The End and the Beginning
Over at dVerse Poets Pub today Gayle is asking us to write Japanese death poems, preferably in the tanka or haiku form (though she said we didn’t have to adhere to strict syllable counts). I decided to write a tanka, which I’ve never done before. I don’t know if I followed all the rules, but I did stick with the 5/7/5/7/7 syllable counts.
My poem illustrates how I hope I will face death some day, at least this is my plan. I didn’t set out for it to rhyme, but it does, so there you go.
The End and the Beginning
My wandering over,
my suffering now to cease,
my eternal home
in sight, now my hope and peace
embracing the sweet release
your faith is evident in this without being over-stated. I think that even those of us who are Christians have a fear of death…but yet we shouldn’t if we truly believe that what comes next is so much better…so much more…
I’m just starting a 9 month study of Revelation in BSF and learning that there is so much more and it is so much grander than this life. 🙂
May it be so for you when the time comes!
Thank you for that prayer. Peace, Linda
Beautiful phrase “embracing the sweet release”…yes, no fear in love!
Thanks. I actually see one thing I want to edit in this poem already, but it’s not that line. Peace, Linda
No rules say the tanka can’t rhyme! This is so peaceful and happy. Excellent testimony in so few words that say so very much.
I so second that 🙂 Sweet release. Loved it.
It must be lovely when one is at peace at the ,moment of passing – as many are, thankfully.
Spirituality is our ace in the hole, as long as love is the edict & joy is the fodder. Nice jisei, Linda.
Beautiful..and there will be no more pain, only peace. Your faith is strong to be so accepting.
Well, I don’t want it to come today, mind you, because I want to see my son get married and have me some grand kids someday, but I suppose if it did I’d be okay with that.
Beautiful testimony of your faith, Linda.
Thinking of death as a sweet release….sounds like a very peaceful way to go!
At least ..my intuitive
feeling IS.. God enjoys
those most.. who Live
the most.. smiles..:)
What an inspirational message, to face our final dance with so much joy.
Thanks! This hope is available to all, and that’s my favorite thing about it.
Peace and joy, what more can we ask for
That’s what I’m looking forward to. Not that I don’t have some of that here in this life, but it’s mixed with pain and suffering. Pure peace and joy will be a wonderful thing.
This is such a content, calm and hopeful poem – wonderful contrast to the bitterness, wistfulness and regrets some of the traditional jisei expressed.
Thanks. There was a time in my life when my “death poem” would have been full of bitterness and regret. I am thankful that such is no more.
To be able to part with the world with such joy… to know that the it’s better afterwards.. that is a great.
To finally embrace that eternal home would be a blessing indeed ~ We can only hope for that peace ~ Thanks for joining us Linda ~
I love it, Linda…it’s perfect. How nice to know that our suffering will be over and we can at last rest in peace…lovely. Thank you for joining in today.