jisei

how does one study, "jisei" or Japanese death poetry?

"Jisei: "Death poem" or "death message," also translated variously as "passing away," "last words," "farewell poem to life," or "parting with the world." The 'jisei' is a formal message written shortly before or even on the verge of death, usually in poetic form, but occasionally in prose. "

this kind of poetry -- and this side of Japanese culture generally-- fascinates me, not the least reason being how, on many levels, Japanese character symbology becomes influenced over time by poetry. "Many examples of jisei... "

Excellent description here: "Consider the following poem spoken by military scholar Ota Doken in 1486, just after he was stabbed in his bathtub:

Had I not known
that I was dead
already
I would have mourned
my loss of life.

"Or this poem spoken by Musho Josho in 1306 to his fellow Zen Buddhist monks, moments before he died sitting upright:

When it comes - thus!
When it goes - thus!
Both coming and going occur each day.
The words I am speaking now - thus! "


No, I don't fully get them either. But on another level, you can't get THAT into jisei, I suppose, until you kick the bucket.