Mayumi Itoh

Haikus of All Seasons VIII Mayumi Itoh

This book is the eighth anthology of haikus by this author. This volume features flora and is dedicated to the Japanese female poet Kaneko Misuzu (1903-1930), who touched millions of hearts with her genuine empathy for all living things through her poems, which are marked by untainted simplicity and striking sensitivity. This anthology is also a tribute to Joseph Brodsky (1940-1996), a Russian émigré and the recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature for 1987, as well as the United States Poet Laureate for 1991-1992. This is a unique bilingual anthology and presents each haiku in both Japanese and English so that non-Japanese-speaking readers can appreciate it. In order to enhance understanding, the identification of the season word of the haiku, as well as some explanations of the cultural and historical backgrounds, are given where applicable. Enjoy!