The book Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg has been relished by writers in their practice for over 30 years. The author also created a deck of 60 cards, each with new topics on one side and a short lesson on the reverse.
I gave it a go
You can follow the cards in order 1-60 or do like I did and randomly pick a card. I picked #51, “Have you enjoyed your life? No matter what your age, look back in this moment and respond.” The reverse of the card urges the writer to focus on the joyful moments. Here is my list. I like how it begins and ends with children:
- The joy of carrying my babies
- Adult children laughing
- Iced tea on a warm day
- 61 fragrant springs (so far :))
- Little Kindnesses everywhere
- Reading a good book in the sunshine
- Hiking Trails
- Mountain Streams
- Working toward my dreams
- Sharing life with my husband
- A kiss from a furry friend
- Road trips
- Fireplace on a cold night
- Grandchildren
Death Poems
Plot twist! I am unsure how this writing exercise about the joyful moments in life got me thinking of death poems, but I suppose it’s the “looking back” theme of the exercise and the “circle of life” feel of my list.
I read about death poems when researching famous haiku master, Matsuo Basho, for my book, How Do You Haiku?. The death poem, written on one’s deathbed, originates in Zen Buddhism. It offers a reflection of death with a meaningful observation of life.
Here is one of my favorite death poems written by Zen Monk Kozan Ichikyo (1283-1360):
Empty-handed I enter the world.
Barefoot I leave it.
My coming, my going—
the simple happenings
that got entangled.
—Kozan Ichikyo
My Death poem (haiku)
Okay, I’m not on my deathbed, but I couldn’t resist creating my death poem (no jinxes).:
walking softly
through the garden of life
last petal falls
© 2024 Danna Smith at poetrypop.com (Death Poem)
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