Jisei : ISBN 978-91-986131-4-8

JISEI A Jisei is a Japanese death poem, celebrating a life. It is a genre of poetry that developed in the literary traditions of Japan, centuries ago. Globetrotter, philosopher, poet – Teacher. Culture-change leader: “Beginning in his first year of teaching…(Jerry) left a trail of innovation initiatives…often fighting against the mainstream, and even his superiors.” Gordon W. Cavanaugh A Champion of Innovation in Education, 2012 The Sahara, between Chinguetti and Nouakchott “...These ‘Peugeot camels’ survive desert driving with deflated tires, heavy duty suspension and incredibly skilled drivers. Not highways... open desert, driving around, over, and through dune fields. It was an overnight drive, with periodic rest stops... ...I walked into the dark to pee, carefully looking down at my feet, to avoid stumbling on uneven ground. Stopped and looked up, and the night sky fell on me. I wasn’t looking up at sky, I was in the sky...” * Diakiw’s poems and stories offer an erudite, clear-eyed and often funny vista through billions of years and our tiny speck of time. The magic to the mundane, beginning to end, macro to micro. Diakiw touched generations of minds and souls directly, under the honorable title of Teacher. And university lecturer. His career also spanned years as a deeply engaged education administrator and theorist – the writer of several published articles and editorial pieces, dedicated to furthering social justice and enhancing quality in the Ontario school system. Diakiw's medical “expiry date” passed over 5 years ago, and counting – the time to reflect on a life of love and adventure, filled to the fullest. The drive to leave the world a better place than he found it. “In my dwindling days, I spend more and more time swept up in the majesty and timelessness of the cosmos." "There I am... No, I’m gone.” Dr. Diakiw continues to post two fascinating blogs.