Hospice leader Frank Ostaseski was at the Zen Hospice in San Franciscoreading a book called Japanese Death Poems.
A woman dying there asked him about that book and Ostaseski explained the tradition of Zen monks who on the day of their death wrote a poem to convey the essential truth discovered in their life.
This woman, named Sono, said she would like to write her own and did so, asking it to be pinned to her bedclothes after she died and then be cremated with her.Here is her poem:Don’t just stand there with your hair turning gray,soon enough the seas will sink your little island.So while there is still the illusion of time,set out for another shore.No sense packing a bag.You won’t be able to lift it into your boat.Give away all your collections.Take only new seeds and an old stick.Send out some prayers on the wind before you sail.Don’t be afraid.Someone knows you’re coming.An extra fish has been salted.-Mona (Sono) Santacroce (1928–1995)when i read this quotation is was struck by the immediacy of the words, the authenticity of the lessons...both those she learned and those she is teaching me, now, as a way to live. i'm sure the depths have not yet been plumbed.(sadly, i didn't make a note of where i found this poem, so i can't attribute it. if anyone knows where i can find it, please contact me at felice.rhiannon@gmail.com. thank you.)