![]() Quote of the Day
I'm filled with admiration for what you've achieved, and particularly for the hard work and the 'cottage industry' aspect of it.
Fleur Adcock
|
|
Book Search
Subscribe to our mailing list
|
|
Selected PoemsShuntaro TanikawaTranslated by William I. Elliott and Kazuo Kawamura![]()
When I stroll along this field,
the kind and cunning sky hiding nothingness behind its back, I wonder what kind of wind blows in that forest? from `Sonnet 52'
Shuntaro Tanikawa, the most inventive poet in Japanese poetic history, is also that country's most popular, and arguably its best, contemporary poet. Born in 1931, he published his first book of poems when he was 21, his most recent a year or two ago. This selection from the substantial bulk of his writings demonstrates his versatility and his originality.
One original feature of his work is that he does not write haiku. But haiku-lovers will not be too disappointed, because the poems have the compactness and the points of focus which the haiku form teaches. Original, too, are the ways in which Tanikawa has absorbed and transposed elements of European and American culture for his own distinctly Japanese purposes. He is at times like a philosopher in the game-room of language, at times a child let loose in the great garden of world poetry.
Praise for Shuntaro Tanikawa
'What poetry and protests have in common, perhaps, is that they are both a means to interfere with the noise of dominant culture. The poetic voice of the Japanese master Shuntaro Tanikawa allows us to perceive our life and take a break from it, when we are left at a loss to deal with it alone.'
PEN Hong Kong Favourite Books of 2017 |
Share this...
Quick Links
Carcanet Celebrates 50 Years!
Anvil Press Poetry
Aspects of Portugal
Audio Books
Carcanet Classics
Carcanet Fiction
Carcanet Film
Carcanet Poetry
FyfieldBooks
Lintott Press
Little Island Press
Lives and Letters
OxfordPoets
PN Review
Sheep Meadow Press
The Carcanet Blog
Joe Carrick-Varty: NPVIII: Meet the Contributor
read more
New Poetries VIII: Andrew Latimer on Benjamin Nehammer
read more
Charles Boyle: The Disguise
read more
Benjamin Nehammer: NPVIII: Meet the Contributor
read more
New Poetries VIII: Phoebe Power on Jason Allen-Paisant
read more
Moya Cannon: On Poetry
read more
![]() |
![]() We thank the Arts Council England for their support and assistance in this interactive Project.
|
|
This website ©2000-2021 Carcanet Press Ltd
|