This is a special part of poetry. The poems were written
by samurai warriors near their deaths, as part of their tradition.
On the left is the English translation of the original
Japanese on the right.
Arimaru
Running shallow Kawa
no se ni
with a year's end sound: shiwasu
no oto no
river rapids.
nagarekeri
Asei
Flowers of the
grass: Nora
ni saku
scarcely shown, and withered na
wa kore made zo
name and all. kusa
no hana
Atsujin
Earth and metal... Tsuchi
kane ya
although my breathing ceases iki
wa taete mo
time and tide go on.
tsukihi
ari
Baiko
Plum petals
falling Chiru
ume ni
I look up...the sky, miaguru
sora no
a clear crisp moon. tsuki
kiyoshi
Baisei
Island of
Eternity: Horai
ya
a turtle dries its shell out kame
mo ko hosu
in the rays of a new sun. hatsu-hinata
Banzan
Farewell... Mame
de iyo
I pass as all things do mi
wa narawashi no
dew on the grass. kusa
no tsuyu
Basho
On a journey, ill: Tabi
ni yande
my dream goes wandering yume
wa kareno o
over withered fields. kakemeguru
Bokusui
A parting word? Jisei
nado
The melting snow zansetsu
ni ka mo
is odorless. nakarikeri
Chiboku
The running stream Yuku
mizu to
is cool...the pebbles tomo
ni suzushiku
underfoot. ishi
kawa ya
Chikuro
Butterflies in
flight: Cho
tobu ya
the journey's end...
miateshi
tabi wa
Suma Akashi Suma
Akashi
Chirin
In earth and sky Ametsuchi
ni
no grain of dust... chiri
naki yuki no
snow on the foothills. fumoto
kana
Chogo
I long for
people... Hito
koishi
then again I loathe them: hito
mutsukashishi
end of autumn. aki
no kure
Choko
This final scene
I'll not see Sue
ikki
to the end...my dream mi
hatenu yume no
is fraying. hotsure
kana
Dohaku
Cargoless, Tsumimono
ya
bound heavenward, nakute
jodo e
ship of the moon
tsuki
no fune
Enryo
Autumn waters Yoizame
no
of this world wake me kore
ya konoyo no
from my drunkenness.
aki no mizu
Fufu
My companion in
the skies Tsure
mo ari
of death, imawa
no sora no
a cuckoo. hototogisu
Fukyu
A bright and
pleasant Kokochiyoshi
autumn day to make aki
no hiyori o
death's journey. shide
no tabi
Fuso
Upon the lotus
flower Asatsuyu
no
morning dew is usura
kiekeri
thinning out. hasu
no hana
Gansan
Blow if you will, Fukaba
fuke
fall wind...the flowers hana
wa sunda zo
have all faded.
aki
no kaze
Ginka
I leap from depths Shakusen
no
of debt into the skies: fuchi
kara tenjo
autumn of the dragon. tatsu
no aki
Gokei
Fields dying off: Kiete
yuku
the underside of grasses frozen no
mo uragare no
hour of my death. hotoke
kana
Gozan
The
snow of yesterday Hana
to mishi
that fell like cherry pedals yuki
wa kino zo
is water once again. moto
no mizu
Hakuro
An ailing
mallard Yamu
kari no
falls through the chilly night yosamu
ni orite
and teeters off. obotsukana
Hankai
The year is
ending: Yuku
toshi no
I have not left my heart kokoro-nokori
wa
behind.
nakarikeri
Hokusai
Now as a
spirit Hitodama
de
I shall roam
yuku kisan ja
the summer fields. natsa
no hara
Ippu
Falling in the
wind Chiriyuku
ya
a gust
kaze ni tokiwa no
of evergreen leaves.
konoha ame
Isan
The autumn
hues Sakazuki
ni
of knotweed seem nite
inutade no
like cups of wine. momiji
kana
Issho
From deep in
my heart Kokoro
kara
how beautiful the snow
yuki utsukushi ya
clouds of the west.
nishi no kumo
Kafu
Night grows
short: Mijikayo
ya
a dream of fifty years mihatenu
yume no
breaks off before it ends.
goju-nen
Kaisho
Evening
cherry-blossoms:
Futokoro e
I slip the inkstone back into my kimono suzuri shimau ya
this one last time.
yuzakura
Kanna
Autumn breeze; Nagaregi
no
driftwood
yoru kata yasashi
landing lightly on the bank.
aki no kaze
Kanshu
Although the
autumn moon Meigetsu
no
has set, its light ato
ni mo mune no
lingers on my chest. hikari
kana
Kato
The moon
departs: Asagao
ya
frost falls upon the tsuki
no wakare o
morning glory. hana
no hie
Kyoshu
A journey of
no return: Sokonuke
ya
the wanderer's sack is kaeranu
tabi no
bottomless.
zudabukuro
Kyutaro
Tender winds
above the snow Moromoro
no
melt many kinds nayami
mo kiyuru
of suffering.
yuki no kaze
Minteisengan
Fall, plum
pedals,
Ka no aru o
fall...and leave behind the memory omoide ni
shite
of scent.
koboreume
Nandai
Since time
began Kanete
naki
the dead alone know peace. mi
koso yasukere
Life is but melting snow. yuki
no michi
Renseki
I cleansed the
mirror Harai
arai
of my heart...now it reflects
kokoro no tsuki no
the moon. kagami
kana
Senseki
At last I am
leaving: Tsui
ni yuku
in rainless skies, a cool moon... minazuki
suzushi
pure is my heart
mune kiyoshi
Soko
Shadows from a
lingering sun Osoki
hi no
blur into dusk... kage
mo haya nashi
falling cherry petals. chiru
sakura
Togyu
When autumn
winds blow Nan
no mama
not one leaf remains
nokoru ha mo nashi
the way it was. aki
no kaze
Zaishiki
Frost on
grass: Kusa
no shimo
a fleeting form toza
bakari zo
that is, and is not.
shiraururi
