Japanese Death Poems: Written by Zen Monks and Haiku Poets on the Verge of Death by Yoel Hoffmann Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Japanese Death Poems: Written by Zen Monks and Haiku Poets on the Verge of Death
Book Review: Grace under pressure
Summary: 5 Stars
An excellent collection of haiku and classical poetry composed in the face of immediate death. Some funny, some wrathful, some incredibly sad. This book is a fine reminder of a time and place where concentration and clarity of mind were condsidered paramount assets.Book Review: Great for browsing!
Summary: 4 Stars
I read this book straight through, cover to cover. However I don't recommend that people read this book that way. I think this compilation is better appreciated if you read a few poems and take some time to contemplate them. I did notice something interesting about the authors of these poems: It seemed to me that most of them realised that they are actually about to die and felt that they wasted their lives in their religious beliefs. These monks took a vow of poverty and had no possessions, ever. They begged every day to make it to the next. Then in the end, they got nothing out if it. They realised they're going to die just like everyone else. Kinda sad.
Book Review: An intimate look at Japanese feelings on Death.
Summary: 4 Stars
This book is a collection of Death poems from throughout Japanese history. There is a long standing tradition of writing a farewell to the world shortly before your demise. Most of these are written by Zen monks or Haiku poets, and most convey a peaceful, resigned, almost restful view of death. If you're feeling mortal, worried that you might not live forever, it may give you a little peace of mind. This view of Death is very different from the traditional Western one, and provides an interesting window on Japanese culture. The only thing I didn't like about the book was its tendency to lapse into pedantic historical explanations between poems.