WESTERN DEATH HAIKU by George Swede Like others growing old, Ive had to cope with the death of friends, relatives, colleagues and various cultural icons. Thus, learning how to deal with the final passage - ones own as well as that of others - has evolved into something of great interest. One intriguing source of information was Yoel Hoffmans Japanese Death Poems in which he lucidly describes Japanese ideas about the afterlife as well as the long tradition of writing a farewell haiku or tanka. I began to wonder how many Western writers were exploring this aspect of Japanese short-form poetry. It turns out that a surprising number are involved, and favouring the haiku form over the tanka. Of course, death occurs in a wide range of circumstances. To more easily discuss the diversity of associated poems, I have organised them into five categories: Battlefield, illness, suicide, old age, and memorial. At the end, I speculate that the epitaph might be a Western precursor to the haiku. Battlefield Hoffmans book has examples of haiku found on samurai who died on the battlefield or shortly after. In most cases, the haiku were obviously completed before the battle had begun. In a few instances, however, Hoffman is not clear about when the haiku were composed and it is possible that some were noted down during the time between the fatal sword thrust or gunshot and the actual death. Western death haiku recorded by real combatants were hard to find. Closest in spirit, even though it involves an animal, is this one by Serbian Dimitar Anakiev about the brutal wars in southeastern Europe: spring evening the wheel of a troop carrier crushes a lizard The next one by Marc Hoy describes his near-death state of mind while being held in a northern Thailand prison for five years. While not in a conventional war situation, he was in a battle nevertheless, undergoing torture and starvation and finally convinced that the end was imminent. At the last moment he was rescued by a US Consul, only to end up continuing his time in an Arizona prison, from where he recalled his Thai experience: No destination Is reached by clouds in the sky Only endless change Illness Hoffman includes a number of haiku written by Japanese masters when they were ill and dying. Western equivalents were not hard to find. Both Marianne Bluger, a well-known Canadian poet who lived in Ottawa, and Jerry Kilbride, who for decades tended bar in a posh San Francisco private club, succumbed after long struggles with cancer. A famous novelist, Richard Wright surprised the world with his collection Haiku: This Other World culled from over 4000 haiku he wrote in France during the amoebic dysentery-plagued last 18 months of his life. the last ember dies a chill takes the house by moonlight Marianne Bluger (died 2005, age 60) end of a long day the old bartenders feet take the floorboards home Jerry Kilbride (died 2005, age 75) An empty sickbed: An indented white pillow In weak winter sun. Richard Wright (died 1960, age 52) Suicide As Hoffmans book vividly describes, suicide, often via seppuku, was common in Japanese history and so too a haiku composed before the act. While some persons in the West also choose to end life in this manner, I could find no haiku or tanka that were written beforehand. Nevertheless, some do deal with the topic from other perspectives. To the best of my knowledge, Larry Gross is still alive in Tallahassee and editing three poetry magazines: HWUP, The Top and Sijo West. My tanka (and I am also still alive) was the result of my half-brothers suicide and the haiku was inspired by a dream. suicide haiku tossing it from the bridge instead Larry Gross I re-read my brothers suicide note - tomatoes ripen on the sill George Swede I awake before hitting the ground the clocks dial glows George Swede Old Age In Hoffmans book, poems anticipating death from old age are the most prevalent and this seems to be the case in the West as well. Presumably, Michigans Michael Rehling, the owner of the internet site Haiku Hut, wants this to be his death poem a la Japanese writers; likewise, but with humour, North Carolina heart specialist Hal Kaplan. Well-known Catalan poet Agusti Bartra penned this haiku on his deathbed. The poem by Jane Reichhold, one of the haiku worlds household names, varies from the rest because it looks at anothers impending death, in this case one of her terminally ill parents. Death Haiku In a split second during a long thoughtful breath I inhale a bug Michael Rehling (age 61) bury me next to friendly people I like to talk a lot Hal Kaplan (age 60) I would die standing, like smoke when it is transformed not even knowing Agusti Bartra (died 1982, age 74) DEATH WATCH ONE THREAD UNRAVELS Jane Reichhold (age 70) Memorials As in Japan, memorials abound in the West. Each year certain periodicals, as well as conferences, feature tributes to haiku poets who have recently died. Osaka-born Keiko Imaoka, a longtime American resident, as well as haiku poet, committed suicide. Santa Fes Elizabeth Lamb was a pillar of the Western haiku community and first Honorary Curator of the American Haiku Archives. Another eminent haiku personage, Washingtons Francine Porad was a poet, painter and editor. The last memorial is for my half-brother, mentioned in the section on suicide. In Memory of Keiko Imaoka (1962-2002) a wrenching in my chest - the white peony pulled from the garden Michael Dylan Welch Remembering Elizabeth Searle Lamb (1917-2005) a spring flurry crows large as ravens move tree to tree William J. Higginson Remembering Francine Porad (1929-2006) rereading the renga we wrote a decade ago . . . my name: her name Lenard D. Moore In Memory of Robert Paynter (1958-1984) the family gathered a tear of embalming fluid runs from my brothers eye George Swede A Possible Western Precursor To Death Haiku: The Epitaph The word epitaph in ancient Greek literally means on the gravestone. Such text honouring the deceased is usually brief because of space limitations on most tombstones or plaques. Ive chosen a few pithy ones that are haiku- or senryu-like. The epitaph for Irish poet Yeats has meaning independent of our knowledge about the person - that is, it can be fully appreciated on its own. The others depend more on knowing who the individuals were. Poe is the American author of the great poem The Raven (and many other works of poetry and prose). A Nobel Laureate for Physics, the German Heisenberg is famous for his idea of the uncertainty principle. Irish playwright, comedian and musician Milligan is best remembered for being the founder and principal writer/performer of the British radio comedy series, The Goon Show. Likely, only younger readers need to be told about American voice actor Blancs renditions of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and others in hundreds of animated cartoons. For W.B. Yeats Cast a cold eye On life, on death Horseman, pass by! For Edgar Allan Poe Fly Quoth the Raven Nevermore. For Werner Heisenberg I lie somewhere over here. For Spike Milligan I told you I was ill. For Mel Blanc Thats all folks!
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 14:41:13 +0000
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