Japanese Death Haiku

Matsuo Basho (1644 – 1694)

On a journey, ill;
my dream goes wandering
over withered fields.

Yosa Buson (1716 – 1783)
winter warbler -
long ago in Wang Wei's
hedge also

Shinsui

Shinsui, died September 9, 1769, at 49.  During his last moment, Shisui's disciples requested that he write a death poem. He grasped his brush, painted a circle, cast the brush aside, and died. The circle— indicating the void, the essence of everything, enlightenment— is one of the most important symbols of Zen Buddhism.

Kobyashi Issa  (1763 - 1827)

This world of dew
is only a world of dew -
and yet
           *written after the death of one of his children

A bath when you’re born,
a bath when you die,
how stupid.