Translations of Two Japanese Death Poems

ukigamo no

harete joudo no

tsukimi kana

floating clouds in

that clear pureland

— moon-viewing? i wonder

[the death poem of Kizan]

***

arigata ya

tsuki no fuuuta

Namu Amida

what a blessing!

A boat-song from the moon —

“homage to Amitabha”

[the death poem of Kozan]

Translated from the Japanese by Erick Tsiknopoulos.