s.k. ‘15
I dedicate this post to Heeding Haiku With Chèvrefeuille which heavily influence my morning thoughts.
Born Wanderer – Jisei – September 16, 2015
born a wanderer
through spring until the winter
seeking something new
© G.s.k. ‘15
this unknown path
I watch light and shadows play
one last time
© G.s.k. ‘15
Written for: Heeding Haiku with Chèvrefeuille
In this feature Chèvrefeuille introduces the jisei or death poem. It was common among Japanese poets (and in fact most aristocrats as well) to write a last poem on ones deathbed known as a jisei. It may have spoken of the poets life, his/her last vision or emotion, the object of the jisei was to be a farewell and culmination of ones life.
Here are some jisei of the famous classical haiku poet Matsuo Basho:
ill on a journey
my dreams start to wander
across desiccated fields
© Matsuo Basho (Tr. Chèvrefeuille)
And two examples by our host:
my dreams wander
along the path of my life …
Honeysuckle blooms
Honeysuckle blooms
sharing her sweet perfume
I dream away
© Chèvrefeuille
Life, Death and Time – Haiku – August 7, 2014
falling leaves
trees are bare sunshine bleak
ducks fly south
early morning sun
the day quickly passes
nightingale sings
the cemetery
flowers on the graves wither
gentle rain falls
crying baby
mother offers her breast
at the sidewalk café
Written for Mindlovesmisery’s Menagerie
Carpe Diem – Sacrifice – May 12, 2014
“Every haiku-poet wrote a Jisei or Deathpoem. Sacrifice to the max. Living our life fully as a haiku-poet, close to nature giving up all luxery, looking for that one moment as short as the sound of a pebble thrown into water to write THE all time perfect haiku … day in, day out … that’s sacrifice.”
Examples:
heading to the end
treading through heavy snow
way of the brush
© Wakyu
it’s become a habit
bowing to the west
New Year’’s dawn
© Wagin
fallen ill on a journey
my dreams
wander over withered fields
© Basho
(Source: Haiku by David Anderson )
Jisei
walk into night
moonset and starless sky
without a map
© g.s.k.
blinding light
in a nightmare’s story
before the night
© g.s.k.
winding path
leads only forward
to unknown lands
© g.s.k.
soldiers stalking
in the darkness of night
prayers raise silently
© g.s.k.
Bastet and Sekhmet's Library 