Synopses & Reviews
Poetry. Asian Studies. Winner of the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission Prize for the Translation of Japanese Literature. Selected and translated by Shogo Oketani and Leza Lowitz. AMERICA AND OTHER POEMS is the first English translation of a single volume by the seminal Japanese Modernist poet, Ayukawa Nobuo. One of Japan's most influential yet overlooked poets, Nobuo was an important voice for peace and probity in the years that followed World War II and the collapse of Japan's rationale for war. This landmark selection spans from 1947 through 1976, and includes work ranging from early writings about the poet's experience on the front line to poems focused on the influence of Western culture on Japanese society. This award-winning translation also features texts by Shogo Oketani, contextualizing Nobuo's life and work.