Publisher's Synopsis
'One of the most respected and oft-quoted compilations of the Japanese poetic canon....A must-read for anyone interested in Japanese culture or poetry in general.' —William Scott Wilson, renowned translator of Japanese literature. In the pale dawn your coldness as we parted froze my heart— nothing now so chills me as morning's early light —Mibu no Tadamine. This completely new translation of the most famous collection of Japanese poetry ever produced, the Hyakunin Isshu ("A hundred poems by a hundred poets"), contains works written between the 7th and 8th centuries that were collected and published by the poet Fujiwara no Teika at the end of that era. The collection is still widely read in Japan today by school children and everyday people. These poems provide insights on daily life in ancient Japan while addressing universal themes of love, loneliness, aging and the beauty of nature—all highly relevant today. The poets whose works are featured here include: Sei Shonagon, author of The Pillow Book Lady Murasaki Shikibu, author of The Tale of Genji.
